Mechanical Engineering Internship/Co-op (Spring 2027)

Space-Robots; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

General Astronautics is seeking Mechanical Engineering Interns for Spring 2027 in El Segundo, CA to design, build, and test robotic hardware for space missions.

You will own subassemblies, create CAD models, perform hand calculations, and run tests, with a 12-week on-site commitment and mentorship from the founding team to deliver hardware from concept through a working prototype.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in engineering by start of employment.
• GPA of 3.5 or above.
• 6+ months of hands-on technical work outside the classroom through research, projects, or internships.
• Strong fundamentals in prototyping, order-of-magnitude estimation, and hand calculations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own a mechanism or subassembly from requirements through design, prototyping, and testing.
• Develop CAD models and drawings with material selection, tolerances, and assembly processes.
• Perform hand calculations and FEA to validate designs under expected loads.
• Build prototypes, test fixtures, and instrumentation to evaluate performance.
• Write test plans, analyze results, and iterate designs based on findings.
• Support qualification and acceptance testing for development hardware.
• Produce drawings, analyses, BOMs, and assembly documentation for manufacturing.

Skills

Mechanism design

CAD modeling

Prototyping

Hand calculations

Test planning

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering (enrolled)

Tools

Siemens NX

SolidWorks

MATLAB

Ansys

Job description

About the Role

General Astronautics is building autonomous dexterous robotic arms for orbital inspection, repair, and assembly. Our systems enable spacecraft to autonomously manipulate, replace, and upgrade hardware in microgravity, without astronaut intervention.

We're looking for Mechanical Engineering Interns for Spring 2027 to help design, build, and test our robotic hardware. This role spans mechanism design, CAD, analysis, prototyping, testing, and integration of robotic joints, end effectors, structures, and electromechanical assemblies.

This is a high-ownership, high-accountability role. You will work directly with your mentor and the founding team, taking responsibility for hardware from initial requirements through a working, tested assembly. You will move quickly between design, manufacturing, assembly, and experiments. Your work will support our upcoming demonstration mission and flight-ready robotic systems.

Responsibilities

• Own a mechanism or subassembly from requirements and trade studies through detailed design, prototyping, and testing
• Develop CAD models and engineering drawings, including material selection, tolerances, and assembly processes
• Perform hand calculations and FEA to evaluate structural margins and validate designs across expected load conditions
• Build prototypes, test fixtures, and instrumentation to evaluate hardware performance
• Write and execute test plans, analyze results, and use the findings to improve your designs
• Support qualification and acceptance testing for parabolic flight and on-orbit demonstration hardware
• Produce drawings, analysis reports, bills of materials, and assembly documentation that others can build from
• Evaluate manufacturability, cost, and design risk, and work with the team to integrate your hardware with the robot, payload, and vehicle

Basic Qualifications

• Enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in engineering, physics, computer science, or math by the start of employment
• GPA of 3.5 or above
• 6+ months of hands-on technical work outside the classroom through research, project teams, personal builds, or prior internships
• Strong fundamentals in prototyping, order-of-magnitude estimation, and hand calculations
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work alongside engineers, technicians, and the founding team
• Ability to take ownership of technical problems and adapt as priorities change

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience designing mechanisms, robotic hardware, or electromechanical assemblies
• Experience creating CAD models and engineering drawings in Siemens NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent software
• Experience with MATLAB, Ansys, or equivalent analysis and simulation tools
• Experience designing tooling, building test fixtures, and testing structures or mechanisms
• Experience integrating motors, sensors, or other electrical components into mechanical hardware

Additional Requirements

• Available to work on-site in El Segundo for a minimum of 12 weeks during Spring 2027
• Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to support critical project milestones

Compensation

• Engineering Intern, Sophomore: $30.00/hour
• Engineering Intern, Junior or Senior: $35.00/hour

ITAR / Citizenship Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or eligible for authorization under U.S. export regulations.