---
title: 'Flight Operations & Airworthiness Engineering Intern - Spring/Summer/Fall 2027 at Hermeus'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/flight-operations-airworthiness-engineering-intern-spring-summer-fall-2027-0sbr1x9hdg47'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-13'
---

# Flight Operations & Airworthiness Engineering Intern - Spring/Summer/Fall 2027 at Hermeus

- **Company:** Hermeus
- **Location:** Atlanta, GA
- **Compensation:** $25–$33/hr
- **Employment:** internship
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-08
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/hermeus/944918b0-17ca-46ec-9413-5acd7086addf

## Job description

Hermeus is a venture-backed defense aviation company reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping to build the fastest aircraft in the world today. By prioritizing relentless hardware iteration, we deliver high-speed systems at the pace of the modern battlefield. We work with the Department of War to provide the high-speed capabilities our nation and its allies need to maintain a durable, asymmetric advantage.

About the Role: As a Flight Operations & Airworthiness Engineering Intern at Hermeus, you will support the planning, development, and execution of flight operations and airworthiness activities for the Quarterhorse aircraft. This role is ideal for an engineering student with practical aviation experience who is interested in the cross functional intersection of flight operations, flight test, safety, and airworthiness. You will contribute to professional technical deliverables supporting military and civil airworthiness packages, assist with risk assessments and data analysis, and support strategic planning that will advance longer-term program objectives. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who can take ownership of complex, ambiguous problems; develop a path forward; and communicate clearly across internal and external teams. This internship offers direct exposure to the unique challenges of operating and certifying high-performance experimental aircraft in a fast-paced development environment.

Spring: Around 16 weeks (January - April) Summer: Around 12 weeks (May - August) Fall: Around 16 weeks (September - December)

Responsibilities:

- Support the development of airworthiness, flight operations, and safety documentation for experimental aircraft operations.
- Assist in preparing professional technical deliverables for military and civil airworthiness packages.
- Support operational-risk analysis, including hazard identification, risk tracking, and management of operational constraints and mitigations.
- Apply engineering fundamentals and statistical methods to assess operational data, characterize risk, and support envelope an operational expansion.
- Collaborate with engineering, flight test, operations, and program teams to collect technical inputs and ensure airworthiness artifacts are accurate, complete, and traceable.
- Independently identify and effectively communicate gaps, inefficiencies, and upcoming needs in flight operations and airworthiness processes.
- Support longer-range planning by identifying work that advances programmatic milestones and airworthiness objectives well ahead of formal tasking.

Requirements:

- Currently pursuing a bachelor’s or graduate degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, systems engineering, or a related STEM discipline. Undergraduate candidates should be in their junior or senior year of study; graduate students are also encouraged to apply.
- Demonstrated interest in aviation, flight test, flight operations, or airworthiness.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop clear, professional technical documentation.
- Strong mathematical and analytical skills, including the ability to organize, interpret, and draw conclusions from engineering or test data.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment with shifting priorities.
- Demonstrated initiative and comfort working through ambiguous technical or operational problems without a fully defined path.
- Strong attention to detail, sound judgment, and commitment to safe operations.
- GPA of 3.0 or above.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

- Manned or unmanned aircraft pilot experience or comparable flight experience.
- Experience with experimental aircraft, flight test, aircraft maintenance, aviation safety, or airworthiness activities.
- Experience designing, building, testing, or operating vehicles through internships, academic work, student teams, military service, or personal projects.
- Familiarity with risk-management methods, safety assessments, reliability analysis, statistical analysis, or data-analysis tools.
- Exposure to civil or military aviation regulations, certification processes, flight authorizations, or airworthiness documentation.
- Experience developing technical reports, engineering analyses, test procedures, or operational documentation.
- A strong desire to learn, seek feedback, and take on progressively greater responsibility.

#LI-Onsite

The hourly rate listed for this internship is intended as a general guideline. Final compensation will be determined based on degree level. Benefits: Time Off: Interns are eligible for 5 days of sick leave and unpaid time off. Office Perks: Weekly paid office lunches and fully stocked breakrooms.

