Mechanical Engineering Intern

Mechanical Engineering Intern

Bracket Design and Vehicle Integration
Location: Hendersonville, North Carolina
Internship Type: Summer Internship (with potential part-time continuation during the academic year)

Overview

HiViz Lighting is seeking a Mechanical Engineering Intern to support the design and development of mechanical mounting solutions for LED lighting systems used on fire, police, and EMS vehicles.

This role focuses on designing, prototyping, and validating brackets and mounting hardware for integrating lighting products into vehicle platforms. The intern will work on real product development tasks, including CAD modeling, prototype fabrication, vehicle installation, structural evaluation, and supplier collaboration.

The intern will work closely with experienced mechanical engineers and gain hands-on experience in vehicle integration, bracket design, prototype fabrication, and real-world product validation.

This is a hands-on internship involving real vehicle installations, prototype hardware evaluation, and practical engineering validation.

Successful candidates must be able to design solutions that function reliably in tight vehicle packaging environments while remaining straightforward for field technicians to install correctly and efficiently.

The intern will support the engineering team while owning bracket design projects from concept through prototype validation during the internship.

Key Responsibilities

Mechanical Design

Design brackets and mounting hardware for emergency vehicle lighting products using SolidWorks.
Assist in creating complete CAD assemblies and production drawings to support engineering design reviews and prototype fabrication.
Develop designs that address tight packaging constraints, structural durability, vibration resistance, and installation accessibility.
Incorporate design-for-installation principles to ensure brackets can be installed quickly and correctly by field technicians using common tools,

Prototype Development

Produce and evaluate prototype components using 3D printing and rapid prototyping methods.
Install and remove prototype brackets on vehicles to evaluate fit, installation ergonomics, and serviceability.
Iterate designs based on testing results and engineering feedback.

Structural Evaluation

Perform Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using SolidWorks Simulation to evaluate bracket strength, material selection, and required metal gauge.
Validate designs against expected loads including vibration, shock, and operational stresses encountered on emergency vehicles.

Supplier Collaboration

Work with external suppliers to develop manufacturable bracket designs.
Support prototype sourcing, fabrication feedback, and cost-effective manufacturing solutions.

Validation and Testing

Develop test plans to validate bracket performance and durability.
Assist in executing tests and documenting results to support engineering approval and product release.

Additional Responsibilities

Support engineering projects and tasks as assigned by the supervisor.
Participate in engineering reviews and product development activities.

Required Qualifications

Junior or Senior currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Working knowledge of SolidWorks CAD.
Experience creating 3D assemblies and engineering drawings.
Exposure to Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools such as SolidWorks Simulation is a plus.
Familiarity with 3D printing or rapid prototyping methods.
Strong problem-solving and mechanical design skills.
Self-driven with the ability to work independently and take ownership of assigned projects.

Physical Requirements

Ability to move around vehicles and equipment to install and remove prototype components.
Ability to use hand tools and install hardware during prototype evaluation.
Comfortable working in a hands-on engineering and vehicle integration environment.

Travel Requirements

Must have reliable personal transportation.
Occasional local visits to customer or upfitter facilities may occur to evaluate installations and support product integration on fire, police, and EMS vehicles.

Preferred Skills

Interest in vehicle systems, mechanical packaging, and product development.
Experience designing sheet-metal or fabricated brackets.
Understanding of design for manufacturability and installation.

Internship Project

During the internship, the student will complete bracket design projects from concept through prototype validation. This includes CAD design, prototype fabrication, vehicle installation evaluation, and documentation of results.

Tools and Technologies

SolidWorks CAD
SolidWorks Simulation (FEA)
3D Printing / Rapid Prototyping
Hand tools and mechanical fabrication tools
Vehicle integration and installation environments

What You Will Gain

Hands-on experience designing mechanical components for real production products
Exposure to vehicle integration and emergency vehicle upfitting
Experience working with prototypes, testing, and real-world installation constraints
Collaboration with engineers and manufacturing partners