15 Internships For College Students In Oakland, CA
- Stephen Turban
- 56 minutes ago
- 14 min read
Internships can be one of the most effective ways to gain professional experience while still in college. They allow you to apply classroom knowledge in workplace settings, develop industry-specific skills, and learn more about potential career paths before graduation. Many internships also provide opportunities to work alongside experienced professionals, build your network, and gain exposure to the day-to-day operations of different organizations.
Oakland offers a diverse range of internship opportunities across sectors such as healthcare, public policy, engineering, transportation, technology, marketing, finance, and social impact. With major employers, public agencies, nonprofits, and startups located throughout the city and the broader Bay Area, students can find internships that align with a wide variety of academic backgrounds and professional interests.
Why should I do an internship in college?
Internships allow you to develop practical skills and gain a better understanding of how your field operates in a professional environment. Depending on the role, you might conduct research, analyze data, support business operations, contribute to engineering or technology projects, create marketing content, engage in community outreach, or work alongside professionals on organizational initiatives. These experiences can help you strengthen your resume, clarify your career interests, and prepare for the transition from college to the workforce.
With that, here are 15 internships for college students in Oakland, CA!
If you’re looking for remote internships, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
Most internships on this list are paid, with hourly rates ranging from $19.96 (UC Office of the President) to $37.36 (OakDOT graduate students), and Simpson Gumpertz & Heger offering a $1,000 sign-on bonus, reflecting Oakland's strong professional internship market across sectors.
Internships span a wide range of fields including transportation and infrastructure (OakDOT, Fehr & Peers, Port of Oakland), healthcare and public health (Kaiser Permanente, Asian Health Services REACH), technology and AI product management (Williams-Sonoma, Kaiser), engineering and structural consulting (BKF Engineers, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger), social impact and policy research (CRL at Self-Help, IRC Youth Program), and marketing and media (E.L.F. Beauty, UC Office of the President).
Several internships are particularly suited to students interested in social impact and community development, including Asian Health Services REACH (community health in Oakland Chinatown), International Rescue Committee (refugee youth support), Neighborship (affordable housing and restorative justice), and CRL Policy Research (consumer finance advocacy for underserved populations).
Students interested in transportation, urban planning, or civil engineering have unusually strong options in Oakland, with OakDOT, Port of Oakland, and Fehr & Peers all offering paid internships with hands-on fieldwork and community engagement components.
Several internships have early deadlines, with Williams-Sonoma closing December 5, OakDOT closing January 9, and Asian Health Services closing March 2, so students should begin identifying and preparing applications in the fall semester well before the spring recruiting cycle.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to undergraduates and gap year students!
Ladder University Internship Program places you in a selective, virtual internship with startups and nonprofits from around the world, making it a great summer internship for college students looking for flexible, meaningful work. You’ll take on a project that the organization genuinely needs - whether that’s in education, tech, marketing, or social impact - and work closely with your manager to see it through. By the end of the term, you’ll present your work to stakeholders, gaining practical project management, collaboration, and communication skills. Because the internship is remote, it fits easily into a summer schedule while offering global exposure and professional connections.
Location: Port of Oakland, Oakland, CA
Cost: A stipend is paid
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 8 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 11
Eligibility: Current college students or recent graduates (within six months) with a minimum 2.75 GPA who reside in one of the nine Bay Area counties during the summer
The Port of Oakland Summer College Internship Program provides you with an immersive look into the management of critical public infrastructure and regional economic development. As an intern, you will engage in hands-on projects across diverse departments, including Aviation, Maritime, Engineering, and Legal services. Your experience includes unique site visits such as tours of the Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport and the Oakland Seaport to see large-scale operations in action. You also have the chance to participate in a Governmental Affairs roundtable and meet with the Board of Port Commissioners, which offers a rare level of professional exposure for undergraduates. The program concludes with professional development opportunities.
