Intern – Thruster Development Verified today
About the role
You will join the thruster development team to design and develop an electric propulsion thruster and support hot-fire testing of experimental rocket thrusters across multiple thrust classes.
Your work will centre on prototyping and conceptual design of electric thrusters. You will select components, source and order parts, assemble breadboard models, size the thruster, and test it to validate against design intent. You will also support hot-fire test campaigns of chemical thrusters, working alongside propulsion engineers to execute tests per established test plans and assist in interpreting the resulting data.
Responsibilities
- Research and design breadboard models to test subcomponents
- Document findings and results in a technical report
- Propose improvements to thruster test set-ups and thruster designs
- Prepare thrusters and test setups for hot-fire testing
- Execute hot-fire tests on different thruster designs and analyse the results
- Support the thruster development team in day-to-day activities
Requirements
- Currently enrolled in a BSc or MSc program (or equivalent) in Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, or a related field
- Available for a full-time internship of at least four months
- Demonstrated hands-on engineering experience
- Solid theoretical knowledge of chemical propulsion and familiarity with electric propulsion concepts
- Experience in technical report writing
- Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team
- Strong English communication skills, both written and verbal
- Proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks)
Desired experience
- Practical, hands-on experience with rocket engine development, such as through student projects
- Familiarity with high-pressure gases, specifically nitrous oxide
- Familiarity with electronics and breadboard testing
About Dawn Aerospace
Dawn Aerospace is a space transportation company focused on enabling the next generation of space users through sustainable and scalable ways to access and move around in space.
We currently focus on three areas: in-space propulsion (green propulsion systems for satellites), in-space servicing (satellite refuelling to extend life), and spaceplane development (combining rocket propulsion with aircraft reusability for sub-orbital access).
Our international teams are distributed across four locations: the Netherlands, France, New Zealand, and the USA.