Winston Bird

Mechanical engineering / SJSU / Dec 2026

Winston
Bird

I work on battery modules, shop-built fixtures, and energy audits where the numbers have to line up with hardware in the room.

Selected work Email me
Focus energy systems, manufacturing, vehicle hardware
Recent DOE water-treatment analysis, Formula SAE accumulator
Tools SOLIDWORKS, Fusion 360, SCADA, manual mill and lathe
01

About

I'm a mechanical engineering student at San Jose State University, graduating in December 2026 with a minor in Manufacturing Technology.

Most of my work has landed in three places: industrial energy assessment with the U.S. Department of Energy, high-voltage battery hardware for Formula SAE Electric, and hands-on machining or fabrication when a part needs to exist by the end of the week.

Outside school I mentor FIRST Robotics Team 581, mostly around assembly, CAD, manufacturing choices, and the small decisions that make a robot serviceable under pressure.

CAD / Design
SOLIDWORKS, Fusion 360, Onshape, GD&T, DFM
Analysis
FEA, SCADA, discharge curve testing, energy storage systems
Fabrication
Manual and CNC machining, TIG welding, soldering, crimping, spot welding
Tools
Microsoft Office 360, CBA battery testers, VFDs
02

Experience

Mechanical Systems Engineering Intern

Department of Energy / San Jose, CA

Aug 2024 - Present

  • Performed SCADA-based end-use energy analysis at a municipal water treatment plant, identifying 108,445 kWh in potential annual savings and over $48,000 in cost reductions.
  • Modeled efficiency upgrades including solar integration and variable frequency drives, projecting a 5,500+ lb annual reduction in CO2 emissions.
  • Reviewed HVAC, compressors, and process equipment with plant personnel to separate practical improvements from spreadsheet-only wins.

Battery Module Designer

Spartan Racing Electric / Formula SAE

Aug 2023 - Aug 2024

  • Designed and assembled 50V battery modules using pouch and cylindrical cells, engineered for 22.4Ah capacity and a 400V linked pack.
  • Worked through thermal constraints with aluminum nitride heat sinks and pre-cooling, reducing starting temperatures by 17C.
  • Ran cell testing with CBA battery testers and checked the design against a 300-page Formula SAE rulebook.

Accumulator Cart Designer

Spartan Racing Electric / Formula SAE

Aug 2022 - Aug 2023

  • Designed and fabricated an accumulator transport cart with a Deadman brake system for use at Michigan Speedway.
  • TIG welded the frame, sourced raw material from McMaster-Carr, and built brackets for sensors and vehicle-side components.
03

Projects

shop build

Oscillating Cylinder Steam Engine

Aug 2024 - Dec 2024

Machined steel, brass, and aluminum parts on manual mills and lathes, holding +/-0.002 in on fitted components. The final engine ran on 7 PSI compressed air with smooth oscillation and minimal leakage.

manual milllathebrass flywheel+/-0.002 in

vehicle hardware

High-Voltage Battery Module Design for Formula SAE Electric

Aug 2023 - Aug 2024

Spartan Racing Electric team with Formula SAE carFormula SAE battery module and perforated cover plate

Designed and built 50V battery modules for a 400V Formula SAE Electric race car. Integrated 96 additional cells within the previous year's footprint, reduced starting temperatures by 17C through heat sinks and pre-cooling, and supported a 5th overall finish at Formula SAE Electric US.

battery modulesthermal managementSOLIDWORKShigh voltage

energy audit

End-Use Energy Analysis in a Water Treatment Plant

Feb 2025 - Apr 2025

Research poster for end-use energy analysis in a water treatment plant

Leveraged SCADA data and Excel modeling to analyze energy consumption in a municipal water treatment facility. The work identified 108,445 kWh in annual energy savings, $48,900 in projected cost reductions, and more than 5,500 lb of annual CO2 reduction through solar and VFD recommendations.

SCADAMicrosoft ExcelVFDssolarDOE

fabrication

Accumulator Transport Cart

Formula SAE / 2022-2023

Built a safer way to move the high-voltage accumulator pack: welded frame, sourced materials, custom brackets, and a Deadman brake system for controlled movement.

TIG weldingbrake systemfixture designFormula SAE
04

Honors

Formula SAE Electric US - 5th place overall Jun 2024
Formula SAE Electric SoCal Shootout - 1st place Oct 2023
City of Los Angeles recognition - FIRST Robotics World Championship win Jun 2019
05

Contact

Open to internships, co-ops, and engineering work where design, analysis, and fabrication overlap.

Email winston.bird@sjsu.edu send LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/winston-bird open
Location Hawthorne / San Jose, CA