2026 Summer Internship - Software Engineering

2026 Summer Internship - Software Engineering

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. We are building artificial gravity space stations, allowing long-term stays in space without the adverse effects of zero-gravity. Our initial crewed space habitat will be Haven-1, scheduled to be the world's first commercial space station when it launches into low earth orbit in May 2026. Our team is all-in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.

Vast offers an advanced engineering internship program with hands-on opportunities to design and build space software. You will play a crucial role in the development of the systems that will be required for the operation of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations. We have five internship postings for different areas of focus (Mechanical / Aerospace, Manufacturing, Electrical, Software, and GNC). Please only apply to the most relevant posting for your background.

Our interns are mentored by industry experts to solve challenging real-world engineering problems across our software engineering teams. This is a 12 week internship at our HQ based in Long Beach, CA.

Responsibilities will vary depending on each intern's area of expertise. We are currently looking for candidates with experience in the following engineering disciplines:

• Ground Software
• Flight Software
• Embedded Software
• Avionics Software Test

Minimum Qualifications:

• Qualified candidates must be enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's degree program from an accredited college or university in software engineering, computer engineering, or related engineering field.
• Academic and/or internship experience writing and developing software (C++, Python, Javascript, Go, or other)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Application of technical skills outside of the classroom (examples include: extracurricular projects, volunteering, personal projects, laboratory research, or prior internship/work experience)
• Experience with Git, Pull Requests, IDEs, and Debuggers
• Experience with Linux, Computer Networking (IP/UDP/TCP), and Docker
• Experience working in a continuous build and test environment
• Experience working on ambiguous problems
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a professional team environment
• Eagerness to learn and adapt in a dynamic startup environment
• Engineering problem solving capabilities
• Self-directed with a positive attitude and team spirit

Pay Rate:

• Software Engineering Intern, Undergraduate: $40/hr
• Software Engineering Intern, Master's: $44/hr

Salary Range: California

$40 - $44 USD

Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 10 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast's ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.

U.S. Export Control Compliance Status: The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a "U.S. person" as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

Equal Opportunity: Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast 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.