Mechanical Engineering Intern

Job Description

AMA is currently accepting applications for an Aerospace, Mechanical, or Engineering intern to assist in the development of a lunar deployment mechanism, planned for deployment to the lunar surface. The Summer Intern will work in the Mechanical Systems Branch at NASA Langley Research Center to develop flight hardware and ground support equipment for the lunar mission. The designed hardware will support power and communications equipment for use by astronauts during lunar sorties.

This internship begins on June 1, 2026, and concludes on August 7, 2026.

Pay range: $23.10 – $27.69

• The intern will contribute to CAD modeling, system integration, mechanical design trades, and potentially software analysis and development activities for related flight systems.
• Review the current TSL mechanical architecture, including lidar head, processor, power distribution, chassis elements, cable interfaces, and mounting points.
• Develop CAD models (Solid Works, Creo, or NX depending on branch standards) of the TSL assembly as currently configured.
• Perform integration trades for mounting TSL onto a drone used for flight testing (small UAV or mid-size platform).
• Generate conceptual and detailed 3‑D models of mounting brackets, adapters, vibration isolation components, and cable routing accommodations.
• Evaluate geometric constraints, center of gravity impacts, mechanical loading, and thermal/environmental considerations.
• Iterate designs based on feedback from the TSL engineering team (mechanical, electrical, AIT, flight test).
• Produce engineering drawings and configuration‑controlled CAD packages suitable for internal design reviews.
• Documentation: develop reports, presentations, and other documentation, providing clear comments and guidance.
• Attend meetings, teleconferences, and workshops as needed.
• If schedule permits, the intern may:
  • Support analysis or testing tasks related to Orion flight software components.
  • Assist with scripting, test case generation, or toolchain support (e.g., Python, MATLAB, or C/C++ integration checks).
  • Contribute to issue tracking, documentation updates, or software performance verification activities.

• First or second-year undergraduate student in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related Engineering.
• Understanding of computer-aided design (CAD) and experience using PTC Creo, or similar tools to create models and drawings.
• Foundational understanding of statics and design for rapid‑prototyping manufacturing.
• Programming experience in Python, Julia, C/C++, or similar language.
• Excellent communication skills, able to articulate design choices to a team of engineers and project management personnel and create clear assembly instructions.
• Presentation skills, including creating and sharing PowerPoint presentations clearly exhibiting the design requirements, layout, and plan forward.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
• Must be able to work on site at NASA Langley Research Facility in Hampton, Virginia.
• Due to ITAR restrictions, U.S. citizenship or permanent U.S. residency is required.

AMA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited under federal, state, or local laws.