Asteroid Mining Intern

Astroforge; Seal Beach (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

AstroForge seeks an early-career engineer or scientist for a Mining Intern role in Seal Beach, CA. You will help design, assemble, and test flight payloads for asteroid characterization and support R&D on laser-based mining methods.

You should be pursuing an Engineering or physical sciences degree, with hands-on experience in lab work, CAD tools, and basic programming. This onsite role lasts up to 10 weeks with a $30/hour pay rate.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a degree in Engineering or a physical sciences field.
• Able to support system design for refining and material processing hardware.
• Eligible to work in ITAR environment and able to commit to the internship duration.

Responsibilities

• Design, assemble, and test flight payloads for asteroid characterization.
• Conduct laboratory R&D on laser-based mining processes.
• Perform literature reviews and comparative studies across disciplines.
• Document results and support hands-on laboratory experiments.

Skills

Engineering degree

System design

Payload testing

Literature reviews

Education

Engineering or physical sciences degree

Tools

CAD tools

Simulation software

Python

MATLAB

Job description

About AstroForge

At AstroForge, our mission is to make space resources accessible on Earth. We mine asteroids to extract valuable minerals in space at a lower cost and smaller carbon footprint than current terrestrial mining methods. By joining the team at AF you’ll have the opportunity to work side by side with our amazing engineering and science teams. This position will provide you with valuable skills, experience, and mentorship necessary to become a leading professional in your field. We offer a unique opportunity to join an exciting team looking to expand humanity’s capabilities in space.

Job Description

As a Mining Intern at AstroForge, you’ll work on the design, assembly, and testing of flight payloads for asteroid characterization and mining as well as laboratory R&D of our laser-based asteroid mining and refining processes. This is a unique opportunity for an early-career engineer or scientist to work with a fast-paced, multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists working on the cutting edge of space resources technology development.

Basic Qualifications

• Must be a rising senior in undergrad or enrolled in graduate studies (at the time of the internship).
• Enrolled in an accredited college or university, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Must be 18 years or older.
• Must be eligible to work in an ITAR-compliant environment.
• Must not be otherwise employed for the duration of the internship.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a degree in Engineering (e.g., Aero, Electrical, Mechanical), one of the physical Sciences (e.g., Physics, Planetary Science, Astronomy, Geology), or a related discipline.
• Ability to support system design for refining and material processing hardware.
• Ability to support the design and testing of payload prototypes and flight units.
• Ability to conduct literature reviews and comparative studies across multiple disciplines (e.g., materials science, flight hardware design).
• Strong hands-on experience with complex systems, such as laboratory experiments, vacuum chambers, robotics, or similar technical projects.
• Strong analytical and documentation skills.

Preferred Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with high-temperature processes, vacuum systems, spacecraft hardware, optical payloads, or lasers.
• Familiarity with CAD tools or simulation software.
• Basic programming proficiency (e.g., Python, MATLAB).
• Demonstrated interest in space resource utilization or in-situ resource processing.

Location: Onsite in Seal Beach, CA

Pay Rate: $30.00 per hour

Duration: Up to 10 weeks

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S.,protected individual as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15) or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.