Thermal Engineering Internship - Summer 2027
Join Varda as a Thermal Engineering Intern to work on vehicle thermal analysis and contribute to impactful aerospace projects.
Posted by employer 2 days ago
First seen on Joblaze 8 hours ago
Last verified on the company career page 8 hours ago
Skills & Technologies
What you'll build
- Support thermal vacuum test campaigns
- Contribute to thermal models for spacecraft components
- Analyze flight and ground test thermal data
- Design and validate thermal hardware
- Collaborate with systems and mechanical teams
Must have
- Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related Engineering discipline
- Completed coursework in Heat Transfer, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Data processing
- Experience using thermal analysis software
- Proficiency in CAD tools
- Comfortable with data analysis in MATLAB and Python
Nice to have
- Prior thermal internship experience in aerospace
- Hardware procurement, build, and testing experience
- Familiarity with spacecraft testing environments
- Experience working on a student design or competition team
- Leadership experience
Requirements
- Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Visa
- No sponsorship (stated in posting)
Not disclosed in this posting: years of experience.
Benefits
Joblaze summary
In this internship, the individual will engage in thermal analysis for spacecraft, focusing on generating temperature predictions and supporting test campaigns. Proficiency in thermal analysis software like Thermal Desktop and ANSYS, along with skills in data analysis using Python and MATLAB, are essential. This role is ideal for students pursuing degrees in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, particularly those with prior thermal experience or coursework. Varda's collaborative startup environment offers interns the chance to learn from seasoned aerospace professionals.
Joblaze insights
- Listed today — first seen on Joblaze October 3, 2026. Last confirmed on Varda Space's careers page October 3, 2026.
- Python appears in 20.1% of 622 comparable intern other roles in United States; Thermal Desktop appears in 0.6% of 622 comparable intern other roles in United States.
Quick facts
- Is the Thermal Engineering Internship - Summer 2027 role remote?
- No — this is an on-site role in El Segundo, California, United States.
- What's the salary range?
- Varda Space lists $33–$33 for this role.
- Where is the role based?
- Varda Space is hiring for this position in El Segundo, California, United States.
- What's the tech stack?
- Joblaze extracted these technologies from the posting: ANSYS, CAD, MATLAB, Python, Thermal Desktop.
- What seniority level is this role?
- Varda Space targets intern candidates for this position.
- Is this full-time or contract?
- Internship for this Thermal Engineering Internship - Summer 2027 role at Varda Space.
From the original posting
About Varda
About This 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.
As a part of the Thermal team you will get to work on the vehicle thermal analysis model to generate temperature predictions for our tests and missions. There may also be opportunities to run tests to verify our model predictions, create tools to help post-processing data, and design thermal hardware for the flight vehicle.
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
- Support thermal vacuum (TVAC) test campaigns including setup, execution, and data collection
- Contribute to thermal models for spacecraft components and systems using tools like Thermal Desktop and ANSYS
- Analyze flight and ground test thermal data using Python and MATLAB
- Design, procure, test, and validate thermal hardware (e.g., MLI blankets, heat straps, thermal interfaces)
- Support integration and test (I&T) activities related to thermal components and subsystems
- Collaborate with systems and mechanical teams to ensure thermal requirements are met
Basic Qualifications
- Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related Engineering discipline
- Completed coursework in:
- Heat Transfer
- Thermodynamics
- Fluid Mechanics
- Data processing
- Experience or coursework using thermal analysis software (e.g., Thermal Desktop, Ansys, Star CCM)
- Proficiency in CAD tools (NX, AutoCAD, PTC, or similar)
- Comfortable with data analysis in MATLAB and Python
- Prior thermal internship, lab, project team, or rigorous school project experience relevant to heat transfer/thermal
Preferred Skills And Experience
- Prior thermal internship experience in aerospace
- Hardware procurement, build, and testing experience
- Familiarity with spacecraft testing environments or aerospace systems
- Experience working on a student design or competition team (e.g., rocketry, CubeSat, Formula SAE)
- Leadership experience (demonstrated communication, organization, problem solving)
Compensation
- Hourly Rate: $33.00
- Housing stipend for interns relocating to the area
- Commuter benefit to support local transportation
Standard company text repeated across Varda Space's postings is omitted here.