Propulsion Engineering Intern

Department: Internships

Location: San Francisco

Compensation: $40 – $55 per hour

Employment Type: FullTime

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 Propulsion Engineering 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 someone who wants to take ownership of real hardware, from concept through test, and is eager to understand how their work affects surrounding systems. You approach technical challenges from first principles. As an intern, you’ll be embedded with the propulsion team in San Francisco, working on real projects alongside full-time engineers, and your work will have a direct impact on the configuration and performance of the Duality™ engine.

In this role, your mission will be to help design, analyze, and validate propulsion hardware, with mentorship from senior engineers along the way. You’ll get hands-on experience across the full development cycle, from design trades to assembly to test, and you’ll learn to embody the test-like-you-fly philosophy.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Support design trade studies while learning to consider system-level impacts

• Complete detailed design of propulsion components and support structural, thermal, and fluid analyses

• Present your work in design reviews and gather feedback from stakeholders

• Assemble prototypes firsthand, design supporting tooling, and help write work instructions

• Support hardware testing and analyze data to verify requirements and performance metrics

• Help diagnose hardware problems and determine corrective actions

• 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 Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline

• Club, project, or research-level hands-on experience with fluidic, mechanical, or propulsion systems

• Experience with solid, surface, and sheet metal CAD modeling (Siemens NX preferred)

• Exposure to manufacturing processes, precision measurement, and GD&T

• Coursework or experience in heat transfer, thermodynamics, and turbomachinery

• Exposure to data acquisition, instrumentation, and power electronics

• Desire for continuous improvement

• Flexibility to work in a fast-paced environment

• Attentive to detail and committed to a high level of quality in all work

• 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.