Propulsion Engineering Internship - Spring 2027

Varda Space Industries; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing stipend

Commuter benefit

Relocation support for interns

Job summary

Varda Space Industries is seeking a Propulsion Engineering Intern for Spring 2027. The internship is full-time and on-site in Los Angeles, CA, with active enrollment in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program.

The propulsion team covers fluid systems for spacecraft maneuvers, with in-house design, fabrication, and testing. The role offers exposure to design, testing, and analysis across the spacecraft lifecycle, in a startup environment with aerospace professionals and meaningful

Qualifications

• Pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in an engineering field.
• Familiarity with engineering design software and principles.

Responsibilities

• Own or contribute to hardware or software design to support spacecraft or payload development.
• Create or support test campaigns and build test stands.
• Perform analysis to support development and testing.

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Engineering

Tools

NX/Teamcenter

GD&T

Matlab/Python

Job description

Propulsion Engineering Internship - Spring 2027

About Varda

Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules.Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses.

From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind.

Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital.

Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. Varda also has offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

About This Role

Spring internships will range between the months of January and May. All dates dependent upon the university schedule of the selected students. Internships are full-time and on-site in Los Angeles, CA. To be considered for this internship, candidates must be actively enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program.

The propulsion team is responsible for fluid systems on the vehicle required to complete spacecraft orbital maneuvers and earth reentry. This includes thrusters for primary maneuvers and attitude control, propellant tanks, and all associated plumbing and fluid components on the spacecraft. This system is completely designed, analyzed, fabricated, and tested in house which enables successful candidates exposure across all aspects of the design and manufacturing lifecycle of a space vehicle system.

Internships at Varda are optimal for students looking to grow technically and professionally while working on impactful projects critical to the company’s success. You will be working on a collaborative team in a startup environment while being able to learn from some of most accomplished and experienced aerospace professionals in the world. We’re dedicated to providing an experience that will let your decisions and contributions help drive Varda’s success.

Responsibilities

• Own or contribute to hardware or software designtosupport development of Spacecraft or payload
• Create or support test campaignsand buildtest stands
• Perform necessary analysis to support development and testing

Basic Qualifications

• Must have completed some Engineering coursework relevant to Propulsion, including but not limited to:
  • At least one of:
    • Fluid Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics
    • Heat Transfer
    • Compressible Flow
    • Combustion
• Pursuing a bachelor's or master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineer, or Electrical Engineering (or similar engineering degrees)
• Familiarity with engineering design software and principles (NX/Teamcenter, GD&T, Matlab/Python, and analysis packages)
• Prior hands‑on experience building or testing fluid systems
• Familiarity with safe operation of combustion devices, rocket propellants, and pressurized systems
• Familiarity or exposure to high precision manufacturing environments

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Previous internship or co-op experience
• Previous experience on technical project teams (i.Rocket club, formula SAE, etc.)
• Completion of a Propulsion or Rocket Propulsion survey course

Projects You May Work On

Intern projects will be tailored to company needs and student skillsets closer to the start date. Typical projects include:

• Hotfire test facility propellant system design
• Automated data reduction software
• Valve qualification test program development and execution

Compensation

• Hourly Rate: $33.00
• Housing stipend for interns relocating to the area
• Commuter benefit to support local transportation

Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well‑being, and a high‑quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full‑time employees receive(at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):

• Flexible PTO policy +12 paid holidays
• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer‑matched HSA options
• Voluntaryaccident, hospital, critical illness,andpet insurance
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
• 12weeks ofparental leave(with supplemental disability leavefor CAmothers)
• SponsoredOne Medicalmemberships for employees and their dependents
• Substantial incentive equityin a fully funded space start-up
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Relocation supportfor new hires, if needed

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
• Company and team‑bonding events, happyhoursand mission‑success celebrations
• Complimentary EV charging

Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export‑controlled items. Because our employees are provided access to export‑controlled items, our policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license.

“US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum).

E-Verify Statement

Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about theE-Verify program.

Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

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As set forth in Varda Space Industries’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

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