Mechanical Assembly Intern

Role type: Paid internship, on-site Schedule: Year-round and flexible — part-time during the academic semester (typically 10–20 hours per week) with the option to scale to full-time during summer and academic breaks. Location: On-site in the Orlando, FL area, minutes from UCF main campus. This posting is intended for currently enrolled University of Central Florida students. Eligibility: Currently enrolled University of Central Florida student (undergraduate or graduate, any year). Must be a U.S. citizen.

About the Role: -You will work alongside our mechanical, avionics, and autonomy engineers on the physical airframe of a 3D-printed unmanned aerial platform. From day one you will get hands-on time with real parts, builds, and inspections — the work you do will end up in a flying vehicle.

What You Will Work On: -3D printing and QA of structural airframe parts in engineering-grade polymers and composite filaments. -Installation of threaded inserts and mechanical fasteners, with inspection for concentricity and pull strength. -Cutting, deburring, and assembling composite tubing and structural members. -Assembly and cycle-testing of hinged or folding mechanisms. -Supporting CAD work on adapter plates and brackets for payloads and accessories. -Logging weigh-ins and contributing to per-airframe mass and center-of-gravity records. -Following and helping refine traveller and inspection checklists so builds ship with a documented quality record.

What We Are Looking For: -Currently enrolled UCF student in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Aerospace Engineering (or a closely related major). -Some experience with a parametric CAD tool (Fusion 360, Onshape, SolidWorks, or FreeCAD) — coursework, capstone, or personal projects all count. -Some hands-on time with a 3D printer (school lab, makerspace, or personal). -Comfort with hand tools, fasteners, and basic bench work. -Detail-oriented; willing to follow checklists and document work carefully.

Nice to Have: -Involvement in a UAS, FPV, robotics, or rocketry club or capstone team. -Experience with a slicer (OrcaSlicer, BambuStudio, or PrusaSlicer) and post-processing structural prints. -Exposure to composite tubing, threadlockers, or threaded inserts. -Familiarity with DFM/DFA principles for small-batch additive manufacturing. -Comfort using AI-assisted workflows (CAD copilots, slicing-parameter assistants) to move faster without sacrificing rigor.