GNC / Autonomy Engineering Intern

AeroVironment • Simi Valley, CA

9d • Onsite

About The Position

AeroVironment is hiring a GNC / Autonomy Engineering Intern for its Small Unmanned Systems team. This is a paid, 12-week, onsite summer internship based at the company’s Simi Valley, California office. The intern will support multidisciplinary projects involving guidance, navigation and control (GN&C), flight testing, software, and hardware development, working under the guidance of experienced engineers in a fast-paced research and development environment. The role provides hands-on exposure to aerospace systems, flight control systems, testing procedures, and system integration.

The Summer Internship Program is intended for highly motivated students currently enrolled in college or recent graduates. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA; students at the junior level or above are preferred. Depending on the team and location, interns willing to relocate may be eligible for a relocation and housing reimbursement stipend. This position requires access to information subject to ITAR and/or EAR requirements, so applicants must qualify as a U.S. person or be eligible for an export license. Some positions may require current U.S. citizenship due to contract requirements.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Minimum 3.0 GPA.
• Completed coursework in one or more of GN&C, flight dynamics, control systems, embedded systems, or robotics.
• Strong interest in aircraft systems, GN&C, and aerospace engineering.
• Effective communication skills and a collaborative attitude.
• Must be eligible to work in the U.S. and willing to travel domestically up to 10–20% if needed.
• Must qualify as a U.S. person under ITAR/EAR requirements or be eligible for an export license; some positions may require current U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

• Preference for students at the junior level or above.
• Basic proficiency in MATLAB, Simulink, or similar modeling tools.
• Familiarity with embedded programming, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, or flight software development.
• Hands-on project or laboratory experience involving control systems or autonomous vehicles, such as drones or robotics projects.
• Enthusiasm for learning and contributing to real-world aerospace projects.
• Ability to adapt in a dynamic, team-oriented environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist in designing and developing GN&C systems for current and future aircraft projects.
• Support system testing, including simulation environments such as SIL/HIL, and basic flight-test preparations.
• Help implement and test basic flight-control algorithms under supervision.
• Participate in subsystem integration and data-analysis activities.
• Support engineering documentation and report writing.
• Collaborate with engineering and test teams to troubleshoot and validate technical solutions.
• Learn and apply engineering processes and tools relevant to flight systems.
• Perform other duties or learning assignments as needed.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) with company matching
• 9/80 work schedule
• Paid holiday shutdown
• Relocation and housing reimbursement stipend may be available to eligible interns who are willing to relocate, depending on team and location

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern