Summer 2027 Internship – Mechanical Engineering

Wanna Join the Adventure?

Loft Orbital is looking for a Mechanical Engineering Intern to join our team in Golden, Colorado for Summer 2027. You’ll work alongside our Mechanical Engineering team on the design and development of hardware for satellite missions.

This internship is designed to give you meaningful ownership of a real mechanical engineering project. You’ll gain hands-on experience taking a design from early requirements and concept development through detailed design, analysis, engineering documentation, and potentially prototyping.

About This Role

As a Mechanical Engineering Intern, you’ll contribute to the design and development of a new mechanical subsystem or product that could ultimately support future Loft missions.

Depending on team priorities and active development work during the summer, you may:

• Translate project needs into mechanical requirements and design constraints
• Develop concepts and detailed 3D CAD models for satellite hardware
• Perform structural analysis and support design validation
• Create engineering drawings, including dimensions and tolerances
• Coordinate with electrical, systems, manufacturing, and other engineering stakeholders
• Support prototyping, manufacturing, and design iteration
• Contribute to mechanical engineering standards, documentation, and best practices
• Present your work and key learnings at the end of the internship

What We’re Looking For

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field; undergraduate students must be rising juniors or rising seniors
• Experience with CAD / 3D modeling through coursework, projects, research, or internships
• Foundational understanding of mechanical design and analysis
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills
• Curiosity, initiative, and interest in hands-on spacecraft hardware development

Nice to Haves

• Hands-on machining, manufacturing, or prototyping experience
• Exposure to electronics packaging or mechanical design around electrical components
• Experience participating in multidisciplinary engineering teams such as robotics, Formula SAE, rocketry, or CubeSat
• Experience leading a school, club, or technical project
• Previous internship, aerospace, or other relevant hands-on engineering experience

During Your Internship, You Can Expect To

• Gain hands-on experience designing hardware that could support future satellite missions
• Own meaningful engineering work from requirements through design and potentially prototyping
• Receive ongoing mentorship and feedback from your mentor and manager
• Work across engineering disciplines and learn how mechanical systems integrate into a spacecraft
• Build relationships with fellow interns and Loft employees
• Share your work and key learnings at the end of the internship

Compensation & Logistics

• Hourly compensation: $30.00/hour
• Timing: Full-time, 10-12 week Summer 2027 internship. Start and end dates will be coordinated based on school schedule and team availability.
• Location: On-site in Golden, Colorado
• Relocation: Loft offers housing/relocation support for interns traveling from outside the local area.
• Daily catered lunches and snacks in office