Electrical/Avionics Engineering Intern

Speedrun Talent Network; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 52,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive hourly pay

Hands-on mentorship from engineers

Team lunches and activities

Job summary

Astro Mechanica is seeking an electrical engineering intern for the summer of 2027 to help design, build, and improve electrical subsystems for engines and aircraft. You’ll be embedded with the avionics team in San Francisco, working on real flight hardware alongside full-time engineers.

Mentorship from senior engineers, exposure to fault-tolerant design, and responsibilities spanning hardware and software will prepare you for rigorous testing and integration before flight.

Qualifications

• Pursuing BS/MS/PhD in EE/CE/AE or related field.
• Hands-on experience with electrical or avionics systems.
• Experience with wire harnesses, connectors, soldering or crimping.
• Familiarity with installing and troubleshooting electronic sensors and components.
• Competence with electrical test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, etc.).
• Exposure to schematic capture or PCB design tools (Altium, KiCad).
• Experience with Python, Bash, or similar scripting languages.
• Familiarity with embedded systems and comms protocols (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet).

Responsibilities

• Support design and build-out of electrical avionics systems for flight hardware and test infrastructure.
• Assist with electrical avionics component selection, analysis, and integration.
• Design, build, and test wire harnesses and related subsystems.
• Install, configure, and troubleshoot sensors and electronic components.
• Write scripts/tools to automate testing, data collection, and hardware bring-up.
• Support subsystem and integration testing and analyze data to verify requirements.
• Collaborate with software, GNC, propulsion, and structures engineers on electrical interfaces.
• Own a scoped project through the summer and present results at internship end.

Skills

Electrical engineering basics

Python scripting

Bash scripting

CAN/SPI/I2C/UART protocols

Altium/KiCad PCB tools

Soldering & crimping

Electrical test equipment

Embedded systems

Education

Bachelor's/Master's/PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Python

Altium

KiCad

Job description

ABOUT US:

Astro Mechanica is a vertically integrated aerospace company developing a scalable technology platform to power critical infrastructure, mission operations, and the future of flight. We apply aerospace engineering and quality standards across our products, delivering high performance, reliability, and efficiency for the most demanding operating environments. Astro Mechanica is backed by leading venture and strategic investors, including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Giant Step Capital, United Airlines Ventures, and Voyager Ventures.

WHO WE ARE:

We're a team of passionate engineers dedicated to advancing aerospace. We're generalists with specialist depth, united by a flat structure and a shared obsession with building things that work well. We move fast, stay pragmatic, and let engineering excellence speak louder than hierarchy.

WHO YOU ARE:

Astro Mechanica is seeking an intern to join our Electrical Engineering and Avionics Team for the summer of 2027 (program begins on June 7, 2027 for semester schools and June 27, 2027 for quarter schools). The ideal candidate is excited to help design, build, and improve the electrical subsystems for our engines and aircraft. Your work will bridge hardware and software at a formative stage of development and will involve frequent cross-discipline problem solving. As an intern, you'll be embedded with the avionics team in San Francisco, working on real flight and test hardware alongside full-time engineers.

In this role, your mission will be to help take avionics designs from concept through validation, with mentorship from senior engineers along the way. You'll learn how to build avionics that interface reliably with other systems using fault-tolerant design, and how to prove them out through rigorous subsystem and integration testing before anything leaves the ground. You embody the test-like-you-fly philosophy.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Support the design and build-out of electrical avionics systems, including in-house designed boards, for flight hardware and ground test infrastructure, including hardware-in-the-loop test beds
• Assist with electrical avionics component selection, analysis, and integration
• Design, build, and test wire harnesses and associated sub-components
• Install, configure, and troubleshoot sensors and electronic components
• Write scripts and tools (e.g., Python, Bash) to automate testing, data collection, and hardware bring-up
• Support subsystem and integration testing, and analyze data to verify requirements and performance
• Work with software, GNC, propulsion, and structures engineers to define and support electrical interfaces
• Own a scoped project through the summer and present your results to the team at the end of the internship

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline
• Club, project, research, or internship hands-on experience with electrical or avionics systems
• Experience with wire harnesses, connectors, and soldering or crimping
• Familiarity with installing and troubleshooting electronic sensors and components
• Competence with electrical test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, etc.)
• Exposure to schematic capture or PCB design tools (e.g., Altium, KiCad)
• Experience with Python, Bash, or a similar language for scripting and test automation
• Familiarity with embedded systems and communication protocols (e.g., CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet)
• Attentive to detail and committed to a high level of quality in all work
• Flexibility to work in a fast-paced environment
• Available for a full-time, in-person internship in San Francisco during Summer 2027 (approximately 10-12 weeks)

PERKS & BENEFITS:

• Competitive hourly pay
• Hands-on mentorship from experienced engineers
• Company-funded perks, including team lunches, game nights, and other activities

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

At Astro Mechanica, we highly value in-office work to foster collaboration and strengthen our company culture. We consider working in the office five days a week an essential part of the employee's role.

Astro Mechanica is an equal opportunity employer. We proudly recruit and hire a diverse workforce and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.