Internship - Mission Operations (Spacecraft) - Spring 2027

Firefly Aerospace • Cedar Park, TX

5d

About The Position

This internship provides a foundational pathway into spacecraft mission operations. The intern will contribute to development of Mission Operations Center ground-segment test plans, flight operations procedures, high-fidelity simulations, and operations workflows for the Blue Ghost lunar lander and Elytra orbital vehicle. Mission Operations Engineers will provide direct mentorship to help the intern develop technical proficiency and an operational mindset in preparation for a potential full-time role in the field.

The role involves developing and testing flight procedures and checklists, preparing and validating simulations and mission rehearsals, supporting ground-system verification and documentation, participating in team meetings and briefings, and owning focused projects and tools that support flight operations readiness. Applicants must be enrolled in a BS or MS program at an accredited four-year college or university, or be a recent graduate. U.S. space-technology export-control eligibility is required as described in the posting.

Requirements

• Must be currently enrolled in a BS or MS program at an accredited four-year university or college, or be a recent graduate.
• Interest in spacecraft operations, ground-control systems, or simulation environments.
• Familiarity with Python, MATLAB, or similar tools.
• Comfort working in Linux or command-line environments.
• Ability to follow structured processes and work collaboratively.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations, to conform to U.S. Government space-technology export regulations, including ITAR.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with CubeSat or small-satellite projects.
• Exposure to ground systems, simulators, or mission-operations tools.
• Familiarity with scripting, automation, or documentation tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop and test flight procedures and operational checklists for spacecraft missions.
• Prepare and validate simulation runs and mission rehearsals, including supporting ground-system configuration, scenario and automation validation, and execution of nominal and anomaly injections.
• Support ground-system tasks such as requirements verification, test-plan development, and workflow documentation.
• Participate in team meetings and briefings to learn how mission-operations decisions are made.
• Own the development of focused projects and tools that help the team and systems prepare for flight operations.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern