Propulsion Engineering Internship - Spring 2027

Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses. From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth.

About the role

Spring internships will range between the months of January and May. All dates dependent upon the university schedule of the selected students. Internships are full-time and on-site in Los Angeles, CA. To be considered for this internship, candidates must be actively enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program.

The propulsion team is responsible for fluid systems on the vehicle required to complete spacecraft orbital maneuvers and earth reentry. This includes thrusters for primary maneuvers and attitude control, propellant tanks, and all associated plumbing and fluid components on the spacecraft. This system is completely designed, analyzed, fabricated, and tested in house which enables successful candidates exposure across all aspects of the design and manufacturing lifecycle of a space vehicle system.

Internships at Varda are optimal for students looking to grow technically and professionally while working on impactful projects critical to the company’s success. You will be working on a collaborative team in a startup environment while being able to learn from some of most accomplished and experienced aerospace professionals in the world. We’re dedicated to providing an experience that will let your decisions and contributions help drive Varda’s success.

Responsibilities

• Own or contribute to hardware or software design to support development of Spacecraft or payload
• Create or support test campaigns and build test stands
• Perform necessary analysis to support development and testing

Requirements

• Must have completed some Engineering coursework relevant to Propulsion, including but not limited to:
  • At least one of: Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Compressible Flow, Combustion
• Pursuing a bachelor's or master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering (or similar engineering degrees)
• Familiarity with engineering design software and principles (NX/Teamcenter, GD&T, Matlab/Python, and analysis packages)
• Strong fundamentals in fluids engineering
• Prior hands-on experience building or testing fluid systems
• Familiarity with safe operation of combustion devices, rocket propellants, and pressurized systems
• Familiarity or exposure to high precision manufacturing environments

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Previous internship or co-op experience
• Previous experience on technical project teams (i.e. Rocket club, formula SAE, etc.)
• Completion of a Propulsion or Rocket Propulsion survey course

Projects You May Work On

Intern projects will be tailored to company needs and student skillsets closer to the start date. Typical projects include:

• Hotfire test facility propellant system design
• Component test bench design
• Automated data reduction software
• Valve qualification test program development and execution
• Bus Ground Fluids Equipment design

Pay

Hourly Rate: $33.00

Housing stipend for interns relocating to the area

Commuter benefit to support local transportation

Benefits

Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well‑being, and a high‑quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full‑time employees receive (at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):

Health & Wellness

• 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

Financial & Retirement

• 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

Workplace Experience & Perks

• 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

ITAR Requirements: Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license. “US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum).