Summer Flight Operations Internship Jobs in California

About Varda
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. 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.
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.
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.
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.
Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.
About This Role
Spring internships will range between the months of January and May. All dates 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.
As a Software Engineering Intern, you will contribute to the software that powers Varda's missions across ground systems, flight and embedded software, testing and simulation, and developer platform and infrastructure. You will help build tools and services that assist engineers and operators in monitoring, commanding, and analyzing spacecraft, strengthen testing and simulation capabilities, and improve reliability and observability for mission-critical operations.
Internships at Varda are optimal for students looking to grow technically and professionally while working on impactful projects critical to the company's success. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds, including those historically underrepresented in aerospace and software, as well as candidates from non-traditional educational paths. If you are driven by curiosity, motivated to learn fundamentals, and excited to tackle real engineering constraints, we want to hear from you. Even if you don't meet every preferred skill or haven't had access to robotics teams, embedded labs, or maker spaces. We value potential, clarity of thought, and growth mindset, and we're dedicated to providing an experience that will let your decisions and contributions help drive Varda's success.
Responsibilities
You will be paired with mentors across Mission Software, Flight Software, and Embedded Systems, and your projects will be matched to your skills and coursework.

• Use first-principles reasoning to approach problems and justify design tradeoffs.
• Build Python and/or C++ tools, services, and libraries that interface with flight and ground systems, emphasizing correctness, determinism, and observability.
• Contribute to automation for simulation, hardware-in-the-loop, and scenario-based testing.
• Debug issues that cross abstraction boundaries, including OS behavior, networking, timing, and hardware-software interactions.
• Collaborate across flight software, embedded systems, mission operations, and test teams; communicate clearly, ask clarifying questions early, and seek support when needed.

Basic Qualifications

• Proficiency in C++
• Experience working with embedded systems or microcontrollers (not limited to Arduino)
• Understanding of core computer science fundamentals including data structures, algorithms, and operating systems.

• Ability to debug complex software issues and comfort working in Linux environments.

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Familiarity with systems fundamentals including concurrency, networking, performance, and reliability.
• Exposure to real-time embedded development or safety-critical software, and a working knowledge of math and physics.
• Experience may come from coursework, personal projects, community college, bootcamps, open-source contributions, internships, or self-driven learning. We care more about your fundamentals, curiosity, and engineering approach than how you acquired them.
• Participation in any project work. Whether robotics, rocketry, capstone projects, personal builds, lab work, or open-source contributions. Focus on demonstrating an interest in understanding systems beneath abstraction layers.

Relevant Coursework

• Computer Architecture
• Operating Systems
• Software Engineering / Computer Science Fundamentals
• Data Structures & Algorithms
• (Bonus) Signals and Systems
• (Bonus) Digital Design, Assembly, Embedded Systems, Electronics

Compensation

• Hourly Rate: $37.00
• Housing stipend for interns relocating to the area
• Commuter benefit to support local transportation

Benefits
Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well-being, and a high-quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full-time employees receive (at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):
Health & Wellness

• Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays
• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
• Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
• 12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)
• Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents

Financial & Retirement

• Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Relocation support for new hires, if needed

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
• Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
• Complimentary EV charging

ITAR Requirements
Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our policy is to only hire "U.S. persons" who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license.
"US person" means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum).
E-Verify Statement
Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.
E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice
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Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.