Development Intern - Ion Propulsion

Intern - Ion Propulsion Avionics Internship As an intern in the Space Systems Ion Propulsion team at RocketLab, you will be responsible for projects supporting the development and testing of the Gauss electric propulsion system. You will work closely with engineers and technicians, building, testing, debugging, and improving systems used on real missions. What you’ll get to do Support the development, qualification, and acceptance testing of the individual components of Gauss, as well as the complete system Design, procure, assemble, and commission instrumentation, tooling, and test rigs Perform mechanical and fluidics testing of components, including test setup, data collection, and analysis Support modifications, maintenance, and debugging on vacuum chamber and GSE systems for hall thruster testing Produce design and test documentation, FMEA, P&IDs, ICDs, etc. Proactively raise issues related to quality and/or continuous improvement What you’ll gain Hands‑on experience working on flight hardware Mentorship from leading engineers in space propulsion systems An opportunity to make real contributions to space missions, including Mars exploration A fast‑paced, high‑growth, and deeply collaborative environment You’ll bring these qualifications Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or master’s program in mechatronics engineering, engineering physics, or a related field with an electrical focus Interest in electrical and mechanical engineering with strong grasp of the fundamentals of both Hands‑on experience with manufacturing and/or testing hardware Experience with data analysis tools such as MATLAB, Python, or similar Excellent communication skills and the ability to work well within a team environment A can‑do attitude, high attention to detail, and the ability to think quickly and make accurate judgments These qualifications would be nice to have Experience with student projects (e.g., Rocketry, FSAE, CubeSats) Experience working with high voltage, plasma, electric propulsion, or electromagnetics Experience with electromechanical actuators, tuning and testing dynamic control systems Experience with thermal analysis and testing methodologies Experience with data acquisition systems and test automation Industry work experience in a fast‑paced development environment Important Information: Eligibility To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, candidates must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or otherwise authorized by the U.S. Department of State/Commerce. Only candidates eligible under ITAR may be considered for positions within the U.S. and NewZealand offices. RocketLab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr