Industrial Engineering Intern (Summer 2027)

About the role Summer internships will range between the months of May and September depending on university schedules. Internship is full-time and on-site in San Jose, California. The Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) team at Muon is responsible for the assembly, integration, and validation of spacecraft hardware through unit acceptance testing as well as spacecraft-level integration and testing. As an Industrial Engineering Intern, you will support the development and improvement of the processes, tools, and systems that enable Muon to efficiently build and test spacecraft at scale. You will work closely with AIT, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Test Engineering teams to analyze production data, improve workflows, identify bottlenecks, develop capacity models, and implement process improvements. This is a hands-on opportunity to apply industrial engineering principles in a fast-growing spacecraft manufacturing environment and directly contribute to increasing production efficiency and throughput. Muon is a small and fast growing startup which offers interns the experience to get direct mentorship and have real impact on our programs. As an intern, you'll collaborate with a dynamic team in a startup environment and have the chance to learn from some of the most accomplished and experienced aerospace professionals in the industry. We're committed to offering an experience where your decisions and contributions play a pivotal role in driving Muon's success. Responsibilities • Analyze spacecraft assembly, integration, and test processes to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, throughput, and scalability. • Develop and maintain process maps, standard work, work instructions, and other manufacturing documentation. • Collect and analyze production data to identify trends, bottlenecks, constraints, and opportunities for improvement. • Support development of production capacity and resource planning models for spacecraft assembly and test operations. • Assist with production scheduling, workflow optimization, and resource allocation across AIT operations. • Conduct time studies and process observations to establish baseline cycle times, labor requirements, and process performance. • Support development and implementation of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives. • Identify opportunities to improve material flow, kitting, tooling, workstation layout, and overall factory/lab utilization. • Develop dashboards, reports, and other data-driven tools to provide visibility into production performance and operational metrics. • Support root-cause investigations and corrective actions for production constraints, process inefficiencies, and recurring issues. • Partner with technicians and engineers to identify practical improvements to spacecraft assembly and test processes. • Support implementation and validation of process improvements on the production floor. • Assist with developing scalable processes and systems to support increasing spacecraft production volume. • Document process improvements and communicate findings and recommendations to cross-functional stakeholders. Qualifications • Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Operations Research, or a related technical field. • Strong understanding of engineering, manufacturing, and/or operations fundamentals. • Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to use data to identify process improvements. • Experience with Excel or similar tools for data analysis, modeling, and visualization. • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative team environment. • Ability to work hands-on in a production, laboratory, or engineering environment. • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. • Ability to approach complex operational challenges from a first-principles perspective. Nice-to-have Skills • Previous internship, co-op, research, or project experience in industrial engineering, manufacturing, operations, or production environments. • Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, value-stream mapping, or other continuous improvement methodologies. • Experience conducting time studies, capacity analysis, line balancing, or process optimization. • Experience with production planning, scheduling, or resource capacity modeling. • Experience with data visualization or analytics tools such as Python, SQL, Power BI, Tableau, or similar. • Experience with CAD or facility/workstation layout tools. • Experience developing automated spreadsheets, dashboards, or other operational tools. • Previous experience on technical project teams such as a CubeSat, rocketry, Formula SAE, Solar Car, or other hardware-focused engineering project. • Familiarity with manufacturing, assembly, integration, or test processes for complex electromechanical hardware. • Experience working in a cleanroom, laboratory, or aerospace manufacturing environment. Pay range Bachelor's students $40/hour Master's $45/hour PhD $50/hour About Muon Space Founded in 2021, Muon Space is an end-to-end Space Systems Provider that designs, builds, and operates LEO satellite constellations delivering mission-critical data. Our revolutionary, integrated technology stack enables customers to optimize every dimension of their missions for faster time-to-orbit and superior constellation remote sensing performance. Our state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Silicon Valley is optimized for manufacturing spacecraft and rapid, flexible payload integration at scale. From climate monitoring to national security, Muon Space is dedicated to delivering Earth Intelligence for a safer and more resilient world. Taking Care of Our Team At Muon salary is only part of our total compensation package. In addition to salary, full-time employees receive equity compensation as well as benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401k retirement plan, short & long term disability and life insurance. We also offer three weeks paid vacation for new employees, along with 12 paid holidays, unlimited sick time and paid parental leave. Our mission embraces the entire planet and we believe our team should too. Muon is dedicated to creating a diverse and dynamic company and workforce. We believe in equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, age, national origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or gender identity. We value diversity in the workplace, and that starts with our applicants. We encourage you to apply, even if you don't check all the boxes, and we look forward to reviewing your application! In addition, if you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know. Muon is currently registered and able to hire in the following states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IA, ID, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA ITAR/EAR Requirements This position requires access to export controlled information. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations applicable to that information, applicant must either be (A) a U.S. person, defined as a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, (B) eligible to access the export controlled information without a required export authorization, or (C) eligible and reasonably likely to obtain the required export authorization from the applicable U.S. government agency. The Company may, for legitimate business reasons, decline to pursue any export licensing process.