Product Design Engineering Intern (Summer 2027)

About The Role

HP IQ's Hardware Design team materializes product vision into manufacturable hardware systems. This role drives the design and integration of complete hardware products from early architecture and prototype phases through production ramp, working closely with Industrial Design, System Software, Electrical Engineering, and Manufacturing partners. The position offers the opportunity to own mechanical and systems integration challenges that transform concepts into shipping products.

What You Might Do

• Collaborate with Industrial Design to translate product vision into mechanical design, enclosure layout, and form factor feasibility.
• Integrate multiple subsystems (microphone, speaker, antenna, battery, PCB, sensors, buttons) into a cohesive hardware architecture.
• Produce CAD models, component placement studies, and tolerance analysis to guide manufacturing.
• Work with contract manufacturers and vendors to validate design feasibility, manage drawing releases, and troubleshoot production issues.
• Participate in hands-on prototype builds, design validation, and iterative refinement across development cycles.
• Apply design of experiments methodology to validate material selection, assembly processes, and design assumptions.
• Collaborate with Electrical Engineering on PCB layout, flexible PCB integration, and component placement constraints.
• Define assembly processes, fixturing strategies, and datuming schemes to ensure manufacturability.
• Own design documentation including 2D drawings, specifications, and design rationale for internal and vendor communication.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Solid understanding of material science fundamentals including stress-strain relationships, thermal properties, and material selection rationale.
• Proficiency with CAD tools and component placement within constrained form factors.
• Familiarity with tolerance analysis, tolerance stacks, and design for manufacturability principles.
• Experience or demonstrated knowledge of manufacturing processes including injection molding, CNC machining, extrusion, and assembly processes.
• Experience with PCB design, flexible PCB, or electrical component integration.
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, prototype-heavy environments; resourcefulness and self-direction essential.
• Strong communication skills with ability to partner across Industrial Design, Engineering, and Manufacturing teams.
• Comfort with hands-on prototyping, lab work, and iterative design refinement.
• Demonstrated ability to work without extensive documentation or rigid structure; thrives in startup-like, fast-moving environments.

Preferred Skills

• Minimum 1-2 years of hardware product design or related experience; prior internship at a consumer electronics company is preferred.
• Experience communicating with contract manufacturers or FATP (final assembly) partners.
• Exposure to design of experiments (DOE) or design validation methodologies.
• Portfolio demonstrating complete hardware projects from design through prototype or production.
• Experience with assembly process design, datuming, and fixturing.
• Familiarity with cross-functional product development from concept through production ramp.

2027 Internship Program Dates: May/June–August/September 2027. Final dates will be based on student schedules.