Mechanical Engineering Internship/Co-op (Spring 2027)

About the Role
General Astronautics is building autonomous dexterous robotic arms for orbital inspection, repair, and assembly. Our systems enable spacecraft to autonomously manipulate, replace, and upgrade hardware in microgravity, without astronaut intervention.
We're looking for Mechanical Engineering Interns for Spring 2027 to help design, build, and test our robotic hardware. This role spans mechanism design, CAD, analysis, prototyping, testing, and integration of robotic joints, end effectors, structures, and electromechanical assemblies.
This is a high-ownership, high-accountability role. You will work directly with your mentor and the founding team, taking responsibility for hardware from initial requirements through a working, tested assembly. You will move quickly between design, manufacturing, assembly, and experiments. Your work will support our upcoming demonstration mission and flight-ready robotic systems.
Responsibilities
Own a mechanism or subassembly from requirements and trade studies through detailed design, prototyping, and testing
Develop CAD models and engineering drawings, including material selection, tolerances, and assembly processes
Perform hand calculations and FEA to evaluate structural margins and validate designs across expected load conditions
Build prototypes, test fixtures, and instrumentation to evaluate hardware performance
Write and execute test plans, analyze results, and use the findings to improve your designs
Support qualification and acceptance testing for parabolic flight and on-orbit demonstration hardware
Produce drawings, analysis reports, bills of materials, and assembly documentation that others can build from
Evaluate manufacturability, cost, and design risk, and work with the team to integrate your hardware with the robot, payload, and vehicle
Basic Qualifications
Enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in engineering, physics, computer science, or math by the start of employment
GPA of 3.5 or above
6+ months of hands-on technical work outside the classroom through research, project teams, personal builds, or prior internships
Strong fundamentals in prototyping, order-of-magnitude estimation, and hand calculations
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work alongside engineers, technicians, and the founding team
Ability to take ownership of technical problems and adapt as priorities change
Preferred Skills and Experience
Experience designing mechanisms, robotic hardware, or electromechanical assemblies
Experience creating CAD models and engineering drawings in Siemens NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent software
Experience with MATLAB, Ansys, or equivalent analysis and simulation tools
Experience designing tooling, building test fixtures, and testing structures or mechanisms
Experience integrating motors, sensors, or other electrical components into mechanical hardware
Additional Requirements
Available to work on-site in El Segundo for a minimum of 12 weeks during Spring 2027
Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to support critical project milestones
Compensation
Engineering Intern, Sophomore: $30.00/hour
Engineering Intern, Junior or Senior: $35.00/hour
ITAR / Citizenship Requirements
Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or eligible for authorization under U.S. export regulations.

Work arrangement
No