Manufacturing Engineering Intern - Composites (Aerospace)

Location: Auckland, New Zealand, at the Warkworth Composites Complex

Company

hirify.global is an end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems.

What you will do

• Design molds, jigs, fixtures, and other production tooling for composite layup, curing, trimming, and assembly.
• Generate 2D and 3D CAD models, detailed drawings, tooling specifications, and usage requirements.
• Develop process routings, manufacturing bills of materials, process parameters, and inspection steps for composite parts.
• Create, test, release, and maintain visual work instructions for production operators and technicians.
• Build and qualify parts alongside technicians, collect manufacturing records, and identify process improvement opportunities.
• Prepare project documentation and final reports, present outcomes to stakeholders, and hand over production deliverables.

Requirements

• Currently studying or recently completed a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Strong spatial visualization, analytical thinking, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills.
• Hands-on, systematic, proactive, collaborative, and comfortable seeking clarification and feedback.
• Ability to take ownership of tasks, manage priorities, meet deadlines, and communicate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• For New Zealand roles, background and nationality checks apply because access to ITAR-regulated equipment and data is required.

Nice to have

• Knowledge or experience in structural composites manufacturing, including layup, curing, or trimming.
• CAD experience with CATIA, SolidWorks, NX, or similar tools.
• Understanding of composite materials, fabrication techniques, manufacturing engineering, quality standards, and process control.
• Experience creating technical documentation, work instructions, or working in a workshop or fabrication environment.
• Previous internship or work experience and an interest in aerospace and space technology.

Culture & Benefits

• Hands-on experience designing and building production tooling for rocket structures.
• Opportunity to contribute to components that fly on the Neutron rocket.
• Mentorship from experienced composites engineers, manufacturing professionals, and technicians.
• Professional development in composites manufacturing, tooling design, and process engineering.
• Exposure to advanced composite materials and the complete manufacturing lifecycle from design through qualification.
• Collaborative production environment focused on teamwork, innovation, quality, and tight deadlines.

Hiring process

• Submit a cover letter explaining interest in the specific role and citing a relevant project, experience, or hobby.
• Applications are reviewed and interviews are conducted on a rolling basis.