Intern - Thruster Development

Dawn Aerospace; Delft; On-site; Full time

Job description

Description

We are seeking a highly motivated engineering intern to join our thruster development team. The internship centres around an opportunity to design and develop an electric propulsion thruster and to support hot‑fire testing of experimental rocket thrusters across multiple thrust classes.

This internship will require you to work on prototyping and conceptual design of electric thrusters. This includes selecting components, sourcing and ordering parts, assembling a breadboard model, sizing the thruster and testing it to validate against the design intent. Additionally, you will support hot‑fire test campaigns of chemical thrusters at various stages of maturity, working alongside propulsion engineers to execute tests per established test plans and assist in interpreting the resulting data.

Responsibilities

• Research and design breadboard models to test subcomponents.
• Document findings and results in a technical report.
• Propose improvements to thruster test set‑ups and/or thruster designs.
• Prepare thrusters and test setups for hot‑fire testing.
• Execute hot‑fire tests on different thruster designs and analyze the results.
• Support the thruster development team in day‑to‑day activities.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a BSc or MSc program (or equivalent) in Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, or a related field.
• Available for a full‑time internship of at least four months.
• Demonstrated hands‑on engineering experience.
• Solid theoretical knowledge of chemical propulsion and familiarity with electric propulsion concepts.
• Experience in technical report writing.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team.
• Strong English communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks).

Desired Experience

• Practical, hands‑on experience with rocket engine development (e.g., through student projects).
• Familiarity with high‑pressure gases, specifically nitrous oxide.
• Familiarity with electronics and breadboard testing.

Diversity & Inclusion

At Dawn Aerospace, we believe that diverse teams build better solutions. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences are valued and supported to do their best work.