Location: Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA
Stipend: $25 - $29.82 per hour
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June – August
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Pursuing a bachelor’s degree or graduated within the last year, with a preferred 3.0 GPA, and residency in an authorized state such as CA
The Kaiser Permanente Market Research Bachelor's Internship invites you to join the National Sales team to support strategic growth and enterprise prospecting. In this role, you will conduct deep-dive research into industry trends and financial reports to uncover actionable insights for national employers. A significant portion of your work involves leveraging cutting-edge AI tools like Copilot and Gemini to build automated research workflows and prospect plans. You will collaborate directly with Sales Executives to help position the organization as a preferred partner to influential companies nationwide. By the end of the summer, you will have produced a sophisticated library of research resources that demonstrate your technical proficiency and business acumen.
Location: e.l.f. Beauty, Oakland, CA
Stipend: $20 per hour
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – August 21
Application Deadline: Not specified, early application is encouraged
Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors at the time of the internship with a strong passion for the beauty industry and proficiency in Microsoft Office
The E.L.F. Beauty Summer Intern for Product Marketing Innovation offers you a front row seat to the operations of one of the fastest-growing mass cosmetics brands in the industry. During this ten-week program, you will support the Innovation Product Marketing team by coordinating product sampling, maintaining launch calendars, and conducting deep dive market analysis. Your daily responsibilities include monitoring the global beauty marketplace for emerging trends and providing data-driven insights on pricing, packaging, and ingredients. You will also have the opportunity to manage incoming and outgoing innovation product samples and collaborate on product briefs that shape future collections. This role is ideal if you possess an entrepreneurial spirit and a "no task is too small" mindset, as it places you directly within a high-volume, fast-paced creative environment.
Location: BKF Engineers, Oakland, CA (Hybrid/Remote options available)
Stipend: $23 - $28 per hour
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June – August
Application Deadline: Posted March 19. Apply as soon as possible
Eligibility: Currently pursuing a degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field with strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel
The BKF Engineers Summer Accounting Internship offers you a unique opportunity to build a professional foundation within the finance department of a premier infrastructure consulting firm. Working as part of the Finance and Accounting team, you will engage in essential operations such as processing accounts payable, performing bank reconciliations, and assisting with month-end close procedures. The program provides hands-on experience with the Deltek VantagePoint ERP system, where you will help with project setups and maintain accurate financial records. You will also have the chance to participate in internal audit activities and special process improvement projects alongside experienced professionals.
Location: PG&E Headquarters, Oakland, CA (Hybrid)
Stipend: $20.88 - $35.37 per hour
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June – August
Application Deadline: Not specified, early application recommended
Eligibility: Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business, Accounting, Engineering, or Data Science with the intent to continue education after the program.
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company Case Management Office Internship provides you with a unique vantage point into the intersection of corporate strategy and regulatory compliance. You will assist senior staff in optimizing management controls and work plans that ensure the company meets its safety and reliability expectations. This role allows you to accelerate the implementation of Lean Six Sigma and PMP methodologies while facilitating critical data requests for the reporting team. You will have the opportunity to manage interactive dashboards and support the development of process documentation that drives change management across the entire utility ecosystem. Throughout the summer, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the Electric Engineering organization and collaborate with experienced professionals to improve agency reporting standards.
Location: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Oakland, CA
Stipend: $29.25 - $36.75 per hour, depending on degree level (plus a $1,000 sign-on bonus for technical interns)
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer or Fall
Application Deadline: Not specified, early application recommended
Eligibility: Current students pursuing degrees in civil or structural engineering, materials science, architecture, or architectural engineering with a GPA of 3.0 or above
The Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Internship and Co-op program invites you to work alongside industry-leading experts to solve complex engineering challenges involving buildings and infrastructure. In this role, you will apply your classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios by assisting with construction monitoring, field investigations, and condition assessments. You will have the opportunity to analyze materials, develop test protocols, and perform structural analysis under the guidance of licensed professionals. Your work may also include site inspections and the preparation of high-level client deliverables such as construction documents and written reports.
