Propulsion Engineering Internship - Spring 2027

About This Role

Spring internships will range between the months of January and May. All dates dependent upon the university schedule of the selected students. Internships are full-time and on-site in Los Angeles, CA. To be considered for this internship, candidates must be actively enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program.

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

Must have completed some Engineering coursework relevant to Propulsion, including but not limited to:

At least one of:

Fluid Mechanics

Thermodynamics

Heat Transfer

Compressible Flow

Combustion

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.)

Completion of a Propulsion or Rocket Propulsion survey course

Projects You May Work On

Intern projects will be tailored to company needs and student skillsets closer to the start date. Typical projects include:

Hotfire test facility propellant system design

Component test bench design

Automated data reduction software

Valve qualification test program development and execution

Bus Ground Fluids Equipment design

Compensation

Hourly Rate: $33.00

Housing stipend for interns relocating to the area

Commuter benefit to support local transportation