Mechanical Engineering Intern

AMA is currently accepting applications for an Aerospace, Mechanical, Engineering intern to assist in the development of a lunar deployment mechanism, which is planned for deployment to the lunar surface. The Summer Intern will work in the Mechanical Systems Branch at NASA Langley Research Center. to develop flight hardware and ground support equipment for the lunar mission. The designed hardware will be used to support power and communications equipment for use by astronauts during lunar sorties.

This internship begins June 1, 2026, and concludes August 7, 2026.

Pay range: $23.10 - $27.69

Responsibilities

• The intern will contribute to CAD modeling, system integration, mechanical design trades, and potentially software analysis and development activities for related flight systems.
• Review the current TSL mechanical architecture, including lidar head, processor, power distribution, chassis elements, cable interfaces, and mounting points.
• Develop CAD models (SolidWorks, Creo, or NX depending on branch standards) of the TSL assembly as currently configured.
• Perform integration trades for mounting TSL onto a drone used for flight testing (small UAV or mid size platform).
• Generate conceptual and detailed 3 D models of mounting brackets, adapters, vibration isolation components, and cable routing accommodations.
• Evaluate geometric constraints, center of gravity impacts, mechanical loading, and thermal/environmental considerations.
• Iterate designs based on feedback from the TSL engineering team (mechanical, electrical, AIT, flight test).
• Produce engineering drawings and configuration-controlled CAD packages suitable for internal design reviews.
• Documentation: Develop reports, presentations, and other documentation, providing clear comments and guidance
• Attend meetings, teleconferences, and workshops as needed
• If schedule permits, the intern may:
• Support analysis or testing tasks related to Orion flight software components.
• Assist with scripting, test case generation, or toolchain support (e.g., Python, MATLAB, or C/C++ integration checks).
• Contribute to issue tracking, documentation updates, or software performance verification activities.

Requirements

• Undergraduate or Graduate student in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related Engineering
• An understanding of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and experience using PTC CREO, or similar tools to create models and drawings.
• Foundational understanding of Statics, Dynamics, Strength of Materials, and design for manufacturing.
• Programming experience in Python, Julia, or similar language
• Excellent communication skills, able to articulate design choices to a team of engineers and project management personnel and create clear assembly instructions.
• Presentation skills, including creating and sharing PowerPoint presentations clearly exhibiting the design requirements, layout, and plan forward.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
• Progress toward a degree (undergraduate or graduate) in technical areas of relevance
• Must be able to work on site at NASA Langley Research Facility in Hampton, Virginia
• Due to ITAR restrictions, US citizenship or permanent US residency is required.

Analytical Mechanics Associates (AMA) is proud of our customer relationships, our diverse and dynamic work environment, and our employees' career satisfaction. AMA is a small business with a wide reach; headquartered in Hampton, VA, AMA has operations in Greenbelt, MD; Huntsville, AL; Dallas and Houston, TX; Denver, CO; Mountain View, CA; and Edwards Air Force Base, CA. With over 60 years of experience, AMA specializes in aerospace engineering, science, analytics, information technology, and visualization solutions. AMA combines the best of engineering, science, and mathematics capabilities with the latest in information technologies, visualization, and multimedia to build creative solutions. We offer competitive salaries and a substantial benefits package, including but not limited to paid personal and federally recognized holiday leave, salary deferrals into a 401(k)-matching plan with immediate vesting, tuition reimbursement, short/long term disability plans, and a variety of medical, dental, and vision insurance options.

AMA is committed to the professional growth of every employee, understanding that the successes of our employees drive our success. We provide a work environment that is engaging, collaborative, and supportive. To learn more about our company, please visit our website at and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

AMA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited under federal, state, or local laws.