About the role#
The Propulsion Engineering internship at Varda Space Industries offers hands-on experience with the fluid systems required for spacecraft orbital maneuvers and Earth reentry. You will work within our in-house design, analysis, fabrication, and testing environment. This role is full-time and on-site in Los Angeles for the Summer 2027 term.
What you'll do#
- Own or contribute to hardware or software design for spacecraft or payloads.
- Create or support test campaigns and build test stands.
- Perform technical analysis to support development and testing.
- Work on projects such as hotfire test facility propellant system design, component test bench design, or automated data reduction software.
What you'll need#
- Active enrollment in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering.
- Completed coursework in Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Compressible Flow, or Combustion.
- Strong fundamentals in fluids engineering.
- Prior hands-on experience building or testing fluid systems.
- Familiarity with engineering design software and principles, including NX/Teamcenter, GD&T, Matlab/Python, and analysis packages.
- Familiarity with safe operation of combustion devices, rocket propellants, and pressurized systems.
- Exposure to high precision manufacturing environments.
- Previous internship, co-op, or technical project team experience is preferred.
- Completion of a Propulsion or Rocket Propulsion survey course is preferred.
Location & details#
- Location: Los Angeles, California.
- Term: Summer 2027 (May through August).
- Compensation: $33.00 per hour.
- Benefits: Includes paid holidays, medical, dental, and vision insurance, wellness reimbursement, and access to One Medical. Eligible interns may receive relocation support and a commuter benefit.
About Varda Space Industries
Varda Space Industries operates in the defense and space manufacturing sector. The company focuses on orbital infrastructure, including pharmaceutical processing and reentry capsules. It produces items that require manufacturing in space, such as fiber optic cables and medical products. Founded in 2021, the firm maintains its headquarters in El Segundo, California. It currently employs over 250 people.
How to get in at Varda Space Industries
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