R&D Material Chemistry Intern

Job Description

R&D Materials Chemistry | AGENA SPACE

The Tone:
This is an internship at Agena Space, located in [City, State not specified]. Agena Space develops key technologies for future satellite platforms and strategies for in-orbit service missions, provides system engineering studies, and supports product manufacturing and integration. This role is crucial for strengthening the company’s research and development activities by conducting an in-depth study on how various parameters influence the lifespan of their systems. Durability and performance stability are major strategic challenges that this role will help address.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Location: In-person, [City, State not specified]
• Team: R&D team; reports to R&D leadership
• Mission: Identify, characterize, and quantify degradation mechanisms affecting propellants to understand limiting factors and propose improvements.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Define: Participate in defining experimental protocols and conducting tests to analyze their impact on system lifespan and reliability.
• Characterize: Characterize materials and surface finishes, studying their influence on the durability of systems.
• Develop: Collaborate with suppliers on surface treatments and undertake the in-house development of new surface treatment solutions.
• Design: Design experimental campaigns for compatibility testing and conduct studies on propellant contamination.
• Implement: Develop an internal quality control system and assess the impact of system cleanliness on its service life.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Student pursuing a degree in materials chemistry or a related field, with an interest in the space industry and propulsion technologies.
• Experience: Knowledge of materials science, including mechanical, chemical, and properties of metallic and polymeric materials; basic understanding of surface treatments (e.g., coatings, anodizing, passivation) and material characterization techniques (e.g., microscopy, roughness, physicochemical analyses); and foundational knowledge of quality control and process improvement.
• Skills: Ability to work effectively in a team, demonstrate a proactive attitude and autonomy, possess a strong desire for continuous learning, and have full professional proficiency in English.
• Bonus: Strong problem-solving skills, scientific rigor, a willingness to be part of an execution-first and results-oriented team, excellent communication skills both verbal and written, and fluency in French.