The posting
Company Overview Fortastra designs and delivers resilient, high-performance spacecraft that safeguard critical orbital assets and ensure freedom of action in space. We integrate advanced autonomy, sensing, and control into systems engineered for reliability, speed, and scale. Our culture values simplicity, accountability, and disciplined execution. We expect leaders to think systemically, act decisively, and take ownership of mission outcomes. Aggressive innovation. Disciplined execution. Strength among the stars.
Team/Department You will support Fortastra's Engineering Division, responsible for the design, development, and test of flight systems across our autonomous spacecraft portfolio.
The Role Fortastra is seeking Summer Interns in various engineering and technical disciplines to join our team for the summer (June 14th to August 20th, 2027).
This is an opportunity to work alongside experienced engineers on real technical challenges supporting the development of autonomous spacecraft. Each intern will be paired with a dedicated engineering mentor who will provide technical guidance, meaningful project assignments, and regular feedback throughout the summer.
We are seeking students with interests or experience in the following disciplines:
- Guidance, Navigation, and Control
- Propulsion and Thermal
- Flight Software
- Mission Management and Planning
- Robotics and Autonomy
- Mechanical Engineering
Key Responsibilities
- Contribute to the design, development, integration, and testing of spacecraft systems and technologies.
- Support engineering analysis, modeling, simulation, software development, or hardware testing within your assigned discipline.
- Work alongside experienced engineers to solve technical challenges and evaluate potential solutions.
- Document technical work, test results, and engineering findings.
- Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams and participate in technical discussions and design reviews.
- Take ownership of assigned projects and present results, technical findings, and lessons learned at the conclusion of the internship.
Qualifications and Skills
- Currently pursuing a bachelor's or graduate degree in engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, or a related technical field at an accredited college or university.
- Demonstrated interest or experience in at least one of the engineering disciplines listed above.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical communication skills.
- Experience with relevant engineering tools, programming languages, laboratory work, or hands-on technical projects.
- Ability to work independently, collaborate with others, and learn quickly in a fast-paced engineering environment.
Requirements
- Available to work on-site five days per week in Torrance, CA, throughout the internship period.
- U.S. citizenship required.
Why Fortastra
We are a small, high-impact team building the next generation of autonomous orbital control systems for national security space. At Fortastra, leaders own outcomes from first principles through flight and directly shape the future of resilient, mission-critical spacecraft autonomy.
FORTASTRA TALENT & CULTURE PRINCIPLES
Values Driven by First Principles
We value engineers and operators who prioritize sound judgment, candor, technical rigor, bias for action, and intellectual honesty over corporate consensus. We care about the caliber of the system you build and the speed at which you solve problems.
Talent Density Over Headcount
A high-performing startup is built on dense talent, not organizational bloat. A single exceptional engineer designs, tests, and delivers faster than a bloated committee. We intentionally maintain a lean, elite engineering crew where every contributor directly moves the needle on the mission.
High Autonomy, High Ownership
We hire domain experts to execute, not to micromanage them. You own your systems end-to-end, from initial architecture and hardware design to testing and deployment. With absolute ownership comes the responsibility to deliver mission critical reliability.
Mission Context Over Bureaucracy
The best execution happens when teams are provided clear technical objectives, constraints, and operational context, rather than rigid top-down policies. We strip away red tape so builders can iterate, make decisions, and push hardware and flight software forward rapidly.
Disciplined Speed & Flight Rigor
We move fast because we test often and kill artificial bottlenecks, not because we cut corners. Rapid iteration on the test stand and in simulation is how we learn; an uncompromising flight-readiness bar is how we earn trust. Precision without friction, speed without recklessness.
Direct Impact, Not Career Bureaucracy
You don’t come to Fortastra to climb a corporate ladder or manage slide decks; you come to build complex, flight-ready systems from day one. Growth here is organic, driven by the magnitude of technical challenges you solve and the trust you build across the team.
Compensation
This role pays $25/hour as a non-exempt, hourly employee. Holidays and Overtime are paid in accordance with State and Federal Law.
Recruiters & Agencies: Fortastra does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from recruiters, agencies, or third parties. Any candidate submitted without a signed agreement and prior written authorization from Fortastra will not be subject to any fee, and no relationship is implied. Please do not contact Fortastra employees, hiring managers, or recruiting team directly.
