Materials Testing Intern - Spring 2026

Job Description:

AMA is seeking motivated and detail-oriented Materials Testing Interns to support the Research, Science, and Engineering Services (RSES) contract at NASA Langley Research Center during Spring 2026 with the start date of January 12, 2026. This internship will be 10-weeks long. As an intern, you will help evaluate and characterize candidate material systems for advanced aerospace applications.

About the Project:

Future long-duration missions to the lunar surface require materials capable of withstanding an extremely harsh environment. One of the greatest challenges is lunar dust, which is highly abrasive, jagged, and prone to embedding into mechanical components. These characteristics can cause significant wear and potentially lead to premature component failure.

This project focuses on investigating the wear resistance, dust adhesion behavior, and other key properties of candidate materials-both coatings and bulk materials-intended for use in lunar exploration systems.

Pay for this position is $24.33 - $27.90, depending on education and location.

Responsibilities:

• Assist in laboratory testing of materials and coatings.
• Conduct characterization of wear, abrasion, and dust adhesion properties.
• Support data collection, documentation, and analysis.
• Perform hands-on work with experimental setups, instruments, and test equipment.
• Collaborate with engineers and researchers to evaluate material performance.

Qualifications:

• Must be pursuing a degree in computer science, engineering, or related field.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with MATLAB or LabVIEW is a plus.
• Comfortable working with chemicals and in a chemistry laboratory environment.
• Experience with ceramic processing, microscopy, mechanical testing, or other hands-on lab techniques is highly beneficial.
• Self-motivated, hardworking, and able to work effectively both independently and in a team environment
• Strong attention to detail and willingness to learn in a research-oriented environment.

U.S. Citizenship or permanent residence required.

Analytical Mechanics Associates (AMA) is proud of our customer relationships, our diverse and dynamic work environment, and our employees' career satisfaction. AMA is a small business with a wide reach; headquartered in Hampton, VA, AMA has operations in Greenbelt, MD; Huntsville, AL; Dallas and Houston, TX; Denver, CO; Mountain View, CA; and Edwards Air Force Base, CA. With over 60 years of experience, AMA specializes in aerospace engineering, science, analytics, information technology, and visualization solutions. AMA combines the best of engineering, science, and mathematics capabilities with the latest in information technologies, visualization, and multimedia to build creative solutions. We offer competitive salaries and a substantial benefits package, including but not limited to paid personal and federally recognized holiday leave, salary deferrals into a 401(k)-matching plan with immediate vesting, tuition reimbursement, short/long term disability plans, and a variety of medical, dental, and vision insurance options.

AMA is committed to the professional growth of every employee, understanding that the successes of our employees drive our success. We provide a work environment that is engaging, collaborative, and supportive. To learn more about our company, please visit our website at www.ama-inc.com/careers and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

AMA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited under federal, state, or local laws.