Mechanical Engineering Intern (Fall 2026)
Rendezvous Robotics
<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal"><em>Golden, CO | Full-Time | 12-15 Weeks | Fall 2026</em></p> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal">Today, everything we send to space is constrained by what fits inside a rocket fairing. That's a fundamental bottleneck to building more capable spacecraft. Rendezvous Robotics is solving this problem with electromagnetic self-assembling tiles: modular spacecraft components that rendezvous, dock, and latch to assemble bigger and more powerful spacecraft than anything that can be folded to fit into a rocket.</p> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal">We're a small team based in Golden, Colorado, executing on a clear path from flight demonstration to our first operational systems. Our work spans hardware, software, and systems engineering. We are looking for the best people in the world who want to build the next generation of advanced spacecraft.</p> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal"><span data-teams="true">Every unit in our system has to dock, undock, and re-dock repeatedly without wearing, fit together in a manner that allows reliable connections, and provide the stiffness needed to build extremely large structures in orbit. That puts a lot of pressure on the mechanical design: docking connector design, mechanical latching, &nbsp;thermal management, structural loads through the docking interface, and packaging everything else around it. You'll be a critical member of the team contributing to the development and hands-on assembly of real flight hardware</span></p> <p><strong>Responsibilities</strong></p> <ul> <li><span data-teams="true"><span style="font-size: inherit;">Design and iterate on structural components and docking interface hardware</span></span></li> <li><span data-teams="true"><span style="font-size: inherit;">Work on thermal management for onboard electronics and battery packs</span></span></li> <li><span data-teams="true"><span style="font-size: inherit;">Support mechanical integration of electronics, power systems, and sensors within a tight envelope</span></span></li> <li><span data-teams="true"><span style="font-size: inherit;">Develop and refine harness and connector layouts between internal subsystems</span></span></li> <li><span data-teams="true"><span style="font-size: inherit;">Run structural and thermal analysis to validate designs before build</span><br></span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Basic Qualifications</strong></p> <ul> <li><span data-teams="true"><span style="font-size: inherit;">Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field</span></span></li> <li><span data-teams="true"><span style="font-size: inherit;">Proficiency in CAD (Onshape, NX, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar)</span></span></li> <li><span data-teams="true"><span style="font-size: inherit;">Understanding of basic structural and thermal analysis principles</span></span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Preferred Qualifications</strong></p> <ul> <li><span data-teams="true"><span style="font-size: inherit;">Experience designing for space environments (thermal cycling, vacuum, vibration, radiation shielding)</span></span>&