Mechanical Engineering Intern (Spring 2027)

About the role

Golden, CO | Full-Time | 12-15 Weeks | Spring 2027

Today, everything we send to space is constrained by what fits inside a rocket fairing. That's a fundamental bottleneck to building more capable spacecraft. Rendezvous Robotics is solving this problem with electromagnetic self-assembling tiles: modular spacecraft components that rendezvous, dock, and latch to assemble bigger and more powerful spacecraft than anything that can be folded to fit into a rocket.

We're a small team based in Golden, Colorado, executing on a clear path from flight demonstration to our first operational systems. Our work spans hardware, software, and systems engineering. We are looking for the best people in the world who want to build the next generation of advanced spacecraft.

Every unit in our system has to dock, undock, and re-dock repeatedly without wearing, fit together in a manner that allows reliable connections, and provide the stiffness needed to build extremely large structures in orbit. That puts a lot of pressure on the mechanical design: docking connector design, mechanical latching, thermal management, structural loads through the docking interface, and packaging everything else around it. You'll be a critical member of the team contributing to the development and hands-on assembly of real flight hardware

Responsibilities

• Design and iterate on structural components and docking interface hardware
• Work on thermal management for onboard electronics and battery packs
• Support mechanical integration of electronics, power systems, and sensors within a tight envelope
• Develop and refine harness and connector layouts between internal subsystems
• Run structural and thermal analysis to validate designs before build

Basic Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
• Proficiency in CAD (Onshape, NX, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar)
• Understanding of basic structural and thermal analysis principles

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing for space environments (thermal cycling, vacuum, vibration, radiation shielding)
• Familiarity with ruggedized connectors and cable harness design
• Hands-on machining, 3D printing, or prototyping experience
• Experience with FEA tools (NX Simcenter3D, FEMAP, ANSYS, etc.)

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.