Are you passionate about engineering? You can now obtain professional experience without waiting for college. An increasing number of internships offer opportunities to work on real-world projects, gain knowledge from professionals in the field, and develop technical skills.
These 9 engineering opportunities will help you get ready for both academic and professional success in engineering.
1. The NASA OSTEM High School Internship Program
Focus: Aerospace engineering, robotics and satellite technology
Location: US-wide NASA facilities
Eligibility: U.S. citizens over 16 with a minimum 3.0 GPA
Deadline: May 26 (Fall Program), August 30 (Spring Program), October 20 (Summer Program)
Through internships with NASA's Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM), students work on projects ranging from robotics to spacecraft design. Participants will work alongside NASA engineers to develop their skills in data analysis, propulsion systems, and CAD software. The program gives participants access to cutting-edge facilities like the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and also provides mentorship from NASA scientists. In order to provide a thorough introduction to aerospace careers, interns will also take part in career readiness workshops and will showcase their work at agency symposia.
2. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program
Focus: Defense Related AI, materials science and aerospace systems
Location: AFRL locations across the country
Eligibility: U.S. citizens over 16 with a minimum 3.0 GPA
Deadline: January Annually
AFRL Scholars work on projects like designing hypersonic vehicles and applications for quantum computing. You will collaborate with Air Force engineers on both classified and unclassified research while earning a weekly stipend of $510. There are chances to publish findings in military journals, and the program places a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration. Defence innovation is revealed through site visits to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and exposure to 3D printing labs.
3. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Focus: Mechanical systems, naval architecture and cybersecurity
Location: Department of Navy labs nationwide
Eligibility: U.S. citizens over 16 in grades 10-12
Deadline: November 1
SEAP apprentices work on projects like developing drone sensors and optimising submarine propulsion. Students test prototypes in wind tunnels and with computational fluid dynamics software at labs like the Naval Surface Warfare Centre. The program prepares interns for careers in the public and private sectors by offering seminars on ethical engineering and security clearance training.
4. SPARK Summer Internship Program
Focus: Automotive design and renewable energy systems
Location: Seattle, Washington
Eligibility: High school students
Deadline: March
SPARK collaborates with businesses such as Tesla and Boeing to involve interns in mechanical prototyping and energy efficiency analysis. Participants will design components and perform stress tests using programs like SOLIDWORKS to learn more about manufacturing processes, whilst practical knowledge is improved through site visits to hydroelectric plants and mentoring from qualified engineers.
5. Amazon Future Engineer Internship
Focus: Robotics, machine learning and cloud computing
Location: Hybrid (remote and onsite at Amazon offices)
Eligibility: High school seniors pursuing computer science/engineering
Deadline: Fall (varies)
In order to create AI-driven solutions, like warehouse automation algorithms or improvements to Alexa voice recognition, this internship pairs students with Amazon engineers. In addition to mentoring from tech leaders and receiving a $10,000 scholarship, participants' projects frequently result in patent submissions. The program offers skills that are relevant to the industry because of its emphasis on AWS cloud infrastructure and agile methodologies.
6. Johns Hopkins Engineering Innovation Program
Focus: Biomedical devices and circuit design
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Eligibility: High school students with calculus or physics background
Deadline: April
In the biomedical labs at Johns Hopkins, students create microfluidic chips and ECG monitors. With access to oscilloscopes and 3D printers, the curriculum covers PCB fabrication and signal processing. Intersections between engineering and healthcare are highlighted through field trips to the Applied Physics Lab and guest lectures from Medtronic engineers.
7. MITES Summer at MIT
Focus: Nanotechnology and renewable energy
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Eligibility: High school juniors from under-represented backgrounds
Deadline: February 1
In the Department of Materials Science at MIT, MITES scholars synthesise nanomaterials and use scanning electron microscopes to analyse the results. In addition to quantum mechanics coursework, the program offers faculty mentorship on DOE-funded projects. Students can present their research on subjects like perovskite solar cells at a final symposium.
8. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Internship
Focus: Fusion energy and electromagnetics
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Eligibility: High school seniors over 16
Deadline: March 1
Interns participate in fusion reactor experiments by simulating plasma behaviour with MATLAB. Practical experience with tokamak reactors is supplemented by training in vacuum systems and cryogenics. Pathways to internships at national labs like Livermore are provided by the program's collaboration with the Department of Energy.
9. NSA High School Work Study
Focus: Cybersecurity and cryptographic systems
Location: Fort Meade, Maryland
Eligibility: Juniors/Seniors in DC/MD/VA over 16
Deadline: Rolling Admissions
This part-time internship will involve network vulnerability analysis and encryption protocol development. Interns will participate in ethical hacking workshops and obtain security clearances; their work frequently influences the NSA's threat detection algorithms. Participants can balance coursework with 20–32 weekly work hours thanks to the program's dual enrolment structure.
If you are a high school student pushing yourself to stand out in college applications, RISE Global Education offers a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with mentors from top universities around the world.
Through personalized guidance and independent research projects that can lead to prestigious publications, RISE helps you build a standout academic profile and develop skills that set you apart. With flexible program dates and global accessibility, ambitious students can apply year-round. To learn more about eligibility, costs, and how to get started, visit RISE Global’s official website and take your college preparation to the next level!
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