Internships

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Hands-On Learning Through Aerospace Projects

Are you a kamaʻāina college student who is interested in aerospace research, development, or space exploration? We offer paid and credit-based internship opportunities to help you get hands-on research and technical experience. We also have volunteer opportunities in applied research for high school and college students. Our internship projects fall into two learning tracks: Robotics and Materials Science. Students work to complete specific project tasks that align with PISCES’s goals. Students also have the option of proposing their own project ideas for consideration. Interested in interning with us? Contact us using the form below to learn about current opportunities. 

To be eligible to apply, students are required to be:

  • Undergraduate majoring in a STEM-related field
  • Originally from the State of Hawaiʻi or attending a University of Hawaiʻi school
  • Maintaining a 3.5 GPA or higher

 

Internship Tracks

Helelani Planetary Rover

Robotics

Students in the Robotics track work with our planetary rover, Helelani, to continually develop its software and hardware systems. Interns practice skills in coding, mechanics, electronics technology, and engineering. This track is commonly pursued by Computer Science and Engineering students.

Helelani Planetary Rover

Materials Science

Our Materials Science track offers applied research experience in planetary geology, additive manufacturing, and In-Situ Resource Utilization. Students help develop and refine novel ways of creating durable construction materials with applications for Earth and space. This track is commonly pursued by Geology students.

A PISCES team member and student intern pour molten rock into a sand-casting mold using tongs and a steel pole.
Big Island robotics interns
Three computer science students working on the Helelani planetary rover upgrades pose for a photo.
pisces intern lily leyva

Apply for an Internship

Interested in working with us to gain hands-on experience? Contact us with details about your academic background and interests to learn about our current internship and volunteer opportunities.

Intern Spotlight

Meet some of the outstanding alumni whose experiences at PISCES have helped further their education and career paths.

Kyla Edison

Kyla Edison

Kyla is a UH Hilo alumna and Kauaʻi native who worked on a number of PISCES projects over the course of three years. As an intern, she learned how to conduct field surveys, analyze the geological makeup of other planets, and develop techniques for basalt sintering. Her dedication and hard work earned her a full-time position as our resident geology and materials science technician. In 2021, Kyla left Hawaiʻi to pursue a doctorate at the Colorado School of Mines.

Aaron Roth

Aaron Roth

Aaron is a Waiākea High School graduate who studied computer science at Arizona State University. During his internship, he successfully created a stereoscopic (3D) imaging system for the Helelani rover. After interning as an undergraduate at Jim Bell’s rover imaging lab at ASU and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, he landed a position on one of the Mars rover teams at JPL.

Lily Leyva

Lily Leyva

Lily Leyva is a Keaʻau High School graduate who attended our STARS program and was inspired to pursue a career in aerospace engineering. As a materials science intern, she created a new planetary building block design for basalt sintering. She also programmed our Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Heʻe Manu, for a County of Hawaiʻi R&D project. Lily is now studying Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder.