Summer 2026 Vehicle Engineering Intern

Application Deadline: 1 May 2026

Department: Internships

Location: Hawthorne, California

Compensation: $30.00 / hour

Description

Venturi Astrolab, Inc. (Astrolab) is pioneering new ways to explore and operate on distant planetary bodies. We are singularly focused on designing, building, and operating a fleet of multi-purpose commercial planetary rovers to extend and enhance humanity’s presence in the solar system. We are seeking motivated, creative, and exceptional people to join our world-class team.

At Astrolab, the Vehicle Engineering Team is responsible for the mechanical and electromechanical design of all components and subsystems of our rovers. Engineers within this team include those responsible for structures, mechanisms, thermal modeling, and dynamic analysis.

About the Roles:
As a Vehicle Engineering Mechanical Intern at Astrolab, you will be responsible for the design, development, test, flight, and operation of novel structures and actuators critical to the Astrolab lunar rover.

As a Vehicle Engineering Thermal Intern at Astrolab, you will work collaboratively across engineering disciplines to optimize thermal management solutions, ensuring the longevity and functionality of our rovers during extended missions in harsh conditions.

What you'll do:

General:

• Document designs, analyze results, and review validation outcomes to support team understanding and future reference
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including Mechanical, Avionics, and Software Engineers to ensure system compatible solutions are executed effectively

Mechanical Engineering Internship:

• Collaborate with the engineering design team to understand the mechanical needs of the Astrolab rover, leveraging experience to contribute to the evolution of the design
• Design and analysis of mechanical systems at the full system and sub system level using software simulation methods and experimental test data

Thermal Engineering Internship:

• Develop thermal control strategies and systems for planetary rovers, including thermal analysis, design, and testing for operation in extreme environments
• Conduct thermal modeling and simulation, including transient and steady-state thermal analysis for systems exposed to vacuum, radiation, and temperature extremes
  
  

What you'll bring:

General

• Education: Currently pursuing or recently graduated with a STEM-related degree (e.g., Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, or Aerospace Engineering)
• Experience: At least 3 months of applied engineering experience outside of the classroom, including research, extracurricular project teams, personal projects, or prior internship/work experience
• Experience using CAD software for part modeling and development
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Mechanical Engineer Internship

• Experience in design for manufacturing and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing of parts
• Experience in the engineering of structures, mechanisms, and actuators
• Experience performing structural analysis using hand calcs and/ or using FEA software (NX, Femap, etc.

Thermal Engineer Internship

• Familiarity with thermal FEA software (Thermal Desktop, Ansys, etc.)
• Ability to analyze and make decisions based on thermal test data and simulation results

Additional Requirements:
Able to work full time and on-site for a minimum of 12 weeks beginning in May or June 2026

Benefits and Perks

• Work with a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
• On-site snacks, beverages, and 2x weekly lunches
• Competitive internship salary