2025 Computer Science/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.

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 Computer Science/Data Engineer Intern for an opportunity in El Segundo, CA, Colorado Springs, CO or Chantilly, VA.   

Job Summary 

In this role you will become part of the Datacentric Platforms and Architectures Department within the Engineering Technology Group at Aerospace. Our department is responsible for a variety of software projects that focus on analyzing, processing, and visualizing data, often in collaboration with the Artificial Intelligence department.  

Your internship will focus on identifying, prototyping, and analyzing the viability of innovative technologies and software solutions to aid Aerospace and its customers in addressing real-world mission challenges! 

Work Model:

This position will be a hybrid work model and offer partially remote with some onsite work required in El Segundo, CA, Colorado Springs, CO or Chantilly, VA

What You’ll Be Doing  

• Supporting the National, Security, and Commercial Space Enterprise. 

• Collaborating with technical subject experts and development teams to contribute to the design, prototyping, development, maintenance, and documentation of data engineering and analytical projects. 

• Assisting in the development of technical projects, proof-of-concepts, and research reports focused on space data systems. 

• Crafting conceptual user interfaces to clearly communicate data analysis insights with data narratives and visualizations. 

• Acquiring expertise in emerging technologies to further personal and organizational breadth of knowledge. 

• Building strategic data processing and visualization projects for the space enterprise to increase innovation at the speed of mission success. 

• Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change; new ones may be assigned as needed. 

• Training and mentorship will be provided. 

What Business Skills You’ll Bring 

• Strong written and oral communication skills. 

• Strong reading comprehension, research, and analytical skills for understanding software documentation and source code and interpreting project requirements. 

• Collaborative approach to working in a team environment. 

• Organizational, time management, and project management skills, ability to estimate tasks. 

• Self-motivation and initiative, ability to work independently to complete tasks within reasonable timelines. 

• Demonstrated flexibility and ability to adapt focus in response to varying organizational needs. 

• Interpersonal skills to coordinate efforts and work with other internal and external organizations. 

• Demonstrate behavior that is consistent with the company’s values of Dedication to Mission Success, Technical Excellence, Commitment to Our People, Objectivity and Integrity, and Innovation. 

What You Need to be Successful  

Minimum Requirements: 

• Currently enrolled fulltime in an accredited college/university program pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Digital Engineering Data Science, or related degrees. 

• 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 of 3.0. 

• Experience with one or more programming or scripting language (Rust, Java, Python, Go, JavaScript/TypeScript, C, C++, R, etc.) and backend development. 

• Sophomore-class standing completed by internship start date. 

• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance issued by the US government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance. 

• Transcripts required

How You Can Stand Out 

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

• GPA of 3.5 or higher. 

• Active security clearance. 

• Data Engineering, Management, or Governance experience. 

• Full-stack development, Rest API, or database development experience. 

• Experience with Linux environments, basic SysOps, DevSecOps, or Automated Testing. 

• Experience with Cloud, Virtual Environments, Microservice Architecture, Containerized Platforms, Infrastructure as Code, Automated Deployments. 

Temporary housing assistance is not available. 

 

The Aerospace Corporation is a proud member of Space Workforce 2030, a growing coalition of leading space companies committed to collaboratively working toward a shared vision of expanding and diversifying opportunities for talent to join the exciting space industry. As part of this commitment, the Space Workforce 2030 companies have pledged to increase the number of females, diverse employees, and interns with a goal to hire at least 3,000 interns by the summer of 2030. Click here to learn more and register for the National Space Intern program. 

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)

$26.00 – $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 cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change
• Engage with Impact
• Foster Innovation
• Deliver Results

Ways We Reward Our Employees

During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type.  A few highlights include:

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans

• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation

• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options

• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire

• Flexible spending accounts

• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions

• Relocation assistance

• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career

• Education assistance programs

• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We believe that a diverse workforce creates an environment in which unique ideas are developed and differing perspectives are valued, producing superior customer solutions. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at ieo.mailbox@aero.org. You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal, as well as the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.