Space Operations Engineering Intern (summer 2026)

Space Operations Engineering Intern (Summer 2026)

As a Space Operations Engineer Intern at Impulse Space, you'll support real-world spacecraft missions by assisting with the planning, development, and testing of mission operations. You'll work closely with experienced engineers on a variety of tasks ranging from simulation support to test execution and procedure development. This internship offers hands-on exposure to real-time spacecraft operations and mission-level engineering and operations for ambitious near-Earth and interplanetary missions.

The internship will run from May to August of 2026.

Responsibilities

Assist in developing and testing operational procedures for spacecraft missions.

Support mission simulations and rehearsals using hardware- and software-in-the-loop environments.

Help create tools and scripts to automate operational tasks.

Collaborate with subsystem teams to gather inputs and refine operations plans.

Participate in reviews, test campaigns, and anomaly investigations as needed.

Contribute to documentation and mission readiness activities.

Minimum Qualifications

Recent completion or currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering, physics, or a related technical field.

Familiarity with scripting or programming (e.g., Python, C++, MATLAB).

Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

Ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

Preferred Skills and Experience

Prior internship, research, or project experience related to aerospace or mission operations.

Exposure to systems engineering, GNC, avionics, or spacecraft autonomy concepts.

Experience working with test setups, simulations, or command/control tools.

Additional requirements:

Willing and able to work on-site in Redondo Beach, CA for the duration of the internship.

This position may require overtime hours; interns are eligible for overtime pay.

Additional Information

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Impulse Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Impulse Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

About Impulse Space

Impulse Space, the in-space transportation company founded by Tom Mueller, is opening access beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with its fleet of in-space transportation vehicles. The high-energy Helios vehicle unlocks orbits beyond LEO with its powerful Deneb engine, dropping off payloads in MEO, GEO, heliocentric, lunar, and other planetary orbits. The flight-proven Mira vehicle uses a nontoxic, high-impulse chemical propulsion system to offer orbital transport, constellation deployment, and precision reentry services to customers throughout LEO. Led by a team that delivered the most reliable rockets in history, Impulse provides economical and efficient in-space transportation by reliably and rapidly getting customers where they want to go.