Mechanical Engineering Intern (Spring and Summer 2027)

Sovera · Internship · Venice, CA (onsite) · 4 openings

Build satellite internet that puts countries in control

Access to fast, reliable internet can change what's possible for an entire country. So can control over the infrastructure that delivers it.

Sovera is building a large low Earth orbit satellite constellation with sovereign control at its core. Our model empowers partner countries to bring broadband to their people while maintaining control of their data and customers within their territories.

That mission shapes what we build: a global satellite network designed to support local autonomy, expand access, and bring affordable broadband to communities that have been left underserved.

Design hardware that flies

Satellites only matter if they survive launch and keep working in orbit. As a mechanical intern, you'll join the team that designs the structures, mechanisms and assemblies for Sovera's satellites, and you'll own a real piece of that work, from concept toward qualification.

What you'll do

·       Design and model satellite structures, brackets, mechanisms or deployables in 3D CAD, with drawings to GD&T.

·       Run structural or thermal analyses (loads, vibration, thermal-structural effects) and help close margins.

·       Support qualification and acceptance testing: plan the test, set up the fixture, read the data.

·       Work with manufacturing to make parts easier to build and assemble as production ramps.

·       Partner with thermal, electrical, GNC and propulsion engineers to make everything fit and work together.

What you'll bring

·       Currently enrolled in a bachelor's or master's program in mechanical, aerospace or a related engineering discipline, and a rising senior (graduating in 2027 or early 2028 [TBC]).

·       Hands-on 3D CAD and engineering drawing experience from coursework, projects, a lab or a team (NX, SolidWorks or similar).

·       A working foundation in statics, mechanics of materials, vibrations and heat transfer.

Experience that will help you stand out

·       Spacecraft, CubeSat, rocketry, Formula SAE or other hardware-build experience.

·       FEA experience (NASTRAN, FEMAP, ANSYS or NX); GD&T and ASME Y14.5.

·       Design for manufacturing, machining or 3D printing experience.

·       Curiosity about how things fail, and the discipline to test your own assumptions.

What you'll walk away with

·       A structure or mechanism you designed, analyzed and tested, with your name on the drawing.

·       Experience running a design from CAD through analysis and test on flight hardware programs.

·       A clear view of what it takes to design for constellation-scale production.

What to expect from us

·       Real work, real owners. You'll be assigned a project that matters to the program, not a side task, and you'll present it to the team at the end of your internship.

·       A named mentor. You'll work directly with an engineer on your team who owns your onboarding, reviews your work and advocates for you.

·       A path to a full-time role. This internship is designed as a runway. Interns who do well are offered a full-time position, starting at graduation.

Why Sovera

You'll help build a system whose purpose extends beyond connectivity. For our partners, sovereign control means having a say in how essential communications infrastructure serves their country, and maintaining control of their data and customers.

Our team brings experience building LEO constellations, including some of the world's most advanced broadband internet systems. We're applying that experience across the full system: thousands of satellites, advanced communications payloads, open reference designs for consumer receivers, and the software that connects them.

For a mechanical intern, that means the structure you design could fly on thousands of satellites.

Internship details

Term. Spring 2027 and Summer 2027 internships are both open. Tell us which term or terms you can do. [Start and end dates, TBC]

Pay. Paid internship at [hourly rate, TBC].

Hours. [Full-time in summer; part-time during the school year, TBC]. Availability for extended hours as needed.

Location and work model. This internship is based onsite at our Venice, CA headquarters. [Housing or relocation support, TBC]

Eligibility. You are a current student expecting to graduate between [Dec 2027 and Jun 2028, TBC], and you are interested in a full-time role at Sovera after graduation.

Team and reporting. Engineering work at Sovera is split between two objectives, payload and communications. You'll report to your hiring manager and work with a named mentor on the team.

How we hire

We keep it short and human, about [2 to 3 weeks, TBC] from first hello to offer.

1.     Intro chat (30 min). A call with our recruiter about you, the role and what you want next.

2.     Technical conversation (60 min). You and an engineer on the team talk through real problems in your field. No trick questions. Bring a class, club or personal project you're proud of, and we'll start there.

3.     Meet the team. You meet the people you'd work with and your hiring manager, and see how we work. If you visit Venice, we cover your travel, and lunch is on us.

4.     Offer. We aim to decide within [2 business days, TBC] of your last conversation and walk you through pay and the path to full-time.

You'll hear from us after every step, and you can ask us anything at any point.

Export control and equal opportunity

ITAR requirements. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, a U.S. lawful permanent resident, a refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or an asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal opportunity. Sovera is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin or ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

Help build a future where more people can get connected, and countries retain control of the connections that matter.