2025 Mission Engineer and Systems Architect Graduate Intern internship

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

At Aerospace, we are committed to providing an inclusive and diverse workplace for all employees to share in our common passion and aspiration – to carry out a mission much bigger than ourselves.

The Aerospace Corporation is hiring an Graduate Mission Engineer and Systems Architect Intern for an opportunity in El Segundo, CA, Colorado Springs, CO or Chantilly, VA

The Mission Engineer and Systems Architecture Summer Intern performs architecture-level assessment, modeling, analysis, and conceptual design activities as a member of the Mission Engineering Department (MED). MED provides expertise in architecture methods, processes, and tools to an extremely broad range of customers, including National Security Space (NSS) and other defense programs, NASA, NOAA, NNSA, DHS, and others to evaluate customer mission-integration needs and make recommendations to leaders on the risks and gaps in their warfighting capabilities to enable desired mission outcomes. Interns in MED participate in and lead architecture trade studies, architecture conceptualization studies, architecture modeling tasks, and program assessment analyses at multiple levels of complexity, ranging from prototype systems to full scale acquisition systems, to complex systems of systems, to enterprise systems. MED applies disciplined mission engineering and system architecting principles and leads cross-functional teams to provide impactful guidance to assist our customers in making key acquisition, operational, and enterprise management decisions to enable desired mission outcomes.

Work Model

This position will be located 100% onsite in El Segundo, CA, Colorado Springs, CO or Chantilly, VA

What You’ll be Doing:

• Apply disciplined mission engineering and system architecting methods, processes, and tools for architecture-level trades, in a broad range of architecture-level assessment, modeling, analysis, and conceptual design activities
• Participate in a space system architecting, conceptual design, and analysis activities as part of a large cross-disciplinary team of summer interns
• Develop and execute innovative methods for advancing the state of the practice of model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and digital engineering (DE) to enhance our customers’ ability to conduct systems engineering across the architecture lifecycle.
• Use, develop, and integrate analytical methods and tools to evaluate architectural concepts and system conceptual designs for cost, schedule, performance, risk, resilience to disruptive events or threats, and other characteristics
• Closely collaborate with other Aerospace personnel to marshal technical expertise in multiple technical disciplines and domains to enable concurrent engineering approaches to address complex problems
• Work with Aerospace program office, customer, and contractor personnel to elicit and identify needs, requirements, and constraints for studies; build cross-disciplinary teams; scope, plan, and execute the study; and effectively communicate task status, methods, results, and recommendations in briefings and formal technical reports

What Corporate Skills You’ll Bring

• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Must work well in a team environment
• Possess organizational, time management and project management skills
• Demonstrate flexibility and ability to adapt to changing organizational need
• Interpersonal skills to coordinate efforts and work with other internal and external organizations

What You Need to be Successful:

Minimum Requirements:

• Currently enrolled fulltime in an accredited college/university program pursuing a Master’s or PhD degree in Systems Engineering, Mathematics, Aerospace Engineering or similar discipline
• Availability to work full-time for a minimum of 10 weeks outside of university term and ability to return to a degree program full-time after completion of the internship. 
• BS degree completed by start of internship
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• Relevant coursework and/or research projects in systems engineering or systems architecting
• Familiarity with one or more of the following programming languages: Matlab, Python, Java, or VBS
• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Top Secret security clearance. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
• Transcripts Required

How You Can Stand Out:

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

• Coursework and/or research projects in enterprise systems engineering (ESE), enterprise architecting (EA), system of systems engineering (SOSE), or mission engineering (ME)
• Familiarity with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) or digital engineering (DE) methods, processes, and ecosystems
• Coursework and/or research experience in architecture or system modeling, particularly using the Systems Modeling Language (SysML), Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF), Unified Profile for DoDAF and MODAF (UPDM), or Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) Profile; or experience with business process modeling using the Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN)
• Working knowledge of using system modeling tools such as MagicDraw, Cameo Systems Modeler, Cameo Enterprise Architecture, Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect, IBM Rational Rhapsody, or Vitech GENESYS; or collaborative MBSE environments like OpenMBEE
• Familiarity with spacecraft, payloads, ground systems, launch systems, missile systems, or airborne systems
• Knowledge of space architecture conceptual design, analysis, and concurrent engineering techniques
• Experience with spacecraft systems engineering or spacecraft operations
• A current Secret, Top Secret, and/or SCI clearance

Temporary housing assistance is not available. 

The Aerospace Corporation is a proud member of Space Workforce 2030, a growing coalition of leading space companies committed to collaboratively working toward a shared vision of expanding and diversifying opportunities for talent to join the exciting space industry. As part of this commitment, the Space Workforce 2030 companies have pledged to increase the number of females, diverse employees, and interns with a goal to hire at least 3,000 interns by the summer of 2030. Click here to learn more and register for the National Space Intern program. 

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business.  The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below.  Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. 

(Min – Max)

$32.00 – $48.00

Pay Basis: Hourly

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change   
• Engage with Impact   
• Foster Innovation   
• Deliver Results  

Ways We Reward Our Employees

During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type.  A few highlights include:

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans

• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation

• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options

• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire

• Flexible spending accounts

• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions

• Relocation assistance

• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career

• Education assistance programs

• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We believe that a diverse workforce creates an environment in which unique ideas are developed and differing perspectives are valued, producing superior customer solutions. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at ieo.mailbox@aero.org. You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal, as well as the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.