Position Overview
SpaceX is recruiting students for its Fall 2026 Engineering Internship/Co-op program across several U.S. sites. Current engineering placements are offered with teams involved in design, manufacturing, testing and operations at locations including Bastrop, Cape Canaveral, Hawthorne, Irvine, McGregor, Redmond, Starbase and Vandenberg.
Interns work directly with SpaceX mentors and employees on projects that can affect flight hardware, manufacturing systems, launch operations and other mission-critical technology. The program is intended for students who have already applied engineering knowledge outside the classroom through labs, internships, design teams or personal projects.
Fall interns are expected to work full-time onsite for at least 12 consecutive weeks, generally beginning in August or September 2026. The current engineering listing shows $28 per hour for freshmen/sophomores and $30 per hour for juniors/seniors.
NB: This is an onsite program. Students should be prepared to relocate or commute to their assigned SpaceX site for the full internship period.
Minimum Requirements
Applicants must meet the following basic qualifications:
- Be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program in engineering, physics or mathematics by the start of employment
- Have at least three months of applied engineering experience
- Be available full-time onsite for at least 12 consecutive weeks
- Be able to start the Fall 2026 assignment in August or September
- Meet U.S. export-control and ITAR eligibility requirements
- Be able to collaborate in a fast-moving technical environment
Preferred preparation includes:
- A GPA around 3.5 or higher
- Six or more months of practical technical experience outside normal coursework
- Engineering clubs, competitions or design teams
- Hands-on building, testing, manufacturing or troubleshooting
- Strong ownership of technical projects
- Ability to learn quickly and work independently
Tip: SpaceX states that laboratory, personal-project and team-project experience can count toward the applied-engineering requirement. Give strong projects real detail on your resume.
Key Responsibilities
Assignments vary by team and can be connected to Dragon, Falcon, Starlink, Starshield, Starship and other SpaceX programs.
Potential engineering areas include:
- Engineering analysis
- Avionics
- Build engineering
- Integration and test
- Life-support systems
- Manufacturing engineering
- Materials engineering
- Propulsion engineering
- Structures design and engineering
- Supply-chain engineering
- Automation and controls
- Industrial engineering
- Launch-site operations
- Component engineering
- Test engineering
Interns are expected to contribute to real project work rather than only observe. Students apply classroom knowledge to technical problems with mentor support.
What You Will Gain
- Hands-on engineering experience on aerospace and space systems
- Mentorship from SpaceX engineers
- Exposure to design, manufacturing, test and operations
- Experience contributing to high-impact projects
- Understanding of fast-cycle engineering development
- Networking with interns and employees
- Presentations from company leaders
- Professional and personal development training
Eligible interns may receive a relocation stipend. SpaceX also lists access to medical coverage, a 401(k) and paid company holidays for interns.
Application Process
How to Apply
Use the official SpaceX careers system and open the Fall 2026 Engineering Internship/Co-op opportunity.
- Prepare a concise technical resume
- Include your degree, school and expected graduation date
- Document at least three months of applied engineering experience
- List projects, labs, internships and technical teams
- Include relevant software, hardware and test tools
- Confirm full-time onsite availability for at least 12 weeks
- Review ITAR eligibility before applying
Apply through the official application page
Official source: View vacancy notice
Tip: A project-focused resume showing what you designed, built, analyzed or tested is more useful than a resume consisting mainly of course titles.
FAQ
When does the Fall 2026 internship begin?
SpaceX states that Fall 2026 interns generally begin in August or September and work for at least 12 consecutive weeks.
How much does the engineering internship pay?
The current listing shows $28 per hour for freshmen/sophomores and $30 per hour for juniors/seniors.
What majors are eligible?
Applicants must be enrolled in a bachelor’s program in engineering, physics or mathematics.
Does project experience count?
Yes. SpaceX states that laboratory and personal/team project experience can count toward the three-month applied-engineering requirement.
Is the internship remote?
No. The engineering internship/co-op is onsite at participating SpaceX sites.
Can interns receive relocation help?
Eligible students may receive a stipend to help subsidize relocation costs.