Mechanical Engineering Winter/Spring Internship or Co-Op - Central Engineering (WA)

Mechanical Engineering Winter/Spring Internship or Co-op | Central Engineering (WA based)

Build Products. Solve Problems. Make an Impact.

At Hypertherm Associates , our products help customers around the world cut metal more efficiently, safely, and precisely. As a Sustaining Engineering Co-op, you'll play an active role in improving released products while gaining hands-on experience working alongside experienced engineers and cross-functional teams.

Location: Kent, WA

This position offers the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world engineering challenges involving product performance, manufacturing support, component obsolescence, cost reduction, and regulatory compliance. You'll contribute to meaningful projects that directly impact our plasma and waterjet cutting systems and the customers who rely on them every day.

What You'll Do

As part of the Central Engineering team, you will support the ongoing success of released products throughout their lifecycle. Working under the guidance of experienced engineers, you will:

Support design improvements and engineering changes for plasma and waterjet cutting systems

Assist in evaluating alternate mechanical components to address obsolescence, availability, and supply chain challenges

Participate in product testing, data analysis, and validation activities to verify performance and functional requirements

Apply structured problem-solving and root cause analysis techniques to investigate product, manufacturing, and field-related issues

Collaborate with Design Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Procurement, Quality, Regulatory, Reliability, and Supply Chain teams to identify and implement solutions

Create and maintain engineering documentation to support product updates and change management activities

Participate in engineering change processes, including design revisions, documentation updates, testing, and implementation

Contribute to New Product Development (NPD) initiatives as business needs require

Required Qualifications

Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related engineering discipline

Junior or Senior standing with a minimum of two years of completed coursework

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and within cross-functional teams

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with SolidWorks or similar 3D CAD software

Familiarity with engineering drawings and drafting practices

Exposure to product design, manufacturing processes, testing, or engineering projects through coursework, internships, clubs, or personal projects

Interest in industrial equipment, product development, and manufacturing environments

What You'll Learn

This co-op provides hands-on experience across multiple engineering disciplines and business functions, including:

Mechanical system design and product development

Product lifecycle management

Engineering change control processes

Product testing and validation methodologies

Root cause analysis and corrective action processes

Manufacturing and supply chain collaboration

Regulatory, environmental, and safety compliance

Technical writing and professional communication

From day one, you'll have the opportunity to own meaningful engineering work. Each co-op is expected to lead a project or project assignment , apply engineering problem-solving skills to deliver results, and present project outcomes and recommendations to engineering leadership and cross-functional stakeholders. You'll receive mentorship from experienced engineers while gaining exposure to real-world engineering challenges that directly impact our products and customers.

Join Our Team

If you're passionate about engineering, eager to learn, and excited to make a meaningful contribution from day one, we'd love to hear from you. Join Hypertherm Associates and help shape the future of industrial cutting technology while building the foundation for your engineering career.

Hypertherm Associates is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we welcome all applications. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

At Hypertherm Associates, we are committed to building an inclusive diverse, flexible, and collaborative environment . If our mission resonates with you, but you don’t meet all posted requirements, we encourage you to still apply. We will evaluate your application materials and may suggest alternative roles that better leverage your strengths and talents. For positions with multiple levels, we will evaluate your prior experience to determine the level within our organization you are best aligned based upon the job applying.

CURRENT ASSOCIATES OR TEMPORARY ASSOCIATES: Please apply via your internal Workday career account.

$0.00-$0.00 Hourly

This is the base pay range that an applicant can expect to make upon hire.

Pay within this range will vary based upon relevant experience, skills, and education among other factors.