Vehicle Operations Engineering Intern – Summer 2027 (Aerospace)

Location: In person at hirify.global's headquarters in Torrance, California; Los Angeles area

Hourly pay: $30–$40 per hour for this non-exempt role; housing and travel stipend may also be available.

Company

hirify.global develops and mass-produces high-power satellite platforms for commercial and US government missions from low Earth orbit to deep space.

What you will do

• Support the maintenance and operation of hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) test tables.
• Develop test procedures to verify spacecraft hardware and software flightworthiness.
• Investigate and troubleshoot vehicle issues, driving corrective actions to reduce future failures.
• Design, build, and deploy ground support equipment for new test components and capabilities.
• Develop manufacturing systems, tooling, custom processes, and subassembly build flows for large spacecraft structures, mechanisms, and electrical assemblies.
• Build and integrate flight parts, demonstrate manufacturing techniques on prototypes, and execute spacecraft integration and test campaigns.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in a bachelor's or master's degree program in mechanical, electrical, aerospace, or another relevant engineering discipline.
• At least six months of technical engineering experience outside university coursework, such as laboratory work, research, extracurricular projects, volunteering, personal projects, or prior employment.
• Available for a minimum 12-week, in-person internship at the Torrance headquarters.
• Must be a U.S. person under ITAR regulations or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.
• Ability to collaborate with technicians, engineers, and managers in an integrated team environment.

Nice to have

• Experience testing and troubleshooting spacecraft, subsystems, and related components.
• Hands-on experience with electrical test equipment, clean rooms, and ESD-sensitive equipment.
• Experience in testing, automation, manufacturing execution systems, production-floor setup, tooling design, or design for manufacturability.
• Experience with Python, Rust, Linux, avionics subassembly manufacturing, or aerospace manufacturing standards.
• Experience in high-volume, rapid production environments.

Culture & Benefits

• Three-month internship with hands-on exposure across spacecraft subsystems.
• Opportunity to own impactful manufacturing, testing, and integration projects.
• Collaboration with advanced manufacturing, design, and responsible engineering teams.
• Housing and travel stipend may be available.
• Reasonable accommodations are available during the application and interview process.