Our Why

At Collier Aerospace, our mission is to help our customers reach their unique structural analysis and design goals with more accurate results in less time. We are a team of passionate employees who want to contribute to each customer's goal in the best way possible across space launch, reusable rocket, commercial airframe, business jet, eVTOL, bike frame, and speed boat applications. We accomplish this with our leading software, HyperX, through software development and engineering support. As you join our team, you join our company mission and become an integral partner in increasing efficiency and innovation throughout the world.

Our Culture

We foster a highly supportive and collaborative environment where our meetings are a mix of brainstorming, analysis, and humor. When you’re stuck, our employees are always eager to lend a helping hand. We offer a relaxed and casual dress code to promote a comfortable atmosphere. Our passion and drive fuel us as we strive to make a lasting impact on our company, customers, and industry.

The NCSG Internship Program is a collaborative summer internship sponsored by the North Carolina Space Grant and Collier Aerospace. We are seeking North Carolina State students with interests in aerospace structures and software to join our 2026 NCSG Intern Cohort. In this internship, you will gain hands-on experience on current industry aircraft designs, computer programming, and software development. You will be mentored by our plugins lead engineer, and learn from other talented engineers. Join passionate coworkers and make your mark as we continue to grow in the aerospace and software industry!

Requirements

Candidates should have experience in performing structural analysis and design as well as computer programming and software development. The candidates should have many of the following capabilities.

• US citizen (required)
• In-progress bachelor’s degree in one of the following engineering disciplines:
• • Aerospace engineering
  • Mechanical engineering
  • Civil engineering
  • Computer Science
• Desired course work:
• • Statics (required)
  • Strength of materials
  • Composites
  • Finite element analysis (FEA)
• Capability to perform structural analysis and design with metal and/or composite materials.
• Experience performing classical stress analysis, using ‘closed-form’ methods from textbooks (e.g. Bruhn, Niu, Roark, etc.).
• Experience with and finite element analysis (FEA) and CAD software (CATIA or Solidworks) is a plus.
• Basic knowledge of structural failure modes, including: material strength, buckling, crippling, etc.  
• Strong documentation, communication, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated experience in software development. Experience developing software in a team environment, with version control tools such as Git, is a plus.
• Experience with C#, C++, Python, and/or Fortran is a plus.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Learn and comprehend textbook analysis methods, and transform them into code compatible with the HyperX® application.
• Learn and use HyperX (and other industry-standard CAE software) for preliminary and detail analysis/design sizing optimization of full airframes and space vehicles.
• Learn and use HyperX’s (and other industry-standard CAE software’s) scripting APIs to build tools, automate tasks, and improve processes.
• Perform trade studies for weight savings and part producibility. Perform both preliminary and detail design and analysis. Document design and analyses results.
• Ensure project issues are resolved in a timely fashion with your related experience and competence and an ability to create workaround procedures when needed. Escalate urgent problems requiring more in-depth knowledge to appropriate software or engineering leads.

Locations

• Raleigh, North Carolina
• Newport News, Virginia

Benefits

• Jump start your career with opportunity to learn from and work closely with other leading engineers and software developers.
• Exposure and involvement with many companies and their current aircraft designs for (commercial transports/UAM eVTOLS/military planes), and space launch designs for (commercial rockets/space tourism vehicles/demonstrator X planes).
• Small company– provides opportunity for involvement in many aspects of the business and gain many new hard and soft skills.
• Casual work environment.