Design Engineer Co-Op

Co-Op – Design Engineer Location: Los Angeles, CADuration: 6 Month Program from Start DateAbout Maesa:

The next gen beauty company, Maesa is transforming the industry by incubating and growing meaningful, innovative brands and making prestige beauty accessible. Maesa believes beauty ignites inspiration, creativity, imagination, and connection, sparking new ideas and possibilities, and meeting unmet consumer needs. Through best-in-class design, formulation, brand creation and marketing capabilities, Maesa delivers new, better and different products with an unsurpassed speed to market. Maesa works with a variety of retailers to create and launch brands across beauty and wellness categories. The current portfolio includes Kristin Ess, Hairitage by Mindy McKnight, Fine'ry, Being Frenshe, and Niches & Nooks among other brands. For more information, visit www.maesa.com.

Position Overview:

As a Design Engineer Co-Op, you’ll work alongside our Los Angeles-based team to support the design, development, and engineering of beauty product packaging. You'll gain real-world experience in turning creative design concepts into functional packaging solutions—working with a cross-functional global team from concept through to manufacturable files.

This role is ideal for students pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Packaging Science, Product Design, or related fields and looking to gain practical experience in the cosmetics and consumer goods industries.

This co-op position requires a full-time commitment of 40 hours per week (approximately December 2026 through May 2027) and will require to be onsite at our LA office a minimum of 4x a week.

Location: Candidates must be based in the Los Angeles area and able to work onsite at our Los Angeles office. Relocation assistance is not provided.

Education & Experience: This opportunity is intended for current college seniors, rising seniors, master's students, recent graduates, and individuals pursuing entry-level Design Engineer opportunities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the conversion of conceptual packaging designs into engineered 3D CAD models suitable for manufacturing.

• Assist with creating and updating SolidWorks files, 2D drawings, and visual schematics.

• Collaborate on the evaluation of materials and manufacturing processes including injection molding, blow molding, and decoration techniques.

• Participate in design reviews and provide input on manufacturability and product functionality.

• Help manage prototype development and 3D printing of packaging components.

• Work with international engineering teams and vendors to help bring designs to life.

• Review product testing data (e.g. drop tests, vibration tests) and document feedback.

• Contribute to project organization, timelines, and reporting.

What You'll Gain:

• Hands-on experience working on real packaging projects from ideation to execution

• Exposure to engineering standards and manufacturing processes in the beauty industry

• Opportunities to develop technical skills in CAD, design for manufacturing (DFM), and prototyping

• Mentorship from experienced design engineers

• Insight into product development and cross-functional collaboration

Qualifications:

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Development Engineering, Product Design, or a related discipline

• Familiarity with SolidWorks or other 3D CAD software (coursework or internship experience a plus)

• Interest in consumer products, especially beauty or CPG packaging

• Strong attention to detail and an eagerness to learn

• Excellent communication and time-management skills

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment

Compensation:

$20/hour - $21/hour. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

Our Commitment to You

At Maesa, we live by our values of collaboration, curiosity, game-changing, creativity, and discipline. We believe our people and partners are a creative force that catalyzes the possibilities in beauty to break through traditional limits and discover the “new” without restriction. We prioritize creating and fostering a welcoming environment for employees, partners, ideas, approaches, and endeavors — all through a spirit of warmth and inclusivity. As set forth in Maesa’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Our EVP

Maesa is the next-gen beauty company, where bold ideas become beautiful brands. We ignite the dreamer and doer in each of us. We move at the speed of culture to push boundaries and redefine possibilities unleashing #maesamagic everyday. By fostering a start-up spirit, we equip everyone to lead with accountability & execute with excellence. We champion each voice and empower every journey, creating an environment where we celebrate diversity of thinking, calculated risk taking, and cutting-edge innovation. Growth is personal, intentional, and limitless.