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nTop

Aircraft Design Fellow (Summer 2027 Internship)

Location

New York, NY

Wage

$20/hr

Employment Type

Temporary

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Posted on November 5, 2026

Job Description

Overview

The nTop Aircraft Design Fellowship offers a transformative 12-week summer internship for three motivated engineering students to develop a cutting-edge Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) at their New York City headquarters, focusing on hands-on design and innovation.

Responsibilities

  • Utilize nTop to develop a novel UAS configuration, airframe, and component structure tailored to specific mission goals.
  • Lead the construction, assembly, and flight testing of the prototype.
  • Document the entire process to create a comprehensive nTop learning course.
  • Generate compelling marketing content and co-author a publishable research paper.

Requirements

  • Currently pursuing a degree in Aerospace Engineering (or equivalent) for Configurator/Analysis Lead.
  • Deep understanding of aircraft configuration design, including trade studies and sizing methodologies.
  • Proven ability to conduct aircraft performance analysis.
  • Strong theoretical background in aerodynamics and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) principles.
  • Experience with stability and control analysis for fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft.
  • Familiarity with air vehicle mass properties and balance calculation.
  • Proficiency with relevant analysis software (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink, XFLR5).
  • Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering (or equivalent) for Avionics/Controls Lead.
  • Demonstrated experience building and integrating mechatronic systems.
  • Experience with component specification for UAS.
  • Proficiency in programming microcontrollers and/or flight management systems.
  • Strong understanding of control systems theory and implementation.
  • Hands-on experience with soldering, wiring harnesses, and electrical layout.
  • Familiarity with common communication protocols.
  • Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (or equivalent) for Design/Manufacturing Lead.
  • Extensive, proven experience in Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM).
  • Proficiency in detailed mechanical design and creating engineering drawings.
  • Strong understanding of material properties relevant to airframe construction.
  • Hands-on experience with Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) processes.
  • Experience with structural analysis and designing components to meet specific load cases.
  • Familiarity with traditional manufacturing methods is a plus.

Additional Information

  • Duration: 12 Weeks (Summer 2027 - specific dates flexible)
  • Location: nTop Headquarters, New York City
  • Pay: $20 per hour for 40 hours per week
  • Outcomes: A built and flown UAS prototype, a co-authored research publication, a comprehensive learning course, and valuable professional marketing content.
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How this job compares in New York, NY

Pay in context

At roughly $20/hr, this posting comes in about 51% below the $41/hr median for welding jobs in New York, NY, where the middle half runs $34–$53/hr across 27 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 0% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. That gap is worth raising directly — in a market this size there is normally room to negotiate toward the median, particularly if you already hold the certifications the posting asks for.

The local market in New York, NY

We're tracking 39 other active welding openings in New York, NY right now, from 33 different employers. 14 of them were added in the last week. Across New York as a whole we're tracking 152 other active welding openings from 105 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in New York, or widen the search to New York.

The most active employers in New York at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Welding Shop in New York, NY (22), GTI Fabrication (3), and Veterans Health Administration (3). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within New York, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are New York at $41/hr, Brooklyn at $33/hr, and Bronx at $30/hr. New York is among them.

Similar openings near New York, NY

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Aircraft Design Fellow (Summer 2027 Internship) figures were last recalculated when this page was built.