Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering Internship (Path to Full Time Hire)

Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering Internship (Path to Full Time Hire) A New Paradigm For Space Operations. Who We Are Space Kinetic is a dual use space technology startup building a completely new architecture for space operations – one that brings the advantages of proliferated drone technology (low-cost, operationally flexible, attritable, distributed) to space missions while reducing the ecosystem's reliance on consumable fuel. In a world where many companies are focused on incrementally improving the status quo, we are focused on creating something entirely different – an architecture underpinned by new first principles to meet the opportunities and challenges of the third space age head‑on. Our goal is to move away from one-to-one space architectures – where each satellite in a constellation has one (or a small # of) primary payloads attached to the bus – and unlock a ‘one-to-many’ system, where each satellite has a large number of payloads which can be deployed from their host spacecraft at high velocities without firing a thruster. This is not a role for someone looking for a traditional 40‑hour work week. Space Kinetic is building ambitious, first‑of‑its‑kind technology, and that requires urgency, ownership, and a high level of commitment to changing the foundational assumptions for everything we do in space. Our Intern Program Space Kinetic’s internship program is designed to identify top early‑career talent for potential full‑time roles. Over the three‑month program, interns are paired with a mentor, assigned one to three meaningful projects, and provide monthly progress updates to the Leadership team. Interns who demonstrate strong performance, ownership, and alignment with Space Kinetic’s mission may receive a full‑time offer upon successful completion of the internship. What You’ll Do As an Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering Intern you will acquire hands‑on learning experience while working on meaningful projects to gain significant career experience. At Space Kinetic, we provide the tools, training and mentorship for interns to do their very best work and discover opportunities to advance their careers, providing a pathway for personal growth. As an Intern you will support Engineering to help design and build prototypes for Space Kinetic’s core technology to achieve our mission of a flight demo within the next 2 years in a fast‑paced startup environment. You will work with the Space Kinetic manufacturing and engineering team to finalize the current prototype's CAD design. This role involves enhancing the design through precise tolerancing across all prototype development stages, finalizing mechanism designs, and delivering detailed CAD drawings for manufacturing. You will collaborate with vendors to source components, support finite element analysis (FEA) simulations for the system, and create models for both the current prototype and the full‑scale system. What It Takes Currently enrolled for an Engineering Degree in an accredited college or university Must be a recent college graduate OR graduating within the last semester of your program. Passion for design, manufacturing and testing of space systems and/or mechanisms Experience in solid modeling, drawing release of structures, actuator mechanisms Experience with CAD software (SolidWorks) To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder). Ability to maintain or obtain Government Security Clearance. What We’d Love Master's degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field. Compensation will be commensurate with experience, education, and demonstrated technical depth. Ability to work with minimal direction or support and to learn quickly; strong analytical skills; creative and innovative thinking; detail‑oriented; calm under pressure; commitment to follow‑through; enthusiastic with a talent for motivating others; receptive to criticism and open to others' ideas; and effective in written communication. Passion for space‑grade components and ratings. Experience with Mechanical FEA tools Curiosity for testing in‑space operations Passion for the commercial and government space industry. Passion for spacecraft or launch vehicle system development. Experiecnce with CNC Machining Experience with Additive Manufacturing Where You’ll Be The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. ITAR Requirements To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here. Equal Employment Opportunity Space Kinetic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. Pay Range $20 - $30 USD Annual Base Salary The annual base salary for this role is below. Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job‑related skills, relevant education/experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity. #J-18808-Ljbffr