Intern (f/m/d) Data Analysis & Machine Learning Software Engineer – Flight Safety

About Rocket Factory Augsburg

At Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) we have one goal: create low-cost, flexible and reliable access to space. We specialize in the creation of small launcher solutions designed for deploying satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond. Together with you, we want to revolutionize space services and help enhance life on Earth.

About the Team

The Flight Safety team is seeking a motivated intern for a minimum 5-month mandatory university placement (40+ hours/week) to support the integration of machine learning into our operational workflows. This role focuses on the design, construction, and maintenance of a robust data infrastructure capable of storing and processing large volumes of time‑series data, including rocket and debris trajectories and derived safety‑relevant metrics.

Your Tasks

• Manage and optimize a hybrid database system for scalable storage and efficient querying of large‑scale time‑series data.
• Configure and run data generation and processing pipelines using CI/CD practices.
• Extend and maintain software systems that interface with other departments, ensuring data consistency and interoperability.
• Pre‑process, analyze, and post‑process complex simulation outputs, including trajectory and fragmentation data.
• Design and implement machine learning models to optimize parameters affecting flight safety and operations.
• Visualize complex, multi-dimensional datasets using clear, intuitive, and interactive plots (Matplotlib, Seaborn, or Plotly).

Your Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a university program for the duration of the internship.
• Pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or equivalent; or 2+ years of professional software development experience in lieu of a degree.
• Strong proficiency in Python and associated data science libraries.
• Experience with large datasets, including HDF5, Parquet, or Feather for efficient storage and I/O.
• Experience using SQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) for managing structured, relational data, including schema design, query optimization, and integration with data pipelines.
• Fluent in written and spoken English.
• Highly motivated to independently learn about:
  • Creating Dockerfiles and managing Docker services with docker‑compose.
  • Setting up CI/CD jobs using GitLab’s YAML syntax.
  • Optimizing data storage formats for size and/or read speed.
  • Linux server management – configuration files, cron jobs, performance monitoring.

Benefits

• Atmosphere: Experience life in an international & dynamic New Space start‑up.
• Flexibility: Fit your working schedule to your needs with flexible working hours.
• Health: Sweat, stretch or squat it out with EGYM Wellpass.
• Paid Time Off: 20 days annual leave and special leave days.
• RFA Family: Join regular company and team events.
• Parking: Free parking for car and bike.