Spring/Summer Engineering Co-op

Haast Autonomous is building an autonomous aircraft network for time-sensitive medical logistics. We’re developing long-range VTOL aircraft, autonomy software, and the operational foundation needed to move critical payloads between hospitals, labs, and healthcare facilities on-demand faster and more reliably. We’re early, small, and moving quickly. Joining now means you'll have a direct role in shaping the foundation of Haast — our culture, engineering process, testing discipline, partner relationships, and the path from prototype to a real medical logistics network. We’re looking for high-agency people who want ownership, urgency, and system-level impact from day one. About The Role Haast Autonomous is seeking Spring/Summer Engineering Co-ops to join our aircraft development team for a full-time work term. This opportunity is for students who want more ownership than a typical internship, with the chance to make real contributions throughout multiple phases of aircraft development. You will collaborate directly with the founding engineering team across aircraft design, prototyping, avionics, controls, simulation, manufacturing, and flight testing. This is not a shadowing role—your work will directly impact hardware, test campaigns, and key engineering decisions. What You’ll Do Support the design, build, and testing of autonomous aircraft prototypesOwn a focused engineering project based on your skills and team needsAssist in airframe design, mechanical design, prototyping, avionics, controls, simulation, manufacturing, or flight-test supportBuild, assemble, modify, and repair aircraft hardwareCreate CAD models, test fixtures, documentation, analysis, or simulation toolsHelp with flight-test prep, data review, repairs, and design iterationAnalyze test results and integrate lessons into future designsThoroughly document your work for continuous team improvement You May Be a Fit If You Are Pursuing a degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, robotics, computer engineering, computer science, or a closely related fieldAble to work full-time during the Spring/Summer co-op termPassionate about aircraft, drones, autonomy, hardware, manufacturing, or medical logisticsHands-on and comfortable in a shop, hangar, or field-test environmentQuick to learn and ready to navigate ambiguityPractical, self-directed, and take initiativeEager to work in a fast-paced startup where priorities shift and your work matters Nice to Have Experience with CAD, 3D printing, drones, aircraft, robotics, controls, simulation, electronics, or manufacturingParticipation in projects like rocketry, Formula SAE, robotics, UAV teams, design teams, research labs, or personal hardware projectsExperience with SolidWorks, Python, MATLAB, ArduPilot, PX4, electronics, composites, wiring, or flight testingHave built something that needed to work in the real world Why This Role Matters A longer co-op term lets you contribute to multiple design-build-test cycles, not just a single project. Your work will help advance our aircraft in a significant way during your term. At Haast, co-ops are truly part of the engineering team. You’ll work directly with aircraft, be close to key data, and contribute alongside decision-makers every step of the way. We care more about agency, ownership, taste, and evidence that you can build than whether you match every bullet point. If you have worked on aircraft, drones, robots, vehicles, rockets, or other hard technical systems and want to help build something from the ground up, we want to hear from you.