Airborne Engineering Ltd operates one of the only commercial rocket engine test facilities in the country, testing rocket engines up to 25kN of thrust using propellants such as liquid oxygen, nitrous oxide, liquid methane, and isopropyl alcohol, as well as other more exotic propellants when required by our customers. Join us as a summer intern to help test customer rocket engines and other related system components and help with developing and upgrading our test facility. There will also be opportunities to work on our VTVL rocket hopper platform and assist with development of our avionics and data acquisition hardware and software.

Project description

• Assisting with customer 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, mechanical assembly

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

• Depending on project timing and your skill set and interests, working on our vertical takeoff vertical landing rocket hopper platform, including propellant management, flight testing, and simulation work

• If you are available in July, we would expect you to also assist with hosting the national UK Race to Space competition where we are testing a number of student liquid rocket engines.

Skills you can expect to develop

• Mechanical skills including designing parts using CAD, use of machine tools, and assembly of high-pressure systems including industry-standard components,connectors, assembly techniques and procedures

• Proficiency in use of proprietary and commercial software for data acquisition and control, design software including Solidworks and KiCad, manipulating configuration and calibration data and use of version control software

• Routine sensor test and calibration skills, and develop skills in the selection and application of standard sensors such as pressure transducers, thermocouples, and load cells

• Writing up procedures and reports and related documentation

• Working in a small multi-disciplinary engineering team, with concordant project management and problem-solving skills

• Develop initiative and self-motivation to work independently on tasks as required

• Professionalism and communication with customer representatives during tests

• Safety skills for chemical propulsion systems development and testing

Applicant requirements

Academic: some background in thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, or electronics would be useful; but this is not a research project so specific academic knowledge is not required.

Minimum requirements: English language proficiency. Some practical experience with mechanical design and basic workshop skills. Must be able to join us in-person at our Westcott test facility for the internship.

Desirable requirements: Any existing experience in high pressure or cryogenic engineering, instrumentation or control, or other propulsion activities is a bonus, especially including student rocketry participation. Experience with Linux, SOLIDWORKS, and Python is beneficial.

Process details

We will select some applicants for a short in-person or remote (at their preference) interview and select one successful candidate. An 8-week fixed term contract will be agreed with the successful candidate.

You are obliged to attend the SPIN Induction Event on the 24th June at Harwell and the Showcase Event after the completion of the internship, where you will be able to present a poster based on the internship.