About the role#
The Avionics team manages the power system, flight computer, radio, and interfaces that operate the Spark-1 spacecraft. As an intern, you will work directly on hardware for upcoming missions and collaborate with engineers across flight software and vehicle systems.
What you'll do#
- Design, bring-up, and test power, heater control, and interface electronics for Spark-1.
- Build and test flight and flatsat harnesses, including creating drawings and performing continuity and isolation testing.
- Develop electrical ground support equipment, such as load banks, battery and solar array simulators, and automated test scripts.
- Perform analysis on flight electronics and part selections, including power budgets, derating, grounding, and radiation effects.
- Support the integration and testing of avionics with flight software, sensors, actuators, and payload interfaces.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment in a BS, MS, or PhD program in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field.
- Experience in power electronics, embedded systems, PCB design, mixed-signal circuits, or hardware test through research, coursework, or projects.
- Proficiency with schematic capture tools like Altium or KiCad.
- Experience using bench equipment such as oscilloscopes, electronic loads, and power supplies.
- Ability to design, build, and debug circuits while applying test results to future design changes.
- At least one year of experience on a technical project team like a CubeSat, Rocket Team, or Formula SAE.
- Experience designing and bringing up electronics for robotics, spacecraft, or other embedded hardware.
- Familiarity with switching power supplies, motor drives, battery management, or high-reliability parts.
- Experience with embedded firmware in C++, FPGA or Zynq development, or EMI/EMC design.
- Strong technical documentation and communication skills.
Location & details#
- This role is based on-site in San Francisco, California.
- Internships are available for Winter 2027 and Summer 2027.
- This is a paid, full-time position.
- Candidates must be a U.S. person (U.S. citizen or permanent resident) due to U.S. export control requirements. Visa sponsorship is not available.
About Dispatch | YC P26
Dispatch builds satellites designed to manufacture products in space and return them to Earth. The company operates within the space research and technology sector. Founded in 2026, it maintains its headquarters in San Francisco, California. The organization currently employs three people.
How to get in at Dispatch | YC P26
Applying to Dispatch early is a distinct advantage because the team is small and reviews applications as they arrive. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published, so you can apply before the pile grows and your resume gets lost in the shuffle. Reaching out to the right person often beats submitting an application into a general queue. Intern Insider surfaces the recruiters behind the company roles so you can reach out directly to ask about the position or a referral, which materially improves your response rates.
