Project Description:

Join us for the summer to intern at our rocket test facility. We test engines up to 30kN using propellants including liquid oxygen, nitrous oxide, liquid methane, isopropyl alcohol and kerosene. In addition to testing customer engines and other aerospace components and depending on your skills and interests, you can assist with test facility development and upgrades, work on our data acquisition and control systems and software, and other internal R&D.

The intern will assist with various operations at our facility including:

• Assisting with customer rocket engine test programmes, including mechanical work, making high-pressure fluid connections, making up sensor and control cables, operating the control system, setting up and operating audio/video recording equipment.

• Assisting with test facility upgrades, such as specifying and installing sensors, camera systems, and intercom systems, installing new propellant delivery systems, developing operating procedures, designing parts in CAD, machining parts in-house or sending them for manufacture, and mechanical assembly.

• Depending on the intern's skill set and interests, development of our avionics and data acquisition systems, including system modelling, writing software, developing test cases and simulation environments, and designing and manufacturing electronics.

If the intern is available in July we would expect them to also assist with hosting and running the UK Race to Space competition where we are testing a number of student liquid rocket engines.

The successful applicant should have the following qualities and abilities:

Academic background:

• We don't expect specific academic knowledge but background in mechanical engineering, thermodynamics, or electronics is very useful and our previous interns have generally come from mechanical engineering courses.

Minimum requirements:

• English language proficiency.

• Demonstration of practical experience with mechanical design and basic workshop tools.

• Must be able to join us in-person at our Westcott test facility for the duration of the internship; note that the location has poor public transport links

Desirable requirements:

• Experience in high pressure or cryogenic engineering, instrumentation or control

• Student rocket/space group participation is a major bonus

• Experience using Linux, SOLIDWORKS, git, KiCad, Python is useful

Process details:

• 8 weeks minimum fixed term contract to be agreed with successful candidate

• 5 days holiday to be taken during the placement

Working at Airborne Engineering:

Airborne Engineering Limited (AEL) provides design and test services to the aerospace industry and academia, with a focus on chemical propulsion research. Established in 2001 and based at Westcott Venture Park since 2009, we operate two state of the art propulsion test facilities, supporting rocket engines using a variety of liquid and gaseous propellants. We have designed bespoke test rigs and control systems, tested injector and nozzle geometries, and evaluated the performance of new propellants and materials. Our customers rely on us to deliver successful cutting edge test programmes on time and on budget.

Alongside commercial test work, we have also undertaken a variety of in house research programmes, including developing a vertical takeoff vertical landing rocket platform, designing and testing 3D printed combustion chambers and injectors, and testing novel materials and coatings for propulsion applications.

Our in house expertise in electronic instrumentation, control systems, and software gives us the competitive edge in providing fast turnaround, complete testing solutions to our customers — from initial specification of sensors through to automated data reduction and analysis post firing. This unique combination of capabilities has allowed us to grow from strength to strength, leading to AEL now being one of the UK's key propulsion research facilities, and one of the key providers in the UK's space propulsion supply chain.