Securing Your Future: A Guide to Mechanical Engineering Internships

As an aspiring mechanical engineer, an internship is an invaluable stepping stone. It's a chance to explore the diverse landscape of the field and gain practical experience. The good news is that internships exist for every interest and level of expertise, spanning disciplines from civil and manufacturing engineering to aerospace engineering and robotics. This article will guide you through the world of mechanical engineering internships, covering requirements, opportunities, and strategies for landing your dream role.

The Value of Hands-On Experience

No matter what type of engineering internship you choose, having hands-on experience and gaining knowledge in the industry is essential. A mechanical engineering intern job, or one in any mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) field, might be unpaid, paid, or count toward college credit. Unpaid internships provide valuable experience and the opportunity to network with professionals in lieu of a paycheck. Paid internships offer to pay for the work, but you may need more experience and qualifications than an unpaid position. College students fulfilling certain curriculum requirements may instead (or also) earn college credit for the internship experience.

Types of Mechanical Engineering Internships

Mechanical Engineering is a very diverse field. Mechanical Engineers are vital in many settings because of the breadth of knowledge that they bring to the job. In addition, this breadth widens the range of potential job opportunities at many different types of companies. Several potential career opportunities are available for someone with an internship. Skills that MECOP Mechanical Engineering interns develop include a solid understanding of design, testing, analysis, and implementation of products, processes, and systems. Beyond building mechanical aptitude, interns learn to extend knowledge that applies to new technologies and processes. Let's explore some common types of mechanical engineering internships:

Aerospace Engineering Intern

Aerospace engineers are responsible for designing, testing, and producing aircrafts, spacecrafts, and their components. Universities and private companies typically offer aerospace engineering internships. They provide valuable practical experience and networking opportunities. Aerospace engineering interns can develop important skills applicable to their career, such as technical production planning, effective communication, and teamwork. Graduate and undergraduate students wanting to gain hands-on field experience or upskill to obtain an aerospace engineer job title can benefit from this internship.

Requirements: You must complete two to three years of college to obtain an aerospace engineering internship. In addition to having a strong fundamental knowledge of aerospace engineering, aerodynamics, and other engineering principles, an intern should also have strong technical skills, including familiarity with computer programming and AutoCAD.

Read also: Requirements for Legal Internships

Career opportunities: These include aerodynamic engineers and aeronautical engineers.

Electrical Engineering Intern

An electrical engineering internship provides the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to practical job tasks, such as branch circuiting, lighting calculations, site investigations, and design drawings. It also sets the platform for undergraduates to build on their professional aptitude, character, and confidence in the field.

Requirements: As an intern, you must be proficient in C++, Analog, and Revit to develop software programs for hardware automation designing and setup. You'll also need a bachelor's degree or higher in electrical engineering and proficiency in at least two programming languages.

Career opportunities: Electrical engineering interns can pursue rewarding careers in areas like computer or software engineering, which involves developing and testing hardware and software. Other careers in this field include advanced automation, robotic system engineering, and defense systems engineering.

Manufacturing Engineering Intern

A manufacturing internship is open to undergraduate students from disciplines including industrial design, mechanical, and electrical engineering. During the internship, manufacturing engineering interns will observe and learn from the production staff, review and assess manufacturing equipment and tools, examine quality control records, and complete administrative tasks to understand the plant's operations.

Read also: Future Leaders

Requirements: As an intern, you should be familiar with Lean Manufacturing, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), AutoCAD, and other computer software. You should also have some certifications, such as the Six Sigma Green Belt or Engineer in Training (EIT) Certification.

Career opportunities: Those who complete a manufacturing engineering internship may pursue various careers in fields like quality assurance engineering, project and process engineering, and product engineering.

Industrial Engineering Intern

An industrial engineering internship program is ideal for manufacturing, mechanical, and electrical engineering students. You will observe and learn from the production staff, review and assess manufacturing tools, observe quality control protocols, work on project management, and understand job functions during the internship.

Requirements: You must possess a keen understanding of instrumentation, project management, and data analysis to qualify for this internship. You should also have a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering.