## U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. US persons include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

## EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Hermeus is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at Hermeus are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

## #LI-JC3

## About Hermeus

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Hermeus is an aerospace and defense company building the world’s fastest aircraft through rapid iterative prototyping, targeting high-Mach and hypersonic flight for national security and commercial applications.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series C, ~$350M raised in latest round)
- **Headquarters**: Hawthorne, California, USA (primary HQ at 3401 Jack Northrop Ave; additional offices in Los Angeles/El Segundo, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Washington, D.C.)
- **Founded**: 2018
- **Founders**: AJ Piplica, Glenn Case, Skyler Shuford, Michael Smayda

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing; Defense Technology
- **Target customers**: B2G (primarily U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations), with future potential in commercial high-speed travel
- **Mission**: Build the world’s fastest aircraft by reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping, delivering high-speed systems that provide an asymmetric advantage for the nation and its allies.

## Products & Services
- **Quarterhorse Program**: A series of four purpose-built unmanned aircraft, each designed to unlock a specific technical challenge and incrementally de-risk hypersonic technology. The first aircraft flew in 2025, and the company reached supersonic flight just 364 days later—the fastest time from founding to supersonic flight in aviation history.
- **High-Speed Propulsion Systems**: Development of air-breathing engines, including testing at the High Enthalpy Airbreathing Test (HEAT) facility in Jacksonville, FL, using Pratt & Whitney F100 engines as a baseline.
- **Hypersonic Aircraft Platforms**: Future planned vehicles aimed at affordable, reusable hypersonic flight for defense and eventually commercial passengers.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed (conflicting reports; PitchBook lists latest Series C at $350M, total funding ~$566M)
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding ~$566M (9 rounds); Annual Revenue estimated at $5.6M (LinkedIn data, likely early-stage).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Sam Altman (led Series B), Khosla Ventures (led Seed), United States Air Force ($60M grant), NASA (Non-Equity Assistance), and other defense-focused investors.
- **Growth Signals**: 286 employees (+42% YoY); 122,889 LinkedIn followers (+58.2% yearly); rapid expansion from concept to supersonic flight in under 7 years; multiple open positions across engineering, manufacturing, and operations.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Speed of Iteration**: Hermeus is the fastest company in aviation history to go from founding to supersonic flight (364 days after first flight), using a hardware-rich, test-early approach reminiscent of the Skunk Works era.
- **First-Principles Engineering**: Small, cross-disciplinary teams that own problems end-to-end, enabling rapid decision-making and prototyping.
- **Government & Strategic Relationships**: Deep ties with DoD, USAF, and NASA, providing both funding and clear mission requirements.
- **Facilities & Infrastructure**: Four locations covering design, manufacturing, propulsion testing, and policy engagement, including a 110,000 sq ft facility in Atlanta and a dedicated test site in Jacksonville.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: Scaling the Quarterhorse program to achieve hypersonic flight; maturing engine and airframe integration; expanding manufacturing capacity; hiring top engineering and operations talent; deepening partnerships with defense customers.
- **Direction for growth**: Move from unmanned demonstrators to operational hypersonic aircraft for defense, and eventually develop a commercial high-speed air transport capability.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as "rapid, relentless iteration" with a "total disregard for what others say can't be done." Emphasizes extreme ownership, stubborn focus, and a small-team, high-impact environment.
- **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: On-site roles required at Hawthorne (LA), Atlanta, Jacksonville, or D.C. (multiple open positions are on-site).
- **Notable Perks**:
  - 100% premium coverage for health, dental, and vision for employees and dependents
  - 3 months paid parental leave (100% pay) plus optional additional unpaid month
  - Stock options for all full-time offers with equity refresher program
  - 401k & retirement plans
  - Unlimited PTO for exempt employees (generous accrued PTO for non-exempt) plus 12 federal holidays
  - Free weekly lunches, dog-friendly offices, commuter benefits
- **Engineering Culture**: Hands-on, cross-functional teams; opportunities to work on flight hardware, propulsion, avionics, software, and test operations; fast promotion cycles for high performers.

## Sources
1. [Hermeus Careers](https://www.hermeus.com/careers)
2. [Hermeus Company Page](https://www.hermeus.com/company)
3. [LinkedIn Company Profile](https://linkedin.com/company/hermeus)
4. [PitchBook Profile](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/267414-22)
5. [Lever Job Board](https://jobs.lever.co/hermeus)

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