Project Engineering Intern (Summer 2027)

Proven flight heritage. Built for the nation’s most critical missions.

Rocketdyne has powered American launch and national security missions for generations. Today we build the propulsion, power, and communications that get this country’s most important systems where they need to go - and keep them there. If it flies, we power it. If it protects the nation, we deliver it. Real hardware. Real stakes. Start your career with the team that the nation depends on.

The Role

At Rocketdyne, this role gives an early-career engineer the chance to step directly into real spacecraft hardware work. You will help move chemical propulsion hardware through production, test, and delivery for spaceflight programs, while building the product knowledge and cross-functional judgment that lead to broader technical ownership over time. This is a strong fit for an engineer with strong fundamentals, high motivation, and a desire to learn by working closely with customers, manufacturing, test, quality, and senior engineers on real hardware problems. You will also work across engineering disciplines to support the reviews, inputs, and technical alignment needed to keep hardware and customer deliverables moving. Your impact will be visible in completed hardware, successful hot-fires, and propulsion systems that reach space, the Moon, and Mars. If you want close teamwork, rapid growth, and the opportunity to turn hard work into thrusters that power real spacecraft, we encourage you to apply.

Professional Development Opportunities with Rocketdyne

• Project-based, direct professional experience in your field of study.
• Working under guidance of experienced engineering and design professionals, with both manager and mentor relationships to build your skillset and prepare for your future career.
• Rocketdyne-wide learning and development opportunities, including
  • Information sessions for both technical and business topics spanning all Rocketdyne businesses and programs

Key Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day technical execution of in-space chemical thruster projects through production and test for development, qualification, and commercial programs. Work in close coordination with program management, manufacturing, and test to help accelerate issue resolution.
• Help drive closure of nonconformances, production issues, and test anomalies with sound engineering judgment and growing product knowledge. Maintain effective working relationships with quality and other support functions.
• Support work across engineering disciplines such as systems, structures, thermal, and drawing development. Help track inputs, reviews, and document completion needed to support customer deliverables and program commitments.
• Author the technical documentation required to move hardware forward. This includes test plans, procedures, reports, and anomaly documentation.
• Provide clear and timely technical responses to customer technical questions, with guidance from more senior engineers as needed. Topics may include hardware status, issue resolution, and test results.
• Prepare technical recommendations, trade studies, and issue summaries. Support formal presentations and reports for customer communication and gated product reviews.
• Support proposal efforts by developing technical inputs and helping review scope assumptions for applicable engines or hardware efforts.
• Analyze and review hotfire test data to help ensure thrusters conform to product line standards and customer specifications. May support testing in-person.
• No routine travel is expected for this role.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Physics and a minimum of 2 years of prior related experience; or a Graduate Degree with 0 to 2 years of prior related experience; or in lieu of a degree, a minimum of 6 years of prior related experience.
• Prior experience supporting development, production, integration, qualification testing, or delivery of complex hardware in aerospace, marine, or similar high-reliability engineering environments.
• Prior experience in at least one of the following areas is required: production support or qualification/development testing. Experience in both is preferred.
• Prior experience owning assigned technical work and driving closure with strong cross-functional relationships.
• Foundational technical understanding and ability to communicate across engineering disciplines. This may include engaging with technical inputs from areas such as systems, structures, thermal, and design documentation.
• Prior experience authoring technical documentation such as procedures, reports, data packages, dispositions, or engineering presentations.
• Ability to work effectively under moderate supervision, set objectives for assigned work, and determine next steps needed to move hardware or decisions forward.
• Ability to assess technical problems, adapt to evolving requirements, and contribute effectively in a fast-paced, technically complex setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong technical communication with customers, leadership, and cross-functional teams in a fast-moving hardware environment.
• Prior experience with propulsion development or hot-fire testing.
• Experience with anomaly investigation, nonconformance disposition, and root cause analysis. Experience with corrective action or out-of-plan manufacturing support in a hardware environment is preferred.
• Familiarity with propellant and material compatibility, contamination-sensitive hardware handling, and spacecraft propulsion integration practices.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute effectively with multi-disciplinary project teams while balancing competing priorities and technical deadlines.
• Graduate-level research or project experience in propulsion, fluids, materials, thermal systems, test operations, or other related aerospace hardware topics.

Housing and Relocation Assistance

• If currently residing further than 50 miles from the Rocketdyne site, students are eligible to receive a stipend to cover the cost-of-living arrangements and relocation for the summer