New

Internship - Aviation Research Internship

ATAC
$21 - $25 per hour
United States, California, Santa Clara
2770 De La Cruz Boulevard (Show on map)
Mar 05, 2026
ATAC has an opening for an Aviation Research Intern. This is a paid internship. While this intern program cannot provide travel or living expenses to participants, we believe that participants would enjoy increased opportunities to interact with their ATAC colleagues if they were to work on-site at ATAC's offices in Santa Clara, California. Community College candidates are highly encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will participate in the analysis of aviation related performance data from a variety of sources. The candidate will also participate in modeling of air traffic operations using a variety of aviation analytical tools. This position would be for Summer 2026 (e.g., May through August 2026) but can be flexible. Responsibilities will include: Quantitative and qualitative analysis of air traffic data Development of machine learning, neural networks, or other Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled software algorithms to find significant patterns in aviation-related data. Use of AI for speech-to-text, natural language processing, and/or generative AI techniques Application of visualization software to understand air traffic operations Formulation of air traffic planning and scheduling scenarios as numerical optimization problems, especially linear and integer programming Integration of advanced data mining techniques into ATAC research and commercial products. Interaction with aviation subject matter experts to incorporate their knowledge into machine learning and aviation data analytics algorithms Development and deployment of aviation performance reports Aviation data verification and validation; and calibration and troubleshooting of data processing algorithms Presentation and briefing development Qualifications ATAC is looking for open-minded people who have an interest in developing knowledge in the aviation domain and advancing the state-of-the-art in innovative aviation systems. Required attributes include: Current enrollment in an Associate's degree program (or aviation-related technical training) with emphasis on Data Science, Computer Programming, IT, or related field. Ability to quickly prototype and demonstrate software concepts in several languages, such as Python, Java, MATLAB, C#, or Javascript Strong analytical skills and experience working with large data sets Excellent written and oral communication skills and interpersonal relations skills Good PC applications skills with office tools including Excel, PowerPoint and Word Highly desired attributes include: Major in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, civil, systems, or other applicable engineering disciplines, operations research, applied mathematics, statistics or physics, or Data Science, Computer Programming, IT US citizenship or permanent residency Experience with machine learning and AI techniques such as deep neural networks, generative AI, etc. Knowledge of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence-related software libraries Knowledge of airport operations and air traffic management, and development of algorithms to process aviation-related data sets Familiarity with building web-based dashboards using open source libraries such as Python-plotly, Dash, Javascript-Angular, D3, etc. The salary for this position is $21 - $25 per hour. In addition, the ideal candidate is a team player, open to new ideas and technologies (especially application of Machine Learning to aviation), thinks both logically and creatively, and approaches problem solving with a positive, constructive attitude. A background check will be required for this position. Corporate Information ATAC Corporation is a software and services company that specializes in providing the aviation community with state-of-the-art computer simulation, modeling, and analysis tools, as well as expert services in air traffic systems and operations design and analysis. We are committed to making major contributions to the aviation industry by providing high quality products and services to meet critical needs, while maintaining a creative, innovative, and responsive, small-company environment. ATAC offers a casual business environment within a supportive team of likeminded people. We are proud of our working environment, culture and people-we will be the best place to work for those who share our passion. ATAC serves clients in both the public and private sectors via its headquarters office in Santa Clara, California and branch offices in Washington, DC, and San Diego, California. Primary clients include the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), service branches of the Department of Defense (DOD), airport authorities, airport planning and engineering firms, and private companies involved with aviation systems development and integration.