Spacecraft Engineering Internship @ Varda Space

About Varda

The environment of space hold the potential to craft products that profoundly enhance life on Earth. Varda is at the forefront of this endeavor, harnessing the unique environment of low earth orbit to produce these innovations and reintroduce them to our world. Our mission transcends mere exploration; we’re expanding the economic horizons of humanity.

At Varda, you’ll be positioned at the nexus of ambition and expertise. Our seasoned team, with its rich legacy in aerospace and technology, has honed its skills in the corridors of industry giants. Here, your contributions will be both cherished and critiqued by leaders who, with a wealth of experience behind them, are now devoted to the realm of extraterrestrial manufacturing.

While our aspirations soar high, our path is grounded in technical pragmatism and operational viability. Our conceptual operations are crystalline material processing and reentry, backed by years of research and development anchored in the International Space Station’s, and commercial space sectors expansive achievements.

Join Varda, and work to finally create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

About This Role

Spring internships will range between the months of January and May. Summer internships will range between the months of May and September. All dates dependent upon the university schedule of the selected students. Internships are full-time and on-site in Los Angeles, CA.

The propulsion team is responsible for fluid systems on the vehicle required to complete spacecraft orbital maneuvers and earth reentry. This includes thrusters for primary maneuvers and attitude control, propellant tanks, and all associated plumbing and fluid components on the spacecraft. This system is completely designed, analyzed, fabricated, and tested in house which enables successful candidates exposure across all aspects of the design and manufacturing lifecycle of a space vehicle system.

Internships at Varda are optimal for students looking to grow technically and professionally while working on impactful projects critical to the company’s success. You will be working on a collaborative team in a startup environment while being able to learn from some of most accomplished and experienced aerospace professionals in the world. We’re dedicated to providing an experience that will let your decisions and contributions help drive Varda’s success.

Responsibilities

Own or contribute to hardware or software design to support development of Spacecraft or payload
Create or support test campaigns and build test stands
Perform necessary analysis to support development and testing

Basic Qualifications

Pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineer, or Electrical Engineering (or similar engineering degrees)
- Familiarity with engineering design software and principles (NX/Teamcenter, GD&T, Matlab/Python, and analysis packages)
- Strong fundamentals in fluids engineering
- Prior hands-on experience building or testing fluid systems
- Familiarity with safe operation of combustion devices, rocket propellants, and pressurized systems
- Familiarity or exposure to high precision manufacturing environments

Preferred Skills And Experience

Previous internship or co-op experience
Previous experience on technical project teams (i.e. Rocket club, formula SAE, etc.)
Mechanical Engineer: Familiarity with NX, GD&T, Thermal Desktop, Matlab/Simulink, Simscape, or other engineering programs
Electrical Engineer: Familiarity with Altium, Matlab, Python, PCB design, Circuit Debugging, Oscilloscopes, Component Test Racks, Hardware-in-the-loop testing (HIL or HITL), wire harness design and building
Material Science: Familiarity with optics and fiber cable testing, process engineering, design-of-experience, experience running vacuum chambers, experience working in a clean room and/or glovebox environment
Software Engineer: Familiarity with Microprocessors and/or FPGAs, C/C++, Python scripting experience, experience setting up CI pipelines and unit tests

ITAR Requirements

Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. At present, some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than “U.S. Persons” as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our current policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license.

“US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum in the U.S.)
Learn more about the ITAR here.

Benefits

Exciting team of professionals at the top of their field to working by your side
Working in El Segundo, CA - an awesome Southern California beach city with quick access to entertainment and outdoor activities
Equity in a fully funded space startup with potential for significant growth (interns excluded)
401(k) matching (interns excluded)
Unlimited PTO (interns excluded)
Health insurance, including Vision and Dental
Lunch and snacks provided on site every day. Dinners provided twice a week.
Maternity / Paternity leave (interns excluded)

Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

E-Verify Statement

Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.

E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice

Spacecraft Engineering Internship

Propulsion, Spring/Summer 2025

Varda Space

About Varda

About This Role

Responsibilities

Basic Qualifications

Preferred Skills And Experience

ITAR Requirements

Benefits

E-Verify Statement

6 month growth

1 year growth

2 year growth

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What makes Varda Space unique

Benefits