2026 Data Engineering 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.

Physical Sciences Laboratories (PSL) supports the effective and timely development and operation of national security systems through scientific research and the application of advanced technologies. PSL has more than 150 specialized laboratories used to test, analyze, and troubleshoot virtually every aspect of rocket and satellite system design, development, construction, deployment, and operation. The expertise of the laboratories’ technical staff allows PSL to stay abreast of new technological developments and program support issues associated with rapidly evolving space systems. 

We are hiring a Data Engineering Undergraduate Intern for an opportunity in the Imaging Spectroscopy Department. The Imaging Spectroscopy Department builds, fields and maintains world-class imaging spectrometers for use in military intelligence, remote monitoring and various civil applications.  This work supports a wide range of customers from government to civil applications within the space enterprise and beyond.  We are hiring a Data Engineering Intern for an opportunity to work alongside engineers and scientists to help with our efforts to modernize the data processing and data discovery pipelines to improve accessibility and utility for our data user community.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in El Segundo, CA.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Working with data science team to modernize processing and data storage tools
• Working with UI/UX designers to build out the front-end interface
• Working with the customer and data user community to ensure the tools meet their needs
• Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned as needed 
• Training and mentorship will be provided 

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 Bachelor's degree in physics, applied mathematics, computer science, geography, engineering or related 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.
• Minimum GPA 3.0
• Experience working in a Python, MATLAB, C++, or similar development environment
• Experience working with cloud computing platforms
• Experience with standard business tools such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the US government. U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
• Transcripts

How You Can Stand Out:

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

• GPA 3.5 or higher
• Active security clearance 
• Demonstrated project experience in GIS tools to process hyperspectral or imaging data
• Experience with containerized application development and distributed computing environments
• Experience building and managing database tools

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)

$25.00 - $30.00

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 c