At just 16 years old, Armian Hanelli left Albania to pursue a dream that would eventually take him much farther than he could have imagined. Today, after contributing to projects at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and now serving in a senior engineering role at Apple, he stands as one of the most inspiring examples of Albanian talent making an impact in the global technology industry.
Hanelli’s journey began through the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, a U.S. Department of State-funded exchange initiative that gives outstanding students from around the world the opportunity to study in the United States.
“I came to the United States at the age of 16 through the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program. Later, my family joined me in America, and I completed the final two years of high school here.”
During his senior year of high school, Hanelli had his first direct exposure to the semiconductor industry through an internship at Intel Corporation.
“During my final year of high school, I interned at Intel Corporation as a digital chip designer. That year-long internship made me realize just how much there was still to learn in the fascinating field of Electrical Engineering, and that a bachelor’s degree alone would not be enough. I later returned to Virginia Tech for my final semester and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering.”
Following his graduation from Virginia Tech, Hanelli continued his academic journey at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), one of the world’s leading institutions in science and engineering. While studying there, he had the opportunity to closely observe the groundbreaking work taking place at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the research center behind many of NASA’s most important space exploration missions.
“I was fortunate to study at Caltech and witness firsthand the incredible work being done at JPL. It inspired me to pursue a career where I could apply my engineering skills and hopefully contribute something meaningful to humanity.”
In 2018, Hanelli joined NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory as an intern and, only a few months later, was hired full-time as a Digital Parts Reliability Engineer.
His role was critical: ensuring that the electronic components used in space missions would remain reliable under the harshest possible conditions.
“My role was Digital Parts Reliability Engineer. My responsibility was to ensure that electronic components could withstand every challenge encountered during space missions—from extremely high and low temperatures to the vacuum of space, cosmic radiation, and other harsh environments. My work focused on identifying every potential risk, understanding what could go wrong, evaluating the consequences, and minimizing those risks. Specifically, I worked with microprocessors, FPGA devices, memory chips, and other digital electronic components.”
Hanelli’s work centered on analyzing and certifying electronic components destined for space missions. Every single part had to undergo rigorous testing to ensure it could survive extreme temperatures, the vacuum of space, and cosmic radiation—because once a spacecraft is launched, repairs are no longer an option.
One of the defining moments of his career came with his involvement in the historic Mars 2020 mission, which successfully delivered NASA’s Perseverance rover to the surface of Mars.
“Watching our rover land safely on Mars was an extraordinary moment. I always thought I would be emotionally prepared for such an incredible achievement, but the feeling was far greater than I had ever imagined.”
Hanelli explains that his team played a direct role in evaluating the electronic components used throughout the mission.
“Every digital electronic component used in the Mars 2020 mission passed through our office for risk analysis. When I joined JPL full-time in January 2019, the Mars 2020 project was in its final verification phase. This gave me the opportunity to become closely involved with some of the technologies used on the rover and contribute to additional analysis and testing for components requiring further verification. When it comes to the digital electronics used in the mission, our team was unquestionably part of that success.”
According to Hanelli, the Mars 2020 mission represents far more than a scientific milestone—it is an investment in humanity’s future.
“The primary objective of this mission is to search for signs of ancient life on Mars and collect rock and soil samples that can eventually be returned to Earth. Many of the technologies developed for space exploration later find applications in our everyday lives. NASA also carries out vital Earth-focused missions that are invaluable. I believe the exploration we are conducting on Mars today will one day contribute to humanity’s future.”
After more than two years at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Hanelli joined Apple in July 2021 as an Engineering Program Manager within the company’s Display Test & Instrumentation team.
For more than four years, he led key engineering programs focused on display testing technologies, coordinating multidisciplinary engineering teams and managing complex product development initiatives.
Since October 2025, Hanelli has served as Senior Engineering Program Manager at Apple in San Diego, where he continues to contribute to the development of some of the company’s most advanced technologies and products.
Armian Hanelli’s story is a powerful reminder that investing in education, embracing hard work, and remaining persistent can open the doors to the world’s most prestigious institutions and technology companies.
From a 16-year-old student arriving in the United States through an educational exchange program to contributing to NASA’s Mars missions and now holding a senior leadership role at Apple, his journey is an inspiring example for young Albanians—and for anyone who believes that talent and determination know no boundaries.
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