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Engineering
Thermal Engineering Internship - Summer 2027
Varda Space · Internship
- Where
- El Segundo, California, United States
- Posted
- 4 days ago
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.
What you'd do
- Support thermal vacuum (TVAC) test campaigns including setup, execution, and data collection
- Contribute to thermal models for spacecraft components and systems using tools like Thermal Desktop and ANSYS
- Analyze flight and ground test thermal data using Python and MATLAB
- Design, procure, test, and validate thermal hardware (e.g., MLI blankets, heat straps, thermal interfaces)
- Support integration and test (I&T) activities related to thermal components and subsystems
- Collaborate with systems and mechanical teams to ensure thermal requirements are met
- 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
- Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
- $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
What they want
- Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related Engineering discipline
- Heat Transfer
- Thermodynamics
- Fluid Mechanics
- Data processing
- Experience or coursework using thermal analysis software (e.g., Thermal Desktop, Ansys, Star CCM)
- Proficiency in CAD tools (NX, AutoCAD, PTC, or similar)
- Comfortable with data analysis in MATLAB and Python
- Prior thermal internship, lab, project team, or rigorous school project experience relevant to heat transfer/thermal
What you get
- Hourly Rate: $33.00
- Housing stipend for interns relocating to the area
- Commuter benefit to support local transportation