DLR Group Internship: Launching Your Design Career

DLR Group offers an internship program designed to provide students and recent graduates with the insight and opportunities needed to build successful, meaningful careers. This program goes beyond the typical “summer internship,” emphasizing real-world design work and connections with multi-disciplinary peers across the country. DLR Group is committed to the next generation of AEC leaders through hiring, mentoring, and investing in interns and new graduates.

The Emerging Professionals Experience (EPX) Program

In 2020, DLR Group strengthened its commitment by doubling the number of interns hired and formalizing the Emerging Professionals Experience (EPX) program. EPX develops the whole employee and was specifically created to support and educate interns and new grads. EPX is modeled to be the ideal bridge between university and office. At the intersection of mentorship, educational classes, and practical application, the EPX program engages interns and other emerging professionals in every facet of DLR Group’s business. Learn more about our award-winning EPX program.

Program Highlights

Real Design Work: Interns make an impact with real design work.
Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration: Connect with multi-disciplinary peers across the country.
Comprehensive Support: 98% of our EPX’ers feel their experience gave them the resources to succeed.
Design Voice Amplification: Each person who works at DLR Group has a design voice, and we can’t wait to help you define and amplify yours.
Hands-On Experience: You’ll learn the nuts and bolts (ha!) of putting together a building, while being part of something larger than yourself.
Project Exposure: You will gain experience on projects large and small, in various phases of construction.
Mentorship: Each EP is paired with a mentor to guide them through their summer experience, answering questions and providing support.
Educational Opportunities: Throughout the summer, EPs attend weekly classes where more than forty speakers discuss their unique career paths and the work they do inside and outside the firm.

How to Intern with DLR Group

DLR Group supports the next generation of big thinkers so they can influence and mold the future of our industry. The firm has hosted internships for students from high school to postgraduate levels.

Application Process

DLR Group typically begins hiring for summer internships in February. Great! Here’s a link to our open positions. If you don’t see an opening in your city, remember, DLR Group is always looking for great candidates. Keep checking back for new openings.

Available Positions

DLR Group often has multiple positions and locations available. Applicants should refer to all openings posted and apply to the locations that are most suitable to their living situation during the course of their internship. For example, DLR Group's Design Technology team may have an opening for a Summer Intern. Also, DLR Group’s Orlando studio may have an opening for a Planning & Urban Design Summer Intern.

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Internship Experience

Emerging professionals (EPs) participate in every phase of the design process, from design charrettes to construction site visits. Whether you are pursuing hours towards the Architectural Experience Program or time allocated to becoming an Engineer in Training, finding your way around a new city, or learning new software programs, we’ll be here to help you track and discover the possibilities around you.

Role and Responsibilities

As a DLR Group Summer Intern, you will be an important part of our integrated design team and will help produce designs for commercial, educational, and municipal buildings of all sizes and complexities. You may also participate in and gain an understanding of planning documentation.

Program Details

Duration: Our Summer Internship Program is a paid, full-time opportunity running from May 19 through August 7, 2026. We expect interns to participate throughout the duration of the program.
Compensation and Benefits: Compensation considerations are based on location, experience, and skills. Our comprehensive Benefits at DLR Group include medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401(k) plan, employee stock ownership, and bonus opportunities.

Visa Sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not offered for this position, including temporary visas such as E, F-1 (including OPT and CPT), TN, J, H-1B, or those who need employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future.

DLR Group Culture and Values

DLR Group is an integrated design firm with a promise to elevate the human experience through design. This fuels the work we do around the world and inspires our mission to improve the lives of our clients, our communities, and our planet.

Employee Ownership and Collaboration

We are 100% employee-owned: every employee is literally invested in our clients’ success. At the core of our firm are interdisciplinary teams engaged in every step of project lifecycles. Our teams champion true collaboration, open information sharing, shared risk and reward, value-based decision making, and proficient use of technology to deliver exceptional design.

Design Voice and Impact

Each person who works at DLR Group has a design voice, and we can’t wait to help you define and amplify yours. Find new ways to elevate the human experience through design. Discover new paths for your passions. Make career-defining connections.

Testimonials and Experiences

Each year a new group of emerging professionals, from interns to new graduates, are welcomed to DLR Group. Among thousands of applicants, approximately 6% find a place with us for a semester or longer.

Here are some insights from past interns:

“The work is fulfilling, the people are really great, and the culture of the firm is one of the best I’ve seen or heard.”
“I already have recommended DLR Group to another student for an internship or full-time employment opportunity!"
“My manager gave me directions to go in and ask questions as I had them. It was as close to working as a full electrical engineer as possible."
“Growth! With the reach and opportunities DLR Group has to offer, I was not pigeon-holed into any one area."
“I’m invited to meetings often and am asked for my perspective. A continuous example of this is when my manager and I go through lighting design intent with our interior designer."
“As someone who does not come from a design background, I still felt like my design voice was valued."
“It feels like every day there’s an opportunity. A notable example is being able to design the entry canopy on one of the buildings in our project."
“One of the main reasons I chose DLR Group was because of their involvement with timber structures. I got the opportunity to work on T3 in Toronto."
“I enjoyed learning about the High Performance Design team."
“Throughout the summer, I researched materials and learned a lot about what to look for and what to avoid when citing sustainability certifications on products."
“There is a strong work culture that would be hard to find at another firm."
“I believe in the business, the company, and - most importantly - the people."
“I appreciated that everyone at the office was willing to help and/or guide me through new tasks."
“I’m the only one in my class that received PTO for working as an intern. This wasn’t what made me love working here, but woah!"
“Everyone values interns here and it shows. Having personal conversations with principals and leadership helped me feel engaged."
“I really felt a lot of kindness and welcome this summer at the Dallas office."
“I always had dreams of working on inner city projects that directly impact underserved communities, especially of color like mine. While working with senior designers, associates, design leaders, and principals, my voice was included at every step."
“The knowledge around me elevated me as a professional. I feel like I have good control of both work and personal life, and alignment with my personal values; a good balance can be maintained here."
“The most rewarding experience I had was traveling with the team for a student engagement barely 1 month after starting at DLR Group. I felt very inspired to be given the opportunity to travel for such an intense research engagement early into my career."
“The engineering team was always willing to talk with me and explain the work they were doing."
“The transparency showed us how DLR Group works, and the professionals in my office were not only awesome but also career-focused."
“I’m interested in returning to DLR Group because the culture is very supportive of new knowledge and of sharing knowledge."
“DLR Group was the only firm I looked at with a set-in-stone vision for new hires and interns, and also the only firm with office events to build comradery."
“The environment and expertise here is creating a new generation of designers that will tackle challenges in the future. The fear of making mistakes was diminished."
“My team was extremely helpful when it comes to understanding concepts and knowing what to do."
“As an engineer, I chose DLR Group because I knew it was more than just working with other engineers of my discipline."

Equal Opportunity Employer

DLR Group provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, we comply with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. We expressly prohibit any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Due to fraudulent activity by individuals impersonating recruiters and business entities, anyone who receives communication requesting personal information from such accounts should remain cautious before responding.

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