Planetary Geologist Intern at AstroForge – Seal Beach, California

About the CompanyAt AstroForge, our mission is to make space resources accessible on Earth. We mine asteroids to extract valuable minerals in space at a lower cost and smaller carbon footprint than current terrestrial mining methods. By joining the team at AF you’ll have the opportunity to work side by side with our amazing engineer and science teams. This position will provide you with valuable skills, experience, and mentorship necessary to become a leading professional in your field. We offer a unique opportunity to join an exciting team looking to expand humanity’s capabilities in space.
Job DescriptionAs a Planetary Geologist Intern, you will have the exciting opportunity to work alongside our team of experienced scientist and engineers to contribute to work on cutting-edge projects in space mining. You will contribute to projects that deal with identifying and verification of our current and prospective target asteroids, assist in research in identifying composition information of said asteroids and respective meteorites, work with ground observatories to further validate the information of our targets, and create asteroid metallic simulants for use on our refinery testing. We offer a unique hands-on opportunity to join an exciting team looking to expand humanity’s capabilities in space.
Basic Qualifications

• 18 years or older
• Proof of US Citizenship or Permanent Residency
• Enrollment in an accredited college or university, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Must not be otherwise employed for the duration of the internship

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in planetary sciences, geology, or geophysics and related disciplines
• Strong academic background in geological sciences with a focus on planetary bodies.
• Knowledge of spectral software tools for mapping and analysis including knowledge of NIR, IR, UV-Visible spectroscopy
• Ability or willingness to learn coding skills to build asteroid and meteorite databases

Preferred Skills & Qualifications

• Rising seniors graduating either winter 2025 or spring 2026.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to demonstrate critical thinking skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment

Location: Onsite in Seal BeachPay Rate: $30.00 per hourDuration: 10 weeks
ITAR RequirementsTo conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S.,protected individual as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15) or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.