Career opportunities: Those who complete an industrial engineering internship program may go on to pursue a variety of career options, such as manufacturing technician, industrial mechanic, and supply chain analyst.

Mechanical Design Intern

A mechanical design internship is also called a drafting internship. Your role would involve contributing to the creation of designs for mechanical devices, such as machines or electronics. As an intern, you work across all stages of the process, from brainstorming ideas to device production and testing.

Requirements: Those who want to qualify for a mechanical design internship must know how to create engineering drawings, have mechanical design skills, and have experience with CAD, Java, Autodesk, Matlab, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software.

Career opportunities: Those who complete a mechanical design internship can pursue various career options, including product design engineering, project engineering, engineering management, and mechanical engineering.

Essential Requirements for Mechanical Engineering Internships

You’ll need a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent work experience in mechanical engineering or a related field) to qualify for most of them, and many also require a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Some internships, particularly those within the aerospace or defense sectors, may also require U.S. citizenship to obtain a security clearance.

How to Land the Best Mechanical Engineering Internship

Landing an internship is not as hard as you might think. If you're in school, your college or university may offer access to an internship program designed for engineering students. You can also attend job fairs to get an industry overview and network with potential employers. You can also use job boards to search for internship opportunities for this entry-level opportunity. Look for job postings mentioning “reasonable accommodations” and “equal opportunity.” Applicants using job boards typically have great success in finding internships. They can also help you connect with employers quickly. You can also set up job alerts for these and other options, like industrial engineering internships, that might fit the bill.

Here, we will discuss strategies to help you land your dream internship.

Finding an Internship

Finding the right mechanical engineering internship can seem daunting, but Handshake is here to help. Join Handshake today and start your search for mechanical engineering internships.

Getting an Interview

Landing your first internship interview can be tough. But with the right prep and strategy, you can nail the perfect opportunity. Highlight your skills from past internships or projects, and put any awards or honors front and center on your resume and cover letter. Personalizing your cover letter is also important. Copied-and-pasted cover letters are easy to spot, and hiring managers are more likely to notice yours if you address them and the company personally.

Landing the Job

Preparation is key to succeeding in an interview! One helpful way to prepare is by using the STAR technique. This approach helps you express your professional experiences by organizing them in the following way:

Situation: Describe a professional situation you’ve handled.
Task: What was asked of you in this situation, or what did you need to accomplish?
Action: What did you do in response to the task?
Result: What were the positive results of your action?

It’s also important to research some common interview questions and practice your answers beforehand. This will help you focus during the interview and provide meaningful and articulate responses. Lastly, don't forget to showcase your enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. You can emphasize that during the interview process by preparing thoughtful questions to ask your interviewer about the company and what the internship will involve.

Additional Tips for Securing Your Internship

Get Your Mechanical Engineering Resume in Shape: Whether this will be your first internship or not, having a strong resume is critical to making it to the interview stage. Make sure your resume is up to date with all your latest skills, experiences, extracurriculars, classes, certifications, and so on. Take a look at the job descriptions and requirements for mechanical engineering internships you’re interested in and note any keywords. Then, be sure to incorporate those keywords into your resume. Oftentimes, employers use an algorithm to sort through the thousands of potential applicants, and keywords are important for making it more likely that your resume will pass through.
Typical Interview Questions for Mechanical Engineers: Have you ever interned before, and what engineering experience did you gain? Why did you choose to pursue a career in engineering, and why did you choose our company for an internship? What skills do you have that will help you excel as an engineering intern, and how will you implement them while interning with us? What do you hope to get from this engineering internship? What field of engineering would you like to specialize in? What can you offer us that other internship candidates cannot? Tell us about the best engineering project you’ve ever worked on.

Internship Structures and Program Variations

Internships offered are a function of both industry demand as well as the volume of students applying to MECOP. Past participation is not necessarily an indication of future opportunities. Each company's internship needs change annually. The volume of companies and quantity of internships available for each discipline will vary every year. The following timeframes have been laid out by our participating universities for when an internship should be offered. Each participating university discipline has a set of required courses that must be taken to stay on schedule for program participation. These requirements are optimized to provide the necessary skills to participate in MECOP's internships while minimizing the amount of time added to receiving a degree.

