Job ID: 9731
Date Posted: October 6, 2026
Space Dynamics Laboratory’s (SDL’s) internship program provides an exciting opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to get involved with state-of-the art technologies in space-, airborne-, and ground-based systems. With the support of engineers and mentors, interns are able to work on professional-level assignments that complement their academic studies. The program also includes training workshops, networking opportunities, and a variety of summer events and activities.
The Strategic Military Space Division is looking for an exceptional computer vision student for a summer internship. Interns will be paid a competitive hourly wage and tasked with varying duties based on current projects, needed support, and phase of development. Work would include implementing spacecraft pose estimation algorithms and porting / updating existing computer vision algorithms.
This position has the potential of continued employment or transition to student/full-time employment requiring security clearance eligibility.
This internship is for the summer of 2027. The selected candidate will be expected to provide onsite support in North Logan, Utah no later than Monday, June 7th with availability for up to 12 weeks.
SDL internships are designed to bring talented students from across the nation together for unique, high-quality professional opportunities while expanding our candidate pool. Utah State University (USU) students have access to a variety of year-round opportunities with SDL through our Student Employment program. These positions provide USU students with valuable hands-on experience and professional development opportunities that can help them build their skills and resumes. USU students are not eligible for SDL internship positions and are encouraged to explore SDL's Student Employment opportunities.
Primary Responsibilities
- Assisting in the design and/or port, build, and test of small satellite computer vision pose estimation and other computer vision algorithms
- Analyzing algorithm performance
- Documenting analysis results
- Presenting analysis results
Requirements
- Experience or understanding of at least one of the following areas of computer vision and how they are applied: pose estimation, object tracking, structure from motion, object segmentation
- Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and/or C/C++
- Experience with team collaborative tools (Confluence, Jira, Bitbucket, etc.)
- Ability to work well independently with minimal supervision
- Ability to work well in a team with other students and professionals
- Strong initiative and ability to see the job through
- Good communication skills, both written and verbal
- Must be a U.S. citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance
Education:
- Must be pursuing a degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering, or a related field
- Senior or graduate student
- 3.0 GPA minimum is required
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience with spacecraft sensor systems
- Experience space-based computer vision, particularly pose estimation
SDL delivers advanced multi-domain solutions to protect national security and enable scientific discovery. Our expertise in satellites, sensors and instruments, ground systems and data processing, and autonomous systems plays a critical role in missions supporting NASA and the Department of Defense. Join our team of engineers, scientists, technicians, and business professionals in our seventh decade of delivering mission success.
At SDL, we strive to uphold a culture of respect, collaboration, empowerment, and accountability. We listen with open minds, seek to understand diverse perspectives, and engage in thoughtful dialogue. We work together by sharing knowledge, involving others, and offering support. We trust and empower our team members to take ownership, act with integrity, and be accountable. Above all, we deliver on our commitments to each other and to our mission partners.
The application window for this position is expected to remain open for approximately 7 days; however, it may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates. We encourage interested candidates to submit their applications promptly.
Student Scholar Program: SDL provides unique opportunities for student employees, such as hands-on experience and our Student Scholar program. The Student Scholar program provides SDL student employees with opportunities to expand their knowledge, extend their work experience, and engage with the community.
Skills Required
- Experience or understanding of computer vision applications such as pose estimation, object tracking, structure from motion, or object segmentation
- Experience with MATLAB or Simulink and/or C or C++
- Experience with collaborative tools such as Confluence, Jira, or Bitbucket
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Ability to work effectively with students and professionals in a team
- Strong initiative and ability to complete assigned work
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance
- Pursuing a degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering, or a related field
- Senior or graduate student status
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Experience with spacecraft sensor systems
- Experience with space-based computer vision, particularly pose estimation
What We Do
Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) is a University Affiliated Research Center of Utah State University that provides mission engineering, research and development, independent analysis and testing, rapid prototyping and technology maturation. Its work spans science and space exploration, missile defense, sensors, data-processing and ground systems, cybersecurity, and small-satellite technologies, supporting military, government, scientific, and commercial missions across multiple domains and operational environments.
