Mechanical Engineering Internship at an Urban Mushroom Farm (f/m/d)

About Us

We are Pilzling, Cologne’s first urban mushroom farm. Our mission is to create sustainable food systems by combining biology, engineering, and circular economy principles. As part of our young and dynamic team, you will gain hands-on experience at the intersection of mechanical engineering, agriculture, and sustainability.

What to Expect

As a mechanical engineering intern, you will be part of a multi-disciplinary team of biologists and engineers, working on projects that cover a wide range of engineering fields. You will:

1. Perform hands-on prototyping, both with 3D printed and metal parts, including supporting first assemblies and debugging, to improve your mechanical design
2. Design and implement systems related to thermal management and air flow
3. Support electronics integration by working with ESP32/Arduino for research, development, and production needs
4. Assist in maintaining, improving, and troubleshooting existing systems on the farm

Requirements

1. Current student in mechanical engineering, physics, or a related field
2. Experience with CAD software (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or OnShape preferred)
3. Practical experience with rapid prototyping (tell us about your side projects!)
4. Strong hands-on attitude, curiosity, and willingness to learn
5. Fluent in English
6. Commitment to sustainability and enthusiasm for working in a small, dynamic team

What We Offer

1. Exciting and varied tasks with plenty of creative freedom.
2. A supportive and highly motivated team with flat hierarchies and mutual respect
3. The chance to contribute to an innovative approach to urban farming
4. Work directly on-site in Cologne with real systems and real impact
5. Although this is an unpaid internship, we offer an “interns-first” approach, with dedicated time and mentorship to ensure you learn about the concepts, technologies, and systems you’ll be working with

Interested?

If you have a passion for renewable energy, sustainable innovation, and hands-on engineering, we would love to hear from you. Please send your application to our farm technician Andreas Jakobsen - we look forward to getting to know you!

Contact: andreas@pilzling.com