Startup Operator Apprentice, Fall 2026 Intern / Co-op

Who We Are

GITAI is a vertically integrated space and defense company building the next generation of hardware for low-Earth-orbit missions.

At our core is the space robotics technology that has defined GITAI from the beginning. A small, highly capable engineering team applies that foundation across satellite buses, in-orbit servicing robotics, and mission hardware for applications such as Earth observation. Today, a major focus of our work is supporting U.S. national security missions, particularly through proliferated LEO satellite constellations and other next-generation space systems.

We design, build, integrate, and test much of our hardware in-house. Electrical, mechanical, software, manufacturing, integration, and test teams work closely together, allowing a small team to own complete systems rather than isolated components. This vertical integration helps us move quickly, learn directly from hardware, and shorten the path from architecture to a working system.

We are still early. The systems, the company, and the market are all being built at the same time. Requirements change, technical problems are often ambiguous, and many answers do not yet exist. We are looking for exceptional engineers who want broad ownership, can work across disciplines, and are willing to stay close to the hardware until the mission succeeds.

Your Mission

Learn how a real startup works by helping run one. GITAI is a small, fast-moving hardware startup. Resources are limited, priorities change quickly, and everyone is expected to help wherever the company needs it most.

In a well-known Y Combinator lecture on how to operate a startup, Keith Rabois tells the story of an intern at Square who was asked to make sure cold smoothies reached engineers at exactly 9:00 p.m. The intern got it done, so Keith kept expanding the intern’s responsibilities. That is exactly how we think about this role. Prove that you can own a small task from start to finish, and we will keep giving you larger ones. On your first day, you may be asked to clear out a pile of cardboard boxes or make a Costco run to restock energy drinks for engineers in the middle of a test campaign. The next week, you may be helping with invoices, purchase orders, recruiting, onboarding, or an office move. This is not beneath the role. It is the role.

You will start with broad responsibilities across office management, accounting, purchasing, and people operations. As you demonstrate your strengths, you will take deeper ownership in the areas where you perform best. There are no intern-only projects and no shadowing assignments. You will work on real tasks that the company needs completed. If you are mainly looking for work that sounds cool, like strategy or marketing, this is probably not the role for you. This role is for someone who wants to learn how a startup actually runs and earn greater responsibility by doing the work well.

What You’ll Drive

• Support daily office operations, supplies, vendors, shipments, and workplace logistics
• Help process invoices, expenses, receipts, and other accounting records
• Support purchasing, including quote collection, order placement, delivery tracking, and receiving
• Help with recruiting, onboarding, employee records, and other people operations
• Build and maintain simple trackers, checklists, and internal processes
• Take ownership of operational problems and follow them through completion
• Step into other work as company priorities change

What We’re Looking For

• A strong desire to learn, grow, and experience how a startup actually works
• An open, humble, and coachable mindset
• Willingness to receive direct feedback and act on it
• Reliability and attention to detail
• Current enrollment in a college or university
• Availability to work onsite in Torrance during Fall 2026
• U.S. citizenship is required because this role may support U.S. government programs and involve access to facilities, systems, or information restricted under U.S. security-clearance and export-control requirements

Previous experience is not the main requirement. We care more about how quickly you learn, how you respond to feedback, and whether the team can rely on you.

Location & Employment Details

• Location: Torrance, CA (onsite). Travel to test sites, including Mojave and locations throughout the greater Los Angeles area, is expected based on program needs.
• Employment Type: Part-time, temporary, non-exempt
• Compensation: $22 - $25 per hour. Final compensation will be determined based on academic level, relevant technical experience, and demonstrated hands-on engineering capability.
• Typical Work Hours: Monday to Friday, approximately 9:00am – 6:00pm (onsite). Flexibility is expected based on mission schedules and program needs.

No agency submissions, please.

Important Notice

• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), GITAI Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable. 
• GITAI USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment with GITAI USA is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.