2025 Modeling and Simulation Development Undergraduate Intern

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 Undergraduate Modeling and Simulation Development Intern.

The Vehicle Systems Division (VSD) sits at the center of the ideas and data behind current and future systems supplying innovative research and development; technical evaluations during the acquisition process; conceptual and detailed design; assembly, integration, and test; and operational support. Comprised primarily of highly-trained mechanical and aerospace engineers, VSD provides national expertise in the areas of vehicle engineering and autonomy; guidance, navigation, and controls; robotics; electro-mechanical devices; embedded systems; fluid mechanics; propulsion; thermal control; orbital mechanics; mechanisms; structures; structural dynamics; and dynamic environments.

The Vehicle Engineering and Integration Department (VEID) is part of VSD, the premier satellite and launch vehicle technical organization within the Aerospace Corporation. We are seeking a modeling and simulation development intern who has demonstrated technical and programming skills, understands physics/physical hardware systems, is inquisitive, and motivated to learn. The Vehicle Modeling and Simulation Section (VMSS) within VEID is responsible for developing multi-disciplinary analytical models and developing software tools required to execute the desired analyses with respect to satellite, ground, and launch vehicle development and operations. VMSS is also responsible for hardware-in-the-loop / software-in-the-loop testing within the Vehicle Autonomy Lab. This is a full-time intern position based in Chantilly, VA with some consideration given to the El Segundo, CA, location for strong candidates.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Help develop advanced, high-performance distributed modeling and simulation (M&S) software, analytic tools, and visualizations, and integrate tool chains to support studies for future satellite systems and architectures.

• Maintain and enhance Java-based distributed simulation frameworks with multi-threaded architectures and develop new distributed simulation federates, pre- and post-simulation data processing, and visualization tools.

• Port scientific and engineering code, calculations, and algorithms from technical documents, Matlab, Python, and Excel to Java based software as well as interface legacy C, C++, and Fortran codes together into tool chains or distributed simulation frameworks.

• Assist in development and enhancement of hardware-in-the-loop and software-in-the-loop testing capabilities in a lab-environment

• Collaborate and learn from other developers to design and optimize code and assist in the creation of technical documentation and user guides.

• Participate in cross-disciplinary teams to help solve complex and challenging problems.

• Opportunity to expand role to other areas including vehicle assembly, integration, and test (AI&T), space vehicle autonomy.

• Be mentored and learn from members of VEID in areas ranging from vehicle modeling and simulation, vehicle AI&T, and autonomous systems and robotics.

What You Need To Be Successful

Minimum Requirements

• Currently enrolled full time in an accredited college/university program pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or related technical discipline

• Sophomore class standing by internship start date.

• Minimum GPA 3.0

• Experience with Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel)

• Classwork or experience coding in Java, C/C++

• Basic knowledge of space systems including spacecraft subsystems (GN&C, CDH/flight computer, power systems, etc.)

• Willingness to learn, and demonstrated experience in taking on highly independent work, and showing initiative

• This position requires the abi