Location: Fehr & Peers, Oakland, CA (and other Bay Area locations)
Stipend: $34 - $36 per hour
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer (semester or year-long options also available)
Application Deadline: Not specified, early application recommended
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in a bachelor’s (junior or senior standing) or master’s degree program in civil engineering, urban planning, or a related field
The Fehr & Peers Transportation Internship offers you a chance to dive into the world of transportation consulting by working on projects that directly impact local infrastructure. As an intern, you will take on responsibilities similar to those of entry-level staff, such as analyzing complex engineering problems and performing traffic operations simulations. You will have the opportunity to contribute to bicycle and pedestrian plans, transit planning, and travel demand modeling using industry-standard software like ArcGIS, AutoCAD, or Synchro. The program focuses on professional development through continuous feedback and collaboration with staff at all levels of the firm. Because the role involves community engagement, you will also gain experience communicating technical findings to diverse public audiences.
Location: UC Office of the President, Oakland, CA
Stipend: $19.96 - $24.95 hourly
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer (30-40 hours per week)
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Currently enrolled University of California student with in-depth experience in social media platforms and strong videography or editing skills
The UC Office of the President Social Media Internship invites you to join the systemwide headquarters’ External Engagement department to help shape the digital voice of the University of California. You will focus on creating fun and creative short-form video content for TikTok and Instagram Reels to increase student engagement and tell impactful stories from across the 10 campuses. You will have the opportunity to pitch original ideas, draft scripts, and film content that adapts current social media trends into on-brand messaging. Beyond content creation, you will analyze performance metrics and research algorithm triggers to ensure the University’s message reaches a diverse audience effectively.
Location: Asian Health Services, Oakland, CA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Students interested in public health or health-related fields who possess a high school diploma and are at least 18 years old
The Asian Health Services REACH Summer Internship provides you with a nine-week immersive experience in community health and advocacy within the vibrant context of Oakland Chinatown. As an intern, you will engage in a clinical rotation where you shadow medical assistants, observe patient encounters, and sit in on behavioral therapy sessions. The program also involves working with the management team on policy making, fundraising, and community building to understand the operational side of a health center. You will be tasked with developing a self-directed special project under the guidance of a mentor, allowing you to contribute original research or program improvements to the organization. To complement your hands-on work, the internship includes community health seminars led by guest lecturers who discuss the socio-political factors affecting healthcare delivery for marginalized populations.
Location: City of Oakland, CA
Stipend: $32.14 per hour for Undergraduate students; $37.36 per hour for Graduate students
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Early summer start
Application Deadline: January 9
Eligibility: Currently enrolled full-time in a degree-seeking program with at least one semester completed and the ability to work in person in Oakland
The Oakland Department of Transportation (OakDOT) College and Graduate Student Internship Program offers you the chance to gain professional experience in a progressive, fast-paced municipal environment. As an intern, you will contribute to critical urban infrastructure projects across divisions such as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, Traffic Engineering, and Complete Streets Design. Your work may include a blend of office-based planning and active fieldwork throughout the city to support multimodal mobility and public safety initiatives. The program provides a platform for you to develop technical skills in transportation planning and public administration while working directly with city engineers and policy makers. You will also have the opportunity to participate in field trips to active project sites and engage in community outreach events like Oakland Pride or local neighborhood festivals.
Location: Neighborship, Oakland, CA (Remote/Flexible options available)
Cost: Not specified
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer months
Application Deadline: Not specified, early application via email is recommended
Eligibility: Current undergraduate and graduate students with experience or interest in engineering, restorative justice, or digital media
The Neighborship Summer Internship offers you a chance to engage with a pioneering nonprofit focused on affordable housing through the development of tiny home communities. Depending on your interests, you may choose to serve as an off-grid engineer to design sustainable energy and wastewater systems or act as a Community Culture Catalyst to facilitate restorative justice and collective decision-making processes. You might also select the Media Maestro track, where you will develop communication strategies and produce short-form video or podcast content to promote urban cooperative living. This role allows you to work directly on evolving a six-year-old tiny home community in West Oakland into the city’s new legal paradigm for eco villages.