Paid vs. Unpaid Internships

Internships in mechanical engineering programs vary widely, with many paid opportunities but some unpaid positions still available. offer some form of payment, reflecting strong industry demand for skilled interns.

Key aspects to consider about paid vs unpaid mechanical engineering internships include:

Payment structures: Paid internships usually provide hourly wages or stipends. Compensation levels depend on factors such as the size and location of the employer, as well as the intern's experience and responsibilities.
Influencing factors: Whether an internship is paid often varies with the employer type and region. Larger corporations tend to offer paid roles, while smaller firms and nonprofits may lean toward unpaid positions.
Value of unpaid roles: Unpaid internships may still offer academic credit and valuable hands-on experience crucial for career preparation. These opportunities can be important for networking and skill development despite the lack of direct pay.

Internship Requirements by Degree Level

Mechanical engineering internship requirements by degree level can vary significantly based on the complexity and purpose of the work experience.

Undergraduate: Internships usually last a summer or semester, providing practical exposure through supervised, task-focused projects. These experiences help develop core engineering skills, encourage networking, and prepare students for entry-level employment.
Graduate (Master's): Graduate internships or co-op programs often involve longer commitments and more advanced responsibilities, including research, product design, or simulations. Supervision is less direct, fostering greater autonomy and specialization relevant for advanced technical roles.
Doctoral: Doctoral candidates engage in research internships or assistantships emphasizing experimental and theoretical inquiry, often with minimal supervision. These experiences build expertise essential for academia or high-level industry positions.

Accelerated Programs

Accelerated mechanical engineering programs condense the traditional four-year curriculum into two or three years, requiring careful integration of internships or clinical hours within a tight schedule. These programs often use flexible options such as summer internships, co-op placements between terms, or part-time industry roles alongside classes to ensure practical experience without prolonging study time. Collaborations between schools and employers frequently result in shorter, focused projects that align with academic objectives. Despite the compressed timelines, these internships maintain the rigorous standards expected for engineering education.

Online vs. On-Campus Programs

Internship and clinical hour requirements for mechanical engineering programs generally do not vary significantly between online and on-campus formats. Both types of programs expect students to complete a set number of hours gaining hands-on experience to meet professional standards and accreditation criteria. This practical training focuses on applying engineering theory, honing technical skills, and understanding workplace interactions. has grown by over 30% from 2012 to 2020, highlighting increased access to engineering programs that include experiential learning components.

Differences arise in how internships are arranged and managed. Online students typically have more freedom in choosing internship locations, which can include remote or geographically diverse opportunities. Scheduling is often more flexible to fit around other commitments, while supervision and guidance rely more on virtual communication tools. Despite these logistical variations, the essential goal remains to ensure meaningful, supervised engineering experience that prepares students for their careers.

Specialization and Internship Requirements

Specialization choices within mechanical engineering degree programs play a crucial role in shaping internship or clinical hour requirements, as they align practical experiences with specific industry needs. For instance, about 68% of mechanical engineering students participate in internships related to their field of focus, highlighting the importance of tailored hands-on experience for career readiness. Different focus areas such as robotics, aerospace, or energy systems demand distinct types and intensities of internships, often in settings ranging from high-tech laboratories to renewable energy companies. This variability directly reflects the diversity in mechanical engineering internship requirements by specialization, affecting the nature of students' practical training.

Work Experience as a Substitute

Work experience can sometimes substitute for internship requirements in a mechanical engineering degree, but this depends largely on the institution and program. Many students balancing full-time jobs find it difficult to complete traditional internships, making this a frequent concern. In certain cases, relevant professional experience-verified by employers and aligned with course objectives-may be accepted as a replacement. Key factors include the duration of work, responsibilities held, and whether the program's accreditation standards allow such flexibility, especially for those enrolled in applied tracks or returning mid-career.

Internship Duration

The duration of internships significantly affects how much practical experience mechanical engineering students gain before entering the workforce. Industry data shows that about 70% of mechanical engineering internships last one summer term, offering a practical balance between learning and academic commitments.

