United Launch Alliance

Rockets for national security and NASA

Composite Engineering Intern

Materials & StructuresUpdated on Nov 14

Internship · Summer 2027Decatur, AL, USANo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

At minimum, actively pursue a bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a similar field from an accredited college or university.
Have completed at least sophomore year of college or university by the time of the summer internship assignment.
Have a minimum college GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale at the time of application.
Have a valid driver's license and motorized vehicle transportation if assigned to the internship in Alabama, California, Florida, or Pueblo, Colorado. For Denver, Colorado and Washington, DC, motorized transportation is recommended.
Plan to be enrolled in classes during Fall Semester 2027.
Be able to work full-time for a minimum of 10 weeks during Summer 2027.
Have coursework or other experience with composites design, analysis, or manufacturing.
Be proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and SharePoint.
Have effective presentation, written communication, and verbal communication skills.
Be able to complete the internship in Decatur, Alabama.
Be a U.S. Person as defined in ITAR 22 CFR 120.62, such as a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual.
Complete an unofficial transcript submission if invited for an interview.

Responsibilities

Support the PMP team in developing, fabricating, and testing non-metallic materials, with a focus on composite materials and processes.
Support materials testing and contribute to process improvement initiatives.
Provide production support for composite structures, including payload fairings, interstage adapters, heatshields, and payload attach fittings.
Assist with issue resolution during layup, cure, machining, integration, and acceptance phases.
Participate in hardware acceptance activities, including build paper reviews and physical inspections.
Participate in systems engineering activities by defining and managing requirements, interfaces, and performance metrics; integrating across design, analysis, and production teams; supporting test planning, scheduling, and execution; and contributing to trade studies balancing performance, cost, and risk.
Gain exposure to systems engineering, quality assurance, and production operations while shadowing experienced engineers and contributing to larger projects.
Engage in assignments that provide hands-on experience with day-to-day engineering operations.
Support onsite activities at ULA's composites supplier production facility, co-located with the ULA Decatur plant.
Travel as required to suppliers, customers, or other ULA locations.
Participate in additional activities or events that help interns build a network within the ULA community and with fellow interns.

Requisition ID: 2151

Standard Weekly Hours: 40.00

Location: ULA - Decatur

At ULA, success comes through the efforts of a strong, united team.

We care about your career development at ULA! Your hard work, time, and experience as an employee is invaluable as you take the next step in your career. Current employees are encouraged to apply even if you don't believe that you have satisfied all listed requirements. Once you apply, our recruiting team will review your resume and reach out if they have any questions about your application before passing it along to the hiring leader for your role.

Job Overview & Responsibilities

As a Composite Engineering Intern at United Launch Alliance you'll gain hands-on experience and will have the opportunity to:

Support the PMP team in the development, fabrication, and testing of non-metallic materials with a focus on composite materials and processes.
Support materials testing and contribute to process improvement initiatives.
Provide production support for composite structures, including payload fairings, interstage adapters, heatshields, and payload attach fittings.
Assist with issue resolution during layup, cure, machining, integration, and acceptance phases.
Participate hardware acceptance activities, including build paper reviews and physical inspections.
Participate in systems engineering activities by defining and managing requirements, interfaces, and performance metrics; integrating across design, analysis, and production teams; supporting test planning, scheduling, and execution; and contributing to trade studies balancing performance, cost, and risk.
Gain exposure to systems engineering, quality assurance, and production operations while shadowing experienced engineers and contributing to larger projects.
Engage in unique assignments that provide hands-on experience with day-to-day engineering operations.
Support onsite activities at ULA’s composites supplier production facility (co-located with the ULA Decatur plant).
Travel as required to suppliers, customers, or other ULA locations.

Interns may perform and/or participate in additional activities/events which help them build a strong network within the ULA community and with fellow interns!

Required Education

At minimum completed Sophomore year of college or university by the time of the summer internship assignment.
High School/GED

Basic Qualifications

Must have a minimum college GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale at the time of application: cumulative, no rounding. NOTE: An unofficial transcript is required if you are invited for an interview. We recommend you upload it to your profile when you apply.

Must have a valid driver’s license and motorized vehicle transportation if assigned an internship in Alabama; California; Florida; or Pueblo, Colorado. For Denver, Colorado and Washington, DC, motorized transportation is recommended.

Role Specific Qualifications

At minimum, actively pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or similar field from an accredited college or university.
Must have plans to be enrolled in classes during Fall Semester 2027.
Ability to work full-time for a minimum of 10 weeks during the Summer of 2027.
Coursework or other experience with composites design, analysis or manufacturing.
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint).
Effective presentation, written communication, and verbal communication skills.
Must be able to complete an internship in:
- Decatur, AL

Security Clearance / International Traffic In Arms Regulations (ITAR). This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic In Arms Regulations (ITAR). Therefore, all applicants must be U.S. Persons as defined in ITAR 22 CFR 120.62 (e.g., U.S. Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) or protected individual. See 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20) and 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) for additional information).

ULA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

ULA is a participant in the federal E-Verify Program. Posters in PDF format pertaining to this program can be accessed by clicking on the links identified below. E-Verify Participation poster (English / Spanish) and Right to Work Poster (English / Spanish).

Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act requires covered employees to follow a post selection notification process. A hired candidate may opt out of this process by notifying the hiring manager in writing at the time the offer is accepted.

About the Company

United Launch Alliance

Rockets for national security and NASA

ULA builds launch vehicles for national security, NASA and commercial space missions. Its rockets are designed to reach challenging and distant orbits and deliver highly accurate payload insertions, offering wide orbital flexibility for different mission profiles. The company’s approach centers on providing reliable, direct-to-orbit capabilities tailored to meet customers’ needs for secure national missions, space agency programs, and commercial launches. The goal is to expand access to space by offering dependable, precise launches that can place payloads into the specific orbits required by each mission.

Company size: 1,001-5,000
Company stage: Debt Financing
Total funding: $1.6B
Headquarters: Centennial, CO
Founded: 2006

Recently Posted Jobs

Explore more opportunities at United Launch Alliance

See more jobs