What are the responsibilities and job description for the Summer 2026 Silicon Hardware Engineering Internship/Co-op position at SpaceX?
SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal ofenabling human life on Mars.
SUMMER 2026 SILICON HARDWARE ENGINEERING INTERNSHIP/CO-OP
SpaceX seeks extraordinary students to join us for silicon hardware engineering roles in Summer 2026. As a silicon engineering intern, you will work closely with your mentor and other world-class cross-disciplinary teams (systems, firmware, architecture, design, validation, product engineering, ASIC implementation) who will help you apply your knowledge and grow your skills, working on our custom in-house silicon and hardware that is deployed on-orbit, in space. You'll also get to have some fun and network with other interns and employees through optional social and professional events. If you've demonstrated a commitment to academic success and motivation to apply your knowledge outside of the classroom to a very unique application of chip design and development, you are a great candidate! Aerospace experience is not required to be successful here - rather we look for smart, motivated, collaborative engineers who love solving problems and want to make an impact on a super inspiring mission.
Internships are available with a variety of silicon engineering teams across the company at Hawthorne, CA; Irvine, CA; Redmond, WA; and Sunnyvale, CA.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Must be enrolled in a bachelor's degree or graduate program by the start of employment
- 3 months of software development, hardware engineering, or chip design/development experience
- Applicant for this intern position must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (e.g., green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. * 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. * 1158.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- GPA of 3.5 or above
- 6 months demonstrated internship or project work in computer architecture, VLSI design, logic design, or circuit design
- Understanding of formal methods or verification
- Experience with C/C , Verilog, VHDL, Python, Perl, Spice is beneficial
- Experience with Timing, Synthesis, Ansys, COMSOL
- Strong interpersonal skills (examples: leading a student organization or working successfully in teams)
- Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment with changing needs and requirements
- Ability to work independently and in a team, take initiative, and communicate effectively
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Able to work full time, onsite for a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks beginning in May or June 2026
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay Range:
Silicon Engineering Intern/Freshman/Sophomore: $30.00/hour
Silicon Engineering Intern/Junior/Senior: $34.00/hour
Silicon Engineering Intern/Completed Bachelor's: $36.00/hour
Silicon Engineering Intern/Completed Master's: $38.00/hour
Silicon Engineering Intern/Completed PhD: $40.00/hour
Your salary will be determined by academic level. Pay is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for a stipend to subsidize relocation costs, as well as access to our comprehensive medical coverage and a 401(k) retirement plan. Students joining SpaceX through our internship program will receive the opportunity to attend presentations from company leaders, social and networking events, as well as professional and personal development trainings. Interns are also eligible for paid company holidays. SpaceX offers 10 or more paid holidays per year.
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. * 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. * 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX's Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out toEEOCompliance@spacex.com.