Short-term internships: These usually span 8 to 10 weeks during summer breaks and provide students with hands-on exposure to engineering tasks without conflicting with their academic year. They are the most common format, ideal for those seeking concentrated, real-world experience in a limited timeframe.
Semester-long internships or co-ops: These programs extend for 4 to 6 months, often aligning with an academic semester. They enable students to take on more responsibility and complex projects, offering a deeper understanding of industry workflows while requiring coordination with college schedules.
Extended rotations: Lasting over 6 months, these are frequently part of integrated co-op programs that combine coursework and work experience over multiple terms. Specialized tracks such as aerospace or manufacturing engineering may favor these longer engagements to accommodate detailed training on specific equipment or processes, complying with accreditation standards like ABET.

The Impact of Internships on Job Placement

Job placement outcomes are a key concern for prospective students pursuing a mechanical engineering degree, as securing employment after graduation is a primary objective. A National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) report shows that about 60% of engineering graduates who completed internships received at least one job offer before graduating, compared to 36% without such experience. The positive impact of internships on employment prospects can be seen in several important areas:

Employer Preferences: Employers highly value internships because they showcase an applicant's ability to apply technical know.

Companies Offering Mechanical Engineering Internships

Northrop Grumman: is a multinational aerospace and defense company. Engineers at Northrop Grumman have helped design the B-21 stealth bomber, the X-47B drone, and the James Webb Space Telescope. Northrop Grumman is seeking mechanical engineering students for summer internships at its Mission Systems Sector in Baltimore, Maryland.
Boeing: is a multinational aerospace company. Founded in 1916, it’s grown to become one of the largest flight vehicle manufacturers in the world and the largest US exporter by dollar value. Boeing is seeking mechanical engineering students for summer internships through its Engineering Intern Program. Internships fall into one of several categories: mechanical systems design and analysis; structural design; structural analysis; manufacturing; liaison; tooling; payloads; and product support.
Tesla: is an electric vehicle and clean energy company based in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2003, it’s grown to become one of the world’s most valuable companies, and the most valued automaker in the world. Tesla is currently seeking mechanical engineering students for summer internships in mechanical design engineering. Interns will work closely with Tesla’s internal product design, facilities, operations, production, and quality engineering teams.
Lockheed Martin: is an American company that is interested in aerospace, defense, information security, and technology. It is the world’s largest defense contractor by revenue. Lockheed Martin’s Space Division is seeking mechanical engineering students for summer internships. In this role, interns will design or analyze hardware, support manufacture, and work to customer requirements.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL): is a federally-funded research and development center. Founded in the 1930s, it is owned by NASA and managed by the California Institute of Technology (CalTech).
Space X: is an aerospace manufacturer, space transportation, and communication company based in Hawthorne, California. Founded in 2002 with the goal of reducing the costs of space transportation, it’s grown in ambition to develop technologies that ultimately enable human life on Mars. SpaceX is seeking a number of engineering students for summer internships. Applicants will be considered across several different SpaceX teams: avionics; build reliability; customer operations and integration; flight reliability; launch engineering; materials engineering; production; propulsion; starship engineering; supply chain; test operations; and vehicle engineering.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): is an independent agency of the US government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research. NASA is seeking engineering students for internships in the summer and fall. Interns will collaborate with leading experts and work under the guidance of a mentor on projects that impact NASA’s mission, such as returning to the moon via the Artemis project.
DuPont: is an American multinational chemical company formed in 1802. state of Delaware and first arose as a major supplier of gunpowder. DuPont’s purpose is to empower the world with essential innovations to thrive. DuPont’s paid internship or co-op program offers students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience to develop essential skills for their careers.
Honeywell: is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation that primarily operates in four areas of business: building automation, aerospace, energy and sustainability solutions, and industrial automation. It helps organizations solve the world’s most complex challenges in automation, energy transition, and the future of aviation. At Honeywell’s mechanical engineering summer internship, interns will have the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge projects and gain hands-on experience in the field of mechanical engineering. They will work closely with teams of experienced professionals and engineers, learn from their expertise, and apply their knowledge to real-world challenges.

tags: #mechanical #engineering #internships #requirements