Electrical Engineering Intern (2027 Summer Internship)

northwoodspace; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwood Space is seeking an Electrical Engineering Intern for Summer 2027 to help develop high-speed PCBs for our digital backend. You will work with a hardware team on PCB design, prototyping, and testing to meet reliability and cost targets across deployment environments.

The role emphasizes collaboration with RF, antenna, and DSP/FPGA engineers, plus hands-on lab work and vendor interactions. This internship offers real-world impact in a fast-growing space tech startup.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Coursework or projects related to PCB design, digital communication systems, or high-speed data transfer.
• Familiarity with PCB design tools (Altium, Cadence) and understanding of PCB layout.
• Interest in low-noise design and EMI/EMC reduction techniques.
• Basic understanding of PCB materials, signal integrity, and high-speed interfaces.
• Soldering and PCB rework is a plus.
• Basic programming in C, C++, or Python is a plus.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Eagerness to learn in a fast-paced startup environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist in designing PCBs for high-speed digital communication systems, including RF and mixed-signal components.
• Support layout and setup of FPGAs, microcontrollers, and related peripherals.
• Collaborate with RF, antenna, and DSP/FPGA engineers to improve system performance.
• Contribute to schematic design, layout, and board bring-up and validation.
• Work with suppliers to optimize component selection for performance and cost.
• Test prototypes and evaluate performance in lab and real-world environments.
• Analyze system performance to guide future improvements.

Skills

PCB design

Signal integrity

Programming basics

Teamwork & communication

PCB design tools

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Tools

Altium

Cadence

Job description

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company bringing the benefits of space to the masses through advanced communications technology. We are building a global network of phased array ground stations that enable real-time, reliable communication for satellite missions such as national security, global connectivity, and disaster response. With a vertically integrated approach, Northwood designs, builds, and rapidly deploys scalable systems that power the next generation of space missions. If you like solving complex challenges and seeing your work deployed around the world with real impact, Northwood is the place to do it.

Role

Northwood is looking for an Electrical Engineering Intern during Summer 2027 to support the development of high-speed printed circuit boards (PCBs) for our digital backend. This backend enables our antenna system to meet high-rate processing needs across a variety of deployment environments. As part of our hardware team, you'll contribute to projects that prioritize reliability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness in engineering. In this role, you'll work on various aspects of high-speed PCB design, from concept through prototyping and testing.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the design of PCBs for high-speed digital communication systems, including RF and mixed-signal components
• Support the layout and setup of FPGAs, microcontrollers, and related peripherals
• Collaborate with RF, antenna, and DSP/FPGA engineers to enhance system performance and design
• Contribute to schematic design and layout, as well as board bring-up and validation
• Work alongside suppliers to help optimize component selection for performance and cost
• Test prototypes and evaluate performance both in the lab and in real-world environments
• Participate in analyzing system performance to guide future improvements

Basic Qualifications

• Working toward a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• Coursework or projects related to PCB design, digital communication systems, or high-speed data transfer
• Familiarity with PCB design tools (e.g., Altium, Cadence) and understanding of PCB layout
• Interest in learning about low-noise design and EMI/EMC reduction techniques
• Basic understanding of PCB materials, signal integrity, and high-speed communication interfaces
• Skills in soldering and PCB rework are a plus
• Basic programming skills in C, C++, or Python are a plus
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Eagerness to work in a fast-paced startup environment and to learn from experienced engineers

Additional Information

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Northwood Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Northwood Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.