Avionics Engineering Internship - Spring 2027
About The Position
This is a Spring internship opportunity at Varda, a company focused on accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure. The internship will range between January and May, depending on the university schedule. It is a full-time, on-site position in El Segundo, CA. Candidates must be actively enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program. The Avionics Team is responsible for all electronics on the spacecraft, including flight computers, batteries, and radios. Interns will have the opportunity to own a new circuit design from start to finish, including schematic capture, layout, manufacturing, and testing. Internships at Varda are designed for students seeking technical and professional growth while working on critical company projects in a collaborative startup environment, learning from experienced aerospace professionals.
Requirements
- Prior experience designing PCBs (printed circuit boards)
- Familiarity with microcontroller programming
- Some experience or interest in Python programming
- Currently pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field
- Candidates must be actively enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program.
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity with Altium or other PCB design tools (not required but preferred)
- Entering Junior year or later in your academic program
- Strong attention to detail and ability to debug hardware prototypes
- Previous hands-on experience in project teams or labs
Responsibilities
- Design and test custom PCBs for embedded electronics and analog/digital systems
- Work on end-to-end development of hardware systems including schematic capture, layout, and testing
- Support embedded system development using microcontrollers and sensors
- Contribute to one or more projects; examples of previous intern projects include the following: Embedded Camera System: Integrate camera + optics + microprocessor + Ethernet for use in microscopy and star trackers, Thermocouple Logger: Design a ground-up thermocouple logger including cold-junction compensation and coefficient generation, Analog TEC Controller: Develop a current-controlled Thermoelectric Cooler driver for biologics temperature control
Benefits
- Hourly Rate: $33.00
- Housing stipend for interns relocating to the area
- Commuter benefit to support local transportation
- Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays
- 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
- Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
- $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
- 12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)
- Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
- Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents
- Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up
- 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
- $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
- Relocation support for new hires, if needed
- Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
- Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
- Complimentary EV charging
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
Associate degree
