Vehicle Design Engineer Co-op Fall 2026
About The Position
Specter Aerospace is seeking a Vehicle Design Engineer Co-Op (4-6+ month cycle) to be a contributor to the vehicle design team. This position will assist the vehicle design team in designing components and systems for hypersonic flight vehicles, owning components and subsystems. A successful candidate for this position will be driven and passionate about design work. About Specter Aerospace: Specter Aerospace is building the next generation of hypersonic vehicles for defense and commercial applications. Specter is headquartered in Peabody, MA, just north of Boston, where it leverages its advanced propulsion technologies, manufacturing, and testing capabilities to rapidly develop supersonic and hypersonic systems. Funded by a mix of government R&D organizations, commercial customers, and private funding, Specter is a growing aerospace and defense startup. Close relationships with MIT, Notre Dame, AFRL, NRL, ANL, and other research organizations provide access to cutting-edge developments, facilities, and personnel. Specter is expanding its team in preparation for flight testing and full-scale production.
Requirements
- Prior experience using CAD software (SolidWorks preferred)
- Previous hands-on experience in a technical shop, lab, or a student organization
- Comfort with project autonomy and fast-paced work environments
- Strong collaborative skills and a drive to produce quality work
- Fundamental understanding of mechanical engineering principles (statics, materials, thermo/fluids, etc…)
- Ability to obtain a DoD security clearance (U.S. Citizenship required)
Nice To Haves
- Prior professional or student group work experiences
- Familiarity with GD&T
- Amateur rocketry experience
- Prior FEA/CFD experience
- Prior DFAM/DFM experience
- Experience with large assembly/builds
Responsibilities
- Work in a rapid paced environment, designing systems and parts for hypersonic flight vehicles
- Create drawings for manufacturing release
- Ownership of vehicle subsystems
- Analysis of components within a flight vehicle
- Work between disciplines to efficiently design and optimize novel flight systems to meet internal and customer performance requirement
- Integrate subsystems into bigger systems ensuring fit and functionality
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What This Job Offers
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
No Education Listed
