Undergraduate Career Guide

Source: https://aa.stanford.edu/academics-admissions/undergraduate-program/undergraduate-career-guide Parent: https://aa.stanford.edu/academics-admissions/undergraduate-program

Event Spotlight! AeroAstro Alumni Association's Spring 2025 event. Great opportunity to meet alumni and recruiters from companies like True Anomaly, building technology at the intersection of spacecraft, software, and AI to enhance the capabilities of the U.S., its allies, and commercial partners.

Summer Research, Internship, and Career Planning

This guide outlines recommended milestones and opportunities for Aero/Astro students to build skills, gain experience, and explore careers in aerospace and related fields. Career doc forAerospace Engineering.

Freshman Year

Goals: Build foundational skills and explore interests.

• Join a student group:
• Stanford Flight Club – Get hands-on experience in aircraft design and flight.
• Stanford Student Space Initiative (SSI) – Work on real-world projects in rocketry, satellites, space policy, and more.
• Apply for research:
• Aero/Astro Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) An excellent opportunity for summer after freshman or sophomore year to work alongside Stanford faculty and graduate students on aerospace research.

Sophomore Year

Goals: Gain technical depth and real-world project experience.

• Participate in the REU program or join a research lab during the academic year.
• Strengthen your skills in MATLAB, Python, CAD/Fusion 360, and technical writing.
• Begin exploring internships or summer research opportunities through Handshake.
• Use faculty and department alumni connections for internship search guidance and recommendation letters.

Junior Year

Goals: Intern in the aerospace industry and explore career paths.

• Apply for summer internships in industry or research labs. Recent Aero/Astro undergraduates have interned at:
• SpaceX
• Stoke Space
• Zipline
• Attend Stanford's career fairs, resume workshops, and Aero/Astro department alumni and industry events.
• Reach out to alumni & faculty for networking and mentorship.

Senior Year

Goals: Transition to industry or graduate school.

• Complete major requirements.
• Apply for full-time roles or graduate programs in engineering or research.
• Use department and alumni connections for job search guidance and recommendation letters.

Where Our Alumni Work

Aero/Astro undergraduates have gone on to work at top companies across aerospace, robotics, and tech, including:

• SpaceX
• Blue Origin
• Zipline
• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
• Boeing
• Northrop Grumman
• Elroy Air
• General Atomics
• Anduril
• Apple
• Google
• Planet Labs
• Relativity Space
• Astra
• Lockheed Martin
• Astrobotic Technology
• Benchmark Space Systems
• Aerojet Rocketdyne

For more information or to get involved in research and internships, please contact:

Jenny Scholes, Student Services Administrator Book an appointment

Need a letter of recommendation from our faculty?

Please fill out the UG Letter of Recommendation for Aerospace job/internship application. If letter of recommendation is needed urgently for a job/internship application please email faculty directly.

2026 Internship Opportunities for Aero/Astro Students

Employment Report: Bachelor of Science Graduates

2019-2025

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