Vehicle Operations Engineering Intern – Summer 2027

K2 Space · Vehicle Operations

Where: Los Angeles, CA
Posted: Sep 1

We’re looking for a stellar Vehicle Operations Engineering Intern to join our team for a 3 month internship. You’ll join the team responsible for building, testing, and flying the vehicle, working with Design and Responsible Engineers to develop manufacturing methods, tooling, and build flows for spacecraft components, as well as support the integration and test of K2’s Mega class satellite systems. In this role you’ll gain hands-on experience developing and testing manufacturing techniques for large satellite structures, mechanisms, and integrated electronics; designing ground support equipment; expanding HITL tables; and executing test campaigns. This role offers broad exposure across subsystems, opportunities to improve manufacturability, efficiency, and reliability, and the chance to own impactful projects in K2’s highly collaborative environment.

What you'd do

Support HITL table maintenance and operations
Develop test procedures used to confirm spacecraft hardware and software flightworthiness
Investigate and troubleshoot vehicle issues and driver further actions to reduce future failures
Design, build, and rollout ground support equipment to enable new test components and capabilities
Develop innovative manufacturing systems for large spacecraft assemblies, including welded/bolted structures, mechanisms, and electrical subassemblies
Create custom tools and processes that integrate with our Manufacturing Execution System to support the manufacturing technologies you create
Demonstrate the advanced manufacturing techniques on prototypes, working with the design teams to iterate on the manufacturability of those parts
Develop the subassembly build flow and implementing on the production flow for the satellite
Get hands-on to build and integrate flight parts using your tooling
Partner with a team of advanced manufacturing engineers to perform R&D of novel manufacturing technologies for current and future spacecraft products

What they want

Must be currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in mechanical, electrical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline
6+ months experience of technical engineering skills outside of the university setting classroom (eg: laboratory, research, extracurricular project teams, volunteering, personal projects or prior internship/work experience)
Available for a minimum 12-week internship in person at our HQ in Torrance

What you get

Hourly pay range for this non-exempt role is $30 - $40 per hour
Hourly rate will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: knowledge and skills, education, and experience level
Housing and travel stipend may also be available