Flight Software Engineering Intern (Summer 2027)

Description

The company is a small, fast-growing space systems provider founded in 2021. It designs, builds and operates LEO satellite constellations that deliver mission-critical data, and it has a manufacturing facility in Silicon Valley.

The internship is full-time and on-site in Mountain View or San Jose, CA. Summer start and end dates fall between May and September, depending on your university calendar.

The Software Engineering team writes software for the spacecraft, ground stations, the cloud, and internal tools, visualization, and simulation. Interns own a project from start to finish, such as adding a new spacecraft capability, writing software for a new hardware part, simulating a new component, or deploying new algorithms that process images and other sensor data.

You will work alongside flight software engineers on a project scoped for the summer and get mentorship through design, implementation, and testing. Projects may add a spacecraft capability, integrate a hardware component, build simulations, or improve automated testing and developer tools. You will work with software and hardware engineers to build reliable spacecraft software.

Interns get direct mentorship and a real say in the program's direction. You will learn from experienced aerospace professionals while your decisions shape the outcome.

Responsibilities

• Build software for the spacecraft or for the development and test tools that support it.
• Propose software designs and refine them with input from the team.
• Write automated tests and validate your work through simulation or hardware testing.
• Find and fix software bugs, including those that arise where software meets hardware.
• Take part in code reviews and write documentation that other engineers can use and maintain.

Requirements

• Programming experience in C, C++, Python, or a similar language, gained through coursework, personal projects, research, or prior internships.
• Coursework or hands-on work in data structures, algorithms, and core software development.
• Skill at breaking problems apart, checking assumptions, and working through bugs.
• Willingness to pick up unfamiliar tools and systems, ask questions, and explain technical ideas to teammates.
• Nice-to-have: prior internship or co-op experience.
• Nice-to-have: experience on technical project teams, such as programming, robotics, or rocket clubs.
• Nice-to-have: understanding of physics and orbital mechanics.
• Nice-to-have: experience with microcontrollers, sensors, or other hardware, including reading technical documentation and datasheets.
• Nice-to-have: exposure to operating systems, real-time software, communication protocols, or simulation.

Conditions

Pay is $40 per hour for bachelor's students, $45 per hour for master's students, and $50 per hour for PhD students.

The role requires access to export-controlled information under U.S. export regulations. Applicants must be a U.S. person (a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee), or be eligible to access the information without an export authorization, or be eligible and reasonably likely to obtain one. The company may decline to pursue export licensing for legitimate business reasons.

The company can currently hire in these states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IA, ID, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA.

Benefits

• Full-time employees receive equity compensation on top of salary.
• Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401k plan, short- and long-term disability, and life insurance.
• New employees get three weeks of paid vacation, 12 paid holidays, unlimited sick time, and paid parental leave.