B.S. Candidate in Aerospace Engineering
DAYTONA BEACH, FL — BID4R student, Jaden Caradine, was offered 3 different positions within the NASA pathways program before ultimately accepting a position in the Space Mission Analysis Branch at Langley Research Center. Their work closely aligns with his long-term goals of becoming a systems integration engineer for future space station projects similar to the ISS and project gateway.
The NASA Pathways program is a unique opportunity that provides a series of internships and mentorship that continue until you graduate. He’ll be starting his first internship in Jan 2026, continue to go back every summer until he finishes his master’s degree. NASA pathways interns are hired on as full time government employees. As they progress in their respective degree and field they become eligible for promotions within the pathways program and even have the option of transferring to other departments or NASA centers to determine the most suitable place for their skill set.
The NASA Pathways Program, unlike traditional internship programs, does not require him to apply every year; it guarantees a series of internships while he completes his undergraduate and graduate studies. At the completion of a program, it provides a direct pipeline to apply for full time employment with NASA.
Jaden Caradine is really excited to work with the Space Mission Analysis Branch as they develop Integrated architectures, perform mission risk analysis, and strategically provide programmatic and technical assessments of future missions and space technology. They develop and apply data driven decision models to inform NASA decision makers. It was hinted during his interview that he’ll be given a portfolio of technologies and systems and have the opportunity to evaluate the integration methods, identifying potential risks, and search for possible improvements. He won’t know exactly what he’ll be doing until he gets there, but he’s confident that no matter what project they put him on, this center will develop the core skills necessary for engineering leadership and decision making.
He said, “I’m very grateful for this opportunity and I can’t wait to share what I learn with my friends, colleagues, and community.”
BID4R Lab 