This summer, Aurora welcomed 29 interns across its U.S. and international sites, engaging the students in hands-on roles while contributing to real-world projects that advance the future of flight.

“It’s inspiring to witness the energy and creativity that these interns bring to the table,” said Cristina Flores, talent acquisition business partner and intern coordinator for this year’s program. “They’re not just here to learn; they’re making meaningful contributions to our projects. It’s a joy to watch them grow and develop their skills in such a supportive environment.”

Meet five of Aurora’s 2025 interns and learn more about their roles and experiences this summer.

Liza Mozolyuk – Software Engineering Intern

For Liza, a graduate student in computer science at George Washington University, joining Aurora as a software engineering intern meant finally bringing together two passions: coding and aerospace.

“I’ve always been drawn to aerospace because it’s an industry that never stops progressing,” she said. “Aurora’s work with innovation in sUAS, autonomy, and electric aviation is exactly the kind of work I want to do with my life.”

Liza jumped into a high-impact project from day one: working with a team designing a contingency management system for use in emergency situations. Her work focused on developing a prototype cockpit display to support decision-making, communicating with the system backend, and even proposing an algorithm for determining suitable emergency landing sites.

What set the internship apart for her wasn’t just the technical challenge—it was the trust and ownership she was given.

“By week two, I felt like a full-time employee. My team gave me real autonomy and made me feel like my ideas mattered,” she said. “I led demos, built a user interface from scratch, and presented algorithm proposals that received real feedback.”

Maggie Delaughter – Operations Intern

Maggie is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in industrial & systems engineering at Mississippi State University. She rejoined us this year as an operations intern at our Mississippi facility.

“Coming back after a year and having people recognize me? That was awesome,” she said. “Everyone here is so welcoming and positive.”

In her role, Maggie served as a bridge between facilities and engineering. What made the experience unique was the freedom to define her own path. She learned valuable lessons about problem-solving and the importance of constructive feedback.

“I’ve come to realize that not all problems can be solved in a single day. It’s a journey, and that’s perfectly acceptable,” said Maggie. “My supervisor encouraged me to take initiative, which significantly contributed to my professional growth.”

Maggie has now joined the Aurora team as a part-time manufacturing engineering co-op as she finishes her degree. “I’m so excited to continue my career working on some of the industry’s most advanced programs with people who have already been so influential in my growth. I couldn’t be happier.”

Ranai Srivastav – Autonomy Engineering Intern

Ranai joined Aurora as an autonomy engineering intern in Cambridge, MA, bringing his expertise from a master’s program in Robotics Systems Development at Carnegie Mellon University. This summer, he worked on machine learning for perception for  DARPA’s Learning Introspective Control (LINC) program, which enables vehicles to adapt their control laws in real time and maintain safe operation in unpredicted conditions.

“I chose Aurora because I wanted to work with experts in the field, and that’s exactly what I got to do,” Ranai said. “I knew that the work I was doing was adding real value for the customer. We were constantly overcoming very technical challenges and building off each other’s expertise.”

Ranai said he was integrated into the team on day one, participating in project discussions, assisting in demonstrations, and offering suggestions. “I was a part of the team, without a doubt,” Ranai said. “My suggestions were acted on; I was listened to—at no point did I feel I was ‘just’ an intern.”

Ranai also emphasized the importance of asking questions and encouraged future interns to introduce themselves early on. “Don’t hesitate to engage with others. You’ll be surprised at how much you can learn by asking the right questions.”

Yash Sharma –Tool Engineering Intern

Yash, a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering at Mississippi State University, joined Aurora for a second internship as a tool engineering intern in West Virginia.

Last year, Yash supported our Mississippi team as an engineering intern creating digital work instructions to help improve processes and efficiency. This year, he took the initiative to reach out and ask about trying something new to build on his experience.

“I like working with my hands, so I was excited when I heard about an opportunity in the tooling fabrication shop in West Virginia,” he said. “I moved up to West Virginia for the summer and learned how to create tools, or molds, for composite parts.”

Yash began his internship learning welding techniques and how to use a variety of manufacturing equipment including a drill press, bandsaw, and milling machine. He then used these skills to design and build tools including a thawing rack for the cleanroom, cart stops for the facility’s autoclaves, and multiple production tool improvements.

“I take pride in knowing that my work has a tangible impact,” Yash stated. “It’s not just busy work; I’m involved in creating parts that will contribute to real projects.”

Francesco Zambon – Engineering Intern

Francesco, a senior at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, joined Aurora’s Swiss office this year as an engineering intern.

“I was excited to intern with Aurora this year because it is a company at the forefront of aircraft innovation, and I knew I would learn a lot here,” he said.

He spent the summer working on conceptual designs for future aircraft. “What excited me the most is knowing that I’m working on something that might influence how the future of aviation will look.”

When asked about the culture at Aurora, Francesco described it as international, innovative, and collaborative. “We may all come from different places and have diverse backgrounds, but we’re all working together toward the same goal: to advance aircraft innovation,” he said. “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that building relationships can be just as important as the work itself. Collaboration leads to better outcomes for everyone.”

Interested in interning at Aurora? Keep an eye out for a job posting on our careers site and on LinkedIn in early 2026 for more information.