Engineering Intern (Labs)

The Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation is a space and defence company focused on developing dual-use solutions for delivering unmatched capabilities on this planet and others. CSMC is developing a micro nuclear reactor for remote applications like the Arctic, defence, and space exploration. Led by a team with a mix of entrepreneurial and institutional experience at the highest level, we are a bleeding-edge company, working at the intersection of energy, geology/geophysics, health technologies, space systems, quantum technologies, and imagineering.

We're not gonna do it alone though, and we're hiring an Engineering Intern . Our team is developing next-generation quantum technologies and taking them off the optical bench and into the real world—ultimately onto high-altitude flight platforms. Working directly with engineering leads and cross-functional project teams, the successful candidate will help transform laboratory prototypes into ruggedized field-ready systems capable of operating in harsh environments. The position will support activities including hardware integration, mechanical and electrical design, environmental testing, software development, field deployment, and continuous improvement of advanced quantum sensing platforms.

Main Responsibilities

• Assist in the design, assembly, and ruggedization of optical, mechanical, and electrical hardware for field and flight applications.
• Support the development of flight-ready hardware, including bonded and low-CTE optical mounts, fiber coupling, staking, potting, and vibration damping solutions.
• Design ruggedized enclosures, fixtures, and transport cases using CAD software, and fabricate components using 3D printing and machining techniques.
• Build, integrate, and troubleshoot electronic systems, including signal conditioning, microcontroller interfacing, connectorization, and wiring.
• Develop Python scripts for hardware control, telemetry, automation, and data logging.
• Support vibration, shock, thermal, and environmental testing, documenting results and implementing design improvements.
• Assist in preparing, transporting, setting up, and debugging hardware during field testing and demonstration activities.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation, test procedures, assembly records, and engineering reports.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to solve complex mechanical, electrical, and integration challenges.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of hardware designs, manufacturing processes, and testing methodologies.

Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge and Skills Essential

• Currently pursuing a fourth-year bachelor's degree or a graduate degree (Master's or PhD) in Mechatronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Robotics, or a related technical discipline.
• Hands-on experience building physical systems through academic projects, student design teams, research, or personal projects (e.g., rocketry, UAVs, Formula SAE, high-altitude balloons, robotics, or similar).
• Experience working with microcontrollers, embedded systems, and basic electronic circuits.
• Proficiency in Python for hardware control, automation, or data acquisition.
• Experience with CAD software and additive manufacturing (3D printing), with strong mechanical design intuition.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to troubleshoot integrated hardware systems.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Highly detail-oriented, with strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple technical tasks simultaneously.

Assets

• Experience with optomechanical systems or precision instrumentation.
• Familiarity with environmental qualification testing, including vibration, shock, thermal, or vacuum testing.
• Experience with RF systems, sensors, or instrumentation.
• Previous experience supporting flight hardware, payloads, aerospace systems, or other ruggedized hardware development.

*Ability and willingness to travel between Waterloo and Toronto as required.

Employment Eligibility

CSMC works with highly sensitive nuclear, defence, and aerospace technologies, and all roles require eligibility for federal security screening and compliance with controlled goods and export regulations. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada, able to obtain and maintain Government of Canada security clearance, and eligible to meet foreign affiliation and export control requirements. These conditions are mandatory Bona Fide Occupational Requirements and reflect the need to securely develop and protect nationally significant capabilities.