Mechanical Engineering Intern - Montreal, QC
Company Description
Xiphos Systems Corporation, founded in 1996, is a vibrant and energetic company in the heart of Montreal’s Plateau area. For over 20 years, we have pushed the envelope of what is possible in NewSpace and secured the trust of various space agencies and space companies around the world. The industry has adopted our design approach and, as a result, we have been experiencing several years of rapid, steady growth and the trend is continuing!
Xiphos’ primary markets are small satellites, space station applications, as well as lunar landers and rovers. We have delivered our standard and custom products all over the world and have been essential to many successful space missions. Our current line of standard hardware products includes the highly capable Q-cards and numerous derivatives of, and daughterboards for, the same. With low power consumption, high processing power, excellent robustness, and proven functions available off-the-shelf, our Q-cards are increasingly the preferred solution in the fast-growing field of NewSpace.
As a Mechanical Engineering Intern, you will contribute to the design and validation of mechanical solutions that enable these advanced electronics to operate reliably in the harsh environment of space. You’ll work alongside multidisciplinary teams developing the next generation of computing platforms that will power missions to Earth’s orbit and beyond.
What you'll do
Xiphos encourages each intern to take ownership of meaningful, hands-on projects aligned with their strengths and learning goals. As a Mechanical Engineering Intern, you may participate in activities including:
Mechanical Design & Development
- Support the design, development, and documentation of enclosures, brackets, jigs, and mechanical interfaces for advanced space electronics.
- Create 3D CAD models and 2D engineering drawings using tools such as SolidWorks.
- Perform tolerance analysis, GD&T application, and design for manufacturability assessments.
- Participate in FEA and environmental simulations (thermal, vibration, shock, structural).
Prototyping & Testing
- Assist in hands-on prototyping, including some machining, assembly, and 3D printing.
- Support vibration, shock, and thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing and qualification campaigns.
- Contribute to test setups, data collection, and reporting.
Integration & Collaboration
- Work closely with Hardware, Test, and System integration teams to ensure mechanical and electrical compatibility.
- Participate in design reviews and contribute to technical documentation, drawings, and assembly instructions.
Process & Continuous Improvement
- Contribute ideas to improve mechanical design workflows and documentation processes.
- Assist in developing scripts or tools that enhance efficiency, design traceability, or data management.
Your background
- Student in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, or related Engineering program.
- Strong interest in mechanical design for high-reliability applications (space, defense, robotics, etc.).
- Proactive, detail-oriented, and eager to learn in a multidisciplinary engineering environment.
Nice to haves
- Completed courses in Thermodynamics, Heat transfer, Dynamics, Vibration, FEA.
- Experience with SolidWorks, FEA tools (ANSYS, Nastran, etc.), or PDM/PLM systems.
- Familiarity with machine shop tools, 3D printing, or hands-on prototyping.
- Understanding of aerospace standards (e.g., NASA-STD, MIL-STD, AS9100).
- Exposure to environmental or vibration testing.
- Personal/Academic projects demonstrating mechanical creativity and technical curiosity.
- Active/former member of a design group such as Baja (SAE), Aero Design (SAE), Launch Canada Challenge, Canadian inter-university satellite design, or related.