Mechanical Engineering Intern (m/w/d)

Become a Mechanical Engineering Intern at Thea Energy in Kearny, New Jersey. Support prototyping and stellarator design activities through CAD and FEA model development. Enjoy a flexible internship schedule and competitive pay ranging from $18 to $30 per hour. This role requires at least three days onsite per week. Join Thea Energy as a Mechanical Engineering Intern in Kearny, New Jersey, and contribute to the innovative field of fusion energy. This role involves developing design and analysis skills to support prototyping and stellarator design activities, including CAD and FEA model development. Enjoy a flexible internship schedule tailored to your academic commitments, with competitive pay ranging from $18 to $30 per hour. Be part of a diverse team dedicated to creating sustainable energy solutions.

Thea Energy Kearny, New Jersey, United States On-site Internship USD 18–30 per hour UTC-04:00

Thea Energy

Company Overview

Name

Thea Energy, originally known as Princeton Stellarators Inc.

Headquarters

Princeton, New Jersey, United States

Founded

2022

Size

Employee count and revenue figures for 2023 or later remain undisclosed publicly, though it operates as a private fusion startup with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program as one of eight recipients (source: pppl.gov).

What They Do

Thea Energy focuses on advancing fusion energy through innovative stellarator designs, utilizing arrays of planar high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coils to achieve stable magnetic confinement. This approach simplifies the traditional complex 3D modular magnets found in conventional stellarators, allowing for more efficient and effective fusion energy production (source: fusionxinvest.com). Their flagship system, named Eos after the Greek goddess of dawn, is designed to produce neutrons for tritium breeding, which is essential for validating their technology and enabling future commercial applications, such as steady-state fusion power plants (source: heatmap.news). The company's technology leverages modern computing power and HTS materials to optimize designs, providing inherent steady-state stability that mitigates disruptions commonly associated with tokamaks (source: thea.energy). Their target markets primarily include commercial fusion energy developers, with an initial focus on neutron sources for industrial applications, although specific customer segments have not been detailed (source: fusionxinvest.com). A key differentiator for Thea Energy is its rapid in-house manufacturing capabilities, which utilize tools like a CNC machine and a specialized device named "Zeus" for winding HTS tape, allowing for quick iterations and reducing reliance on outsourced labor (source: heatmap.news).

Projects & Track Record

As of now, Thea Energy has not completed any projects, as it is still in the early stages of development focused on prototyping its Eos system. This system is intended to serve as the first demonstrator for neutron and tritium production, but specific completion dates, capacity specifications, or project locations have not been reported (source: fusionxinvest.com). The company is actively engaged in building and testing planar HTS coil prototypes at its facility in Kearny, New Jersey, which is equipped with an open office space, laboratory, and small-scale manufacturing capabilities for magnet arrays (source: heatmap.news). Thea Energy's origins at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) provide it with strong partnerships and a foundation in stellarator research, with co-founder David Gates being a notable physicist and Edison Patent Award winner for his contributions to the field (source: pppl.gov). Currently, the geographic presence of Thea Energy is limited to New Jersey, and there have been no announcements regarding expansion, although the location benefits from proximity to significant fusion research hubs in the Northeast, including PPPL and Columbia University (source: heatmap.news).

Recent Developments

In 2023, prior to its rebranding, Princeton Stellarators Inc. received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, which supports advancements in stellarator technology toward commercialization (source: pppl.gov). However, there have been no reported contracts, acquisitions, mergers, or additional funding rounds in the last two years, as the company focuses on proprietary breakthroughs without public milestones or awards beyond Gates' personal Edison Patent (source: thea.energy). Thea Energy's website encourages subscription updates but does not list any recent press releases regarding major announcements, indicating a relatively quiet period in terms of public communications (source: thea.energy).

Working There

Information about working at Thea Energy is limited, but it appears to be suitable for job seekers interested in a small, early-stage fusion startup environment. Roles likely encompass engineering positions focused on magnet design, HTS winding, and CNC manufacturing, as well as physics research and operational roles, inferred from the facility's mix of open desks, lab work, and prototype building (source: heatmap.news). Hiring seems to be concentrated at the New Jersey site, with no remote or other location postings documented (source: fusionxinvest.com). The company culture appears to blend the agility of a tech startup with the practicalities of a laboratory environment, emphasizing local unionized labor for scalability and rapid prototyping, rather than relying on elite academic talent, all within a space that prioritizes manufacturing efficiency (source: heatmap.news). However, no documented benefits, salary data, or employee testimonials are available in public sources.

Contact

Website · Careers · LinkedIn

Last updated on 2025-12-27 | Report an issue

Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering to create a faster and simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy. The company is reinventing the stellarator using computer-controlled arrays of planar coils thereby replacing the intricate, complex modular magnets required in all other stellarator architectures. Thea Energy is on a mission to create a limitless source of zero emission energy for a sustainable future.

We are looking for talented technical interns to join our stellar team in the spring!

Program Details

Spring 12-16 week internship program for 40 hours per week or flexible school year internship for 30+ hours per week
For school year internships, expected time dedication is flexible and tailored to your academic schedule

Mechanical Engineering Intern (onsite)

Mechanical Engineering Interns will develop and exercise their design, analysis, and hands-on skills to support prototyping and stellarator design activities
Activities may include CAD and/or FEA model development and will culminate in the delivery of functional custom components, tooling, fluid systems, and test equipment
This role will require at least 3 days onsite per week

Project Assignments Examples

High-temperature superconducting magnet engineering, manufacturing, and testing
Cryogenic and vacuum systems
Instrumentation and diagnostic systems
Electrical and control systems engineering
Mechanical engineering
Various modeling, simulation, and data analysis roles including but not limited to COMSOL, ANSYS, Python, C++, MATLAB, Simulink, Microsoft Visio, LabVIEW

Ideal Skills

Enrolled in a STEM undergraduate or graduate program (mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, materials science, electrical engineering, etc.)
Interest in clean and sustainable energy to combat climate change
Hands-on or computational experience through academic research, club projects, hackathons, or industry internships
Highly self-motivated, independent, and driven to solve problems
Authorized to work in the US
Willingness to learn new things!
Compensation: $18-25/hr undergraduate and $26-30/hr post-grad

It’s not necessary to meet all of the skillsets outlined above. Please feel free to send us a note and tell us why you would still be a great fit for this role or Thea Energy.

Diversity and Inclusion

Thea Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a company of diverse backgrounds. By creating a diverse environment, we will bring new ideas and approaches to solving some of the world’s hardest (and most important) problems. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, family or marital status, age, disability, veteran’s status, or other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.