⚔️ Return Of The MechE Intern ⛱
How to get the return offer + Co-ops!
👋 Welcome Back!
We’re in the thick of summer and felt it might be time to give a timeline and advice if you’re hoping to receive that coveted return offer.
On a side note, now is also a great time to apply for co-ops if you’re looking to take the fall or spring off from school! Hopefully, your summer has been going as well as ours!
Want to get a head start on the recruiting season. Check out hardwareishard.net for MechE interview prep, resume advice, and design portfolio examples!
💼 Hardware Internships - It’s Fall Co-Op Time!!!
It’s too early to recruit for next summer’s internships. However, we would strongly urge you to consider . . . Fall Co-Ops!!! Why do a Co-Op? They are a great way to get more experience, both for your resume and so you can see what it’s like to work somewhere for longer than 12 weeks. Also, they tend to be less competitive to get than summer roles and thus can be an easier way to get your foot in the door at a top company!
Here are some interesting Fall 2023 Co-Ops:
Firefly Aerospace - Internship - Ground Support Equipment
Honeywell - Mechanical Engineering Co-Op
Relativity Space - Additive Mechanical Engineering Internship
Tesla - Cell Test Internship
Astra - Mechanical Engineering Internship
Want even MORE Co-Ops to apply to? Check out the Hardware Is Hard Mechanical Engineering Job Board!
👶 Meme Of The Week
📰 Hardware News
Varda launched the first commercial space factory last week. Varda is a hardware company that I have been very confused with. They have raised a lot of money and grabbed a bunch of top talent from SpaceX, but what are they actually building? . . . honestly it would take 3 newsletters to explain their vision and how they have executed thus far. Luckily, Packy McCormick at Not Boring did exactly that in a recent newsletter. You should read it here.
Defense contractor Anduril Industries has acquired Adranos, a manufacturer of solid rocket motors with a proprietary aluminum-lithium alloy fuel, ALITEC. This acquisition aims to enhance competition and expand the supply of solid rocket motors to the Department of Defense, which is currently dominated by Northrop Grumman and Aerojet Rocketdyne. Anduril plans to invest in Adranos’s Mississippi production facility to boost production rates, while Adranos aims to mature its technology and scale up production of ALITEC-fueled motors.
Flipper Devices is set to make $80 million in sales this year from its Flipper Zero hacking device. The gadget is a portable multi-tool aimed at cybersecurity enthusiasts and professionals (started on Kickstarter). It enables users to manipulate various lock systems such as wireless devices, RFID cards, and key fobs, effectively acting as a hacking tool. Flipper Devices emphasizes that its team comprises Ukrainians and Russians and does not support the ongoing conflict in the region. The firmware of Flipper Zero is open source and can be updated via an iOS app. It is available for under $200 . . . WOW, SUPER COOL!
⏲ Internship Timeline - Advice From An Apple Engineer!
Huge thanks to collaborator Eric Chiang for coming up with this content and working with us to put it out. As an intern at Apple back in 2017 and a full-timer from 2018 to date, his experience makes him eminently qualified to write this and we hope you found it useful.
Some assumptions
you (actually) want to come back full time
you are eligible for a full-time position (generally rising senior or post-graduation)
company is hiring
12-week summer internship
Weeks 1-4
Your manager (ideally) is your best friend and advocate during your internship. Establish a productive back & forth with them via weekly 1-on-1s.
Ask for a clear definition of what success in the internship looks like. If one does not exist, ask them to work with you on one and keep checking in as a recurring topic during your internship.
Normalize a relationship where you feel comfortable asking questions.
Stay mindful of their time.
Start to build a support system of other full time engineers and interns.
Identify engineers on your team who converted from intern ➝ full time. They will empathize with your experience. Set up recurring meetings to discuss your progress and any questions you feel less comfortable asking your direct manager. Spreading questions across multiple sources can help prevent you from feeling like you’re burdening your manager (and no one knows the full extent of what you don’t know).
Hang out with other interns and bounce ideas off one another.
Be humble, show an eagerness to learn, and be willing to take on a variety of work. Communication is key.
Weeks 4-8
Demonstrate full ownership over at least one project and consider it your main "intern project". Become indispensable. Ideally, this project will contain a variety of critical skills: CAD, analysis (data, FEA), DFM, prototyping, etc. in order to demonstrate the full range of your capabilities.
As you get busier, work with your manager and learn how to prioritize your time. When full time engineers give you tasks, learn to set realistic timelines, or say "no" effectively.
Also treat additional work as an opportunity to excel! You worked hard to get this internship, so put your best foot forward and showoff the best you!
Make your intentions known about coming back for another internship or full-time. Check in with your manager at the midpoint of your internship (~6 weeks) on whether you're on the right track based on your definition of internship success.
Weeks 8-12
Make sure your work is clearly documented and organized. Check in weekly with your manager on any critical projects and have them confirm they can access key information if needed after you leave.
Set up a final presentation to go over your main project(s). Work with your manager to ensure that critical hiring managers from your team (and others) can and will attend. Polish and practice this presentation, as it will be your final impression on the team.
Post-internship (assuming desire/ability to return)
Thank your manager and your team for the time and energy they invested into you during your internship.
Keep the contact info (and LinkedIn) of multiple managers and your main internship recruiter. Reach back out after 1-2 months have passed and reiterate your interest in coming back full time.
Stay patient.
Full-time headcount may not be sorted by the time your internship ends (ex. August, with a projected start date 1 year later).
Be proactive. That might seem counter to the last point about patience, but do not assume that your recruiter cares about or will remember to reach out to you when the time comes. It is your responsibility (and no one else’s) to contact them regularly asking for updates. Obviously if they say no updates will be available for 3 months, don’t message them every few days. But definitely check in after 2 months and check if the timeline remains intact.
Apply and interview elsewhere. It doesn’t matter if you just had the greatest experience at your dream company where they assured you of a return offer. Until a contract is signed (and even sometimes afterwards, during a recession), the company has no obligation to you. Even if your manager pushes on your behalf, sometimes decisions go over their head. It’s not personal, it’s business.
It cannot hurt you to get counter offers. Having one on the table is by far the easiest method of increasing total compensation (TC), especially for your first job out of school.
Key takeaways:
I've seen many interns come, go, and stay. If you have to take one thing from this, it would be to learn and practice effective communication (written and verbal). Most other skills (CAD, drawings, releasing parts to vendors, etc) can be picked up on the job and are typically not the focus during intern conversion conversations. The most successful interns are the ones that people want to work with.
Be honest about your intentions and ask for feedback as often as available.
Ask to be added onto email threads. Review the tone, language, and structure that successful engineers use for different audiences.
Look through successful slide decks made by full time engineers and other interns. Digest what made them successful.
Respond to things as quickly as you can without compromising quality.
Be transparent about timelines and supply updates if they change.
Provide feedback without arrogance and receive feedback without defensiveness. Stick to facts and minimize bias in both scenarios. Data driven decisions are king.
Have ideas for other content you want written or want to write? Let us know by emailing hardwareishard@gmail.com!