Test Engineering Intern - Space Technologies

AeroVironment • Albuquerque, NM

8d • Onsite

About The Position

AeroVironment’s paid Summer Internship Program offers students an immersive, hands-on experience in the aerospace and defense industry. Interns work alongside AV team members on meaningful projects involving advanced technology while developing professional relationships, problem-solving skills, and practical experience in a full-time work environment. This is a 12-week, onsite program for motivated students currently enrolled in college or recent graduates. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA; preference is given to students at the junior level or above. Students willing to relocate may be eligible for a relocation and housing reimbursement stipend, depending on the team and location.

AV provides space-qualified hardware for GEO, MEO, LEO, and cislunar orbits. As a Test Engineer Intern in the Space Technologies organization, you will support development, integration, and verification of spacecraft hardware alongside electrical, systems, mechanical, firmware, software, and test engineers. The role offers hands-on experience designing and troubleshooting test setups, developing test automation, operating laboratory instrumentation, executing tests, and analyzing data for space-qualified electronics, sensors, and subsystems. You will contribute to technologies including laser communications, space electronics, sensors, and advanced spacecraft systems in a high-tech environment with experienced engineers and mentors.

This position requires access to information subject to ITAR and/or EAR regulations. Applicants must qualify as a U.S. person or be eligible for an export license; some positions require current U.S. citizenship due to contract requirements. The posting states that ITAR U.S. Citizenship is required.

Requirements

• Entering senior year in Fall 2027.
• Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• Coursework or project experience in circuits, electronics, embedded systems, controls, or programming.
• Basic programming or scripting experience with Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or a comparable language.
• Familiarity with electrical communication protocols such as SPI, RS-422, LVDS, SpaceWire, or MIL-STD-1553.
• Experience using laboratory test equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, electronic loads, or logic analyzers.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and teamwork skills.
• Minimum 3.0 GPA.
• Must meet applicable ITAR/EAR U.S.-person or export-license eligibility requirements; the posting also states ITAR U.S. Citizenship required.

Nice To Haves

• Preference for students at the junior level or above.
• Hands-on experience building, testing, debugging, or modifying electronic hardware, CCAs, harnesses, fixtures, or test assemblies.
• Experience developing test automation scripts, equipment-control software, data-acquisition tools, or data-analysis utilities.
• Familiarity with automated test equipment, system test equipment, hardware-in-the-loop, software-in-the-loop, or spacecraft subsystem integration.
• Experience with SpaceWire or MIL-STD-1553 interfaces, bus analyzers, protocol analyzers, simulators, or traffic-generation tools.
• Familiarity with Git, version control, issue tracking, configuration management, or software development practices.

Responsibilities

• Assist in designing, integrating, and troubleshooting automated test equipment for spacecraft electrical systems, CCAs, embedded electronics, and subsystems.
• Develop and maintain test scripts, equipment-control software, and data-acquisition tools using Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, or comparable software.
• Support creation and execution of functional, performance, integration, qualification, acceptance, and environmental tests for spacecraft hardware.
• Build, modify, and verify electrical test setups, harnesses, fixtures, simulators, and interface test equipment.
• Use oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, electronic loads, logic analyzers, and data-acquisition equipment to troubleshoot and validate hardware.
• Assist with testing and troubleshooting spacecraft communication interfaces and protocols, including SPI, RS-422, LVDS, SpaceWire, or MIL-STD-1553.
• Support hardware bring-up, subsystem integration, test station calibration, configuration control, and hardware-in-the-loop or software-in-the-loop activities.
• Collaborate with electrical, systems, mechanical, software, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams in laboratory, cleanroom, and other controlled test environments.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• 401K with company matching.
• 9/80 work schedule.
• Paid holiday shutdown.
• Potential relocation and housing reimbursement stipend for eligible students willing to relocate, depending on team and location.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern