Thermal Engineering Internship - Summer 2027

<div class="content-intro"><h2><span data-contrast="none">About Varda</span></h2> <p>Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. <strong>Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses.</strong></p> <p>From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind.  </p> <p>Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital.  </p> <p>Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. Varda also has offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL. </p> <p>Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.</p></div><h2><span data-contrast="none">About This Role</span> </h2> <p><strong><span data-contrast="none">Spring internships will range between the months of January and May.</span></strong><strong><span data-contrast="none"> All dates </span></strong><strong><span data-contrast="none">dependent upon the university schedule of the selected students. Internships are full-time and on-site in Los Angeles, CA. To be considered for this internship, candidates must be actively enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program. </span></strong></p> <p><span data-contrast="none"><span class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak">As a part of the Thermal team you will get to work on the vehicle thermal analysis model to generate temperature predictions for our tests and missions. There may also be opportunities to run tests to verify our model predictions, create tools to help post-processing data, and design thermal hardware for the flight vehicle.</span></span></p> <p><span data-contrast="none">Internships at Varda are optimal for students looking to grow technically and professionally while working on impactful projects critical to the company’s success. You will be working on a collaborative team in a startup environment while being able to learn from some of most accomplished and experienced aerospace professionals in the world. We’re dedicated to providing an experience that will let your decisions and contributions help drive Varda’s success.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559738":40,"335559739":0,"335559740":259}"> </span></p> <h2><span data-contrast="none">Responsibilities</span></h2> <ul> <li>Support thermal vacuum (TVAC) test campaigns including setup, execution, and data collection</li> <li>Contribute to thermal models for spacecraft components and systems using tools like Thermal Desktop and ANSYS</li> <li>Analyze flight and ground test thermal data using Python and MATLAB</li> <li>Design, procure, test, and validate thermal hardware (e.g., MLI blankets, heat straps, thermal interfaces)</li> <li>Support integration and test (I&T) activities related to thermal components and subsystems</li> <li>Collaborate with systems and mechanical teams to ensure thermal requirements are met</li> </ul> <h2>Basic Qualifications</h2> <ul> <li>Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related Engineering discipline</li> <li>Completed coursework in: <ul> <li>Heat Transfer</li> <li>Thermodynamics</li> <li>Fluid Mechanics</li> <li>Data processing</li> </ul> </li> <li>Experience or coursework using thermal analysis software (e.g., Thermal Desktop, Ansys, Star CCM)</li> <li>Proficiency in CAD tools (NX, AutoCAD, PTC, or similar)</li> <li>Comfortable with data analysis in MATLAB and Python</li> <li>Prior thermal internship, lab,  project team, or rigorous school project experience relevant to heat transfer/thermal</li> </ul> <h2><span data-contrast="none">Preferred Skills And Experience</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559738":40,"335559739":0,"335559740":259}"> </span></h2> <ul> <li>Prior thermal internship experience in aerospace</li> <li>Hardware procurement, build, and testing experience</li> <li>Familiarity with spacecraft testing environments or aerospace systems</li> <li>Experience working on a student design or competition team (e.g., rocketry, CubeSat, Formula SAE)</li> <li>Leadership experience (demonstrated communication, organization, problem solving)</li> </ul> <h2><span data-ccp-props="{}">Compensation</span></h2> <ul> <li><strong>Hourly Rate</strong>: