Draper
Independent nonprofit engineering lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts known for guidance, navigation, and control systems, from Apollo to Artemis.
Overview
Draper is an independent nonprofit engineering company that traces its origin to 1933 as an MIT laboratory and became independent of MIT in the 1970s. It has more than 2,600 employees at 19 U.S. locations and works in four areas: strategic systems, space systems, electronic systems, and biotechnology systems. It is best known for guidance and navigation: it designed the Apollo guidance computer, supports the Navy's Trident missile guidance, and developed flight software for NASA's Artemis II mission. Draper offers summer internships, spring and fall co-ops, and a funded graduate research program.
Student Insights
Internship and co-op calendar
Summer internships run from May or early June to mid-to-late August. Spring co-ops run early January to late June, and fall co-ops run early August to late December. Draper also has part-time academic-year positions in business, logistics, communications, and IT.
Draper Scholars for graduate students
The Draper Scholars Program supports thesis research for graduate students who are U.S. citizens enrolled in a thesis-bearing degree at a partner university. Partners include MIT, Georgia Tech, Purdue, Texas A&M, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Michigan, Northeastern, and others. The program had grown to more than 100 students as of August 2025.
AI Outlook
Draper's core work is guidance, navigation, and control and autonomous systems; no specific AI programs were confirmed from the pages reviewed.
Student Hiring
Typical Roles
Notable Programs
- Apollo guidance computer
- Trident missile guidance
- Artemis II flight software
- Draper Scholars Program
Career Connections
AeroEd career pathways relevant to Draper.