Scaled Composites Internship: Launch Your Aerospace Career
Scaled Composites, a pioneering aerospace and composites development company, offers exceptional internship opportunities for students passionate about aviation and eager to contribute to cutting-edge projects. Founded by Burt Rutan in 1982 and based in Mojave, CA, Scaled Composites has a rich history of innovation, averaging one first flight of a unique, new airplane per year. If you're seeking a challenging and rewarding internship experience, Scaled Composites might be the perfect place to launch your aerospace career.
About Scaled Composites
Scaled Composites stands out as a specialty aerospace and composites development company, offering comprehensive design, build, and test capabilities. Rooted in a legacy of making a difference while embracing challenges, Scaled Composites fosters a culture of innovation and excellence. Its location on the edge of a desolate landscape provides privacy for testing vehicles, cost-effective rent, and a focused work environment free from distractions. Despite its remote location, Scaled Composites is centrally located to a variety of activities, allowing employees to take advantage of long weekends offered by their 9/80 work schedule.
Internship Program Overview
Scaled Composites' paid internship program is a 10-12 week experience during the summer months. The Summer 2025 Intern application period closed on November 6th - applications are typically open in fall for the following summer. The company seeks students in engineering and flight sciences disciplines who are eager to contribute to meaningful work, develop and expand their skillsets, and collaborate with like-minded individuals.
What Scaled Composites Looks For
Scaled Composites seeks top candidates who are self-motivated, possess a passion for aviation, are eager to take on new and unfamiliar challenges, and think independently. They value individuals who can contribute to meaningful work and expand their skillsets.
The Internship Experience
Interns at Scaled Composites are embedded directly onto active programs, gaining hands-on experience and making real contributions. Previous interns have had the opportunity to build & flight test RC programs, take lead on load test articles for flying hardware, support flight mission planning, and support the variety of the exciting work Scaled gets involved in. Scaled Composites endeavors to build a custom internship experience that works with an intern’s skillset and challenges them to expand their abilities. Interns are teamed alongside highly experienced aircraft designers, builders, and testers and have access to numerous technical resources.
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Potential Roles and Responsibilities
While specific responsibilities vary depending on the intern's background and the needs of the program, here are some examples of roles and responsibilities that interns might undertake:
- Supporting Flight Test Activities: Some positions may involve supporting flight test activities, as required.
- Contributing to the assembly and fabrication processes: Interns may find themselves assisting in the assembly and fabrication processes.
- Collaborating with shop and engineering teams: Collaboration is a key aspect of many roles at Scaled Composites.
- Fabrication of Composite Structures: Interns may work on the fabrication of composite structures, gaining experience with materials such as epoxy resin systems in wet and pre-preg forms, as well as fiberglass, kevlar, carbon fiber, foam core, and honeycomb core.
Career Paths at Scaled Composites
Interning at Scaled Composites can provide valuable exposure to various career paths within the aerospace industry. Here are some examples of roles within the company:
- Test Pilot: Test Pilots provide technical support for experimental and developmental aircraft and payload systems within a fast-paced design and prototyping environment.
- Aerodynamicist: Aerodynamicists are involved in aircraft design from the conceptual phase onward, using empirical and computational methods to develop an aircraft configuration and Outer Mold Line (OML) that meets program needs.
- Subsystems Engineer: Subsystems Engineers may manage one or more vehicle systems, such as Propulsion, Fuel / Energy Storage, Electrical, Avionics, Landing Gear, Flight Controls, Hydraulics, or Environmental Controls / Pressurization.
- Composite Design Engineer: Composite design engineers develop structural concepts, define detailed requirements, and design and analyze structures that meet the needs of the airplane.
- Airframe and Power Plant (A&P) Mechanic: A&P Mechanics ensure the airworthiness and safety of aerospace projects through rigorous inspections and adherence to regulatory standards.
- Electrical Integration Engineer: Electrical Integration Engineers are responsible for the design, development, modification, integration, and/or test of various systems on custom experimental aircraft.
- Composite Fabricator: Composite Fabricators contribute to the assembly and fabrication processes, working with epoxy resin systems and various composite materials to craft high-quality components and structures.
- Composite Technician 1: Composite Technicians play a pivotal role in the fabrication and assembly processes.
How to Apply
The Summer 2025 Intern application period closed on November 6th - applications are typically open in fall for the following summer. Keep an eye on the Scaled Composites website for future internship opportunities and application deadlines.
A Word of Caution: Recruitment Fraud
Be aware of recruitment fraud. Scaled Composites will never ask for personal financial information during the application process.
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