Location: Williams-Sonoma, Inc., San Francisco, CA
Stipend: $24 - $29 hourly
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 10 – August 14
Application Deadline: December 5. Apply as soon as possible
Eligibility: Rising seniors in an undergraduate program with a GPA of 3.5 or above and proficiency in Excel
The Williams-Sonoma Technology Product Management Internship offers you a high-impact role within the digital organization of a global retail leader. As an AI Product Management intern, you will help define and deliver machine learning capabilities that enhance product discovery and personalized shopping experiences across brands like West Elm and Pottery Barn. Your work involves collaborating with data science and engineering teams to prototype semantic search tools and agent-assisted shopping features that drive meaningful business outcomes. You will also contribute to the development of internal AI tools designed to streamline workflows for creative and merchandising teams. The program culminates in a final project where you pioneer a new idea for the brand and present your findings directly to the executive leadership team.
Location: International Rescue Committee, Oakland, CA (Hybrid)
Cost: None (requires a $40 background check fee)
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Ongoing (minimum 15 hours per week for 4 months or 240 hours total)
Application Deadline: Rolling; recommend applying 1-2 months before the start of the Fall, Spring, or Summer cohorts
Eligibility: Current college students (starting second year), graduate students, or recent graduates (within 2 years) with experience or interest in youth development
The International Rescue Committee Youth Program Internship offers you the chance to support refugee and immigrant youth as they navigate academic and social challenges in a new environment. You will assist in planning and facilitating educational workshops, mentorship sessions, and after-school enrichment activities designed to foster emotional and social development. You will work closely with resettlement coordinators to manage outreach to families, ensuring that young clients have access to necessary school resources and community connections. The position involves documenting participant progress and maintaining organized case files while participating in strategic team planning sessions.
Location: Self-Help / Center for Responsible Lending, Oakland, CA
Stipend: $26.00 per hour
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer (Full-time)
Application Deadline: Not specified, early application recommended
Eligibility: Undergraduate students, graduate students, or recent graduates with a sincere interest in non-profit work, advocacy, or social work
The CRL Policy Research Internship at the Center for Responsible Lending offers you a platform to engage in high-level advocacy aimed at eliminating systemic injustice in the financial services industry. In this role, you will support senior researchers in designing and executing large-scale projects focused on housing and consumer finance issues that impact underserved populations. You will be responsible for collecting and cleaning data from complex datasets and performing quantitative statistical analyses to uncover predatory lending patterns. Beyond technical research, you will collaborate with policy and communications teams to translate your findings into engaging briefs for the general public and state or federal policymakers.
Frequently asked questions
What types of internships are available for college students in Oakland?
Options include paid transportation and infrastructure internships (OakDOT, Port of Oakland, Fehr & Peers), paid engineering and structural consulting internships (Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, BKF Engineers), paid healthcare and public health internships (Kaiser Permanente, Asian Health Services REACH), paid technology and AI product management internships (Williams-Sonoma), paid policy research internships (CRL at Self-Help), paid social media and marketing internships (UC Office of the President, E.L.F. Beauty), social impact internships (IRC Youth Program, Neighborship), and remote startup internships (Ladder University).
Which Oakland internships offer the highest hourly pay?
OakDOT pays $37.36 per hour for graduate students and $32.14 for undergraduates. Fehr & Peers pays $34 to $36 per hour. Simpson Gumpertz & Heger pays $29.25 to $36.75 per hour plus a $1,000 sign-on bonus. Kaiser Permanente pays $25 to $29.82 per hour and PG&E pays $20.88 to $35.37 per hour depending on role and experience.
Which internships are best for students interested in public health or healthcare?
Asian Health Services REACH Summer Internship provides nine weeks of clinical rotation, policy shadowing, and a self-directed community health project in Oakland Chinatown. Kaiser Permanente Market Research Internship focuses on healthcare market strategy and AI-powered research workflows within a major health system. IRC Youth Program places students in youth development and resettlement support work with refugee and immigrant communities.
Are there internships in Oakland open to students from any major?
Yes, several internships welcome students across disciplines. Ladder University Internship Program accepts undergraduates from any field. Port of Oakland internship is open to students across majors with a 2.75 GPA. Asian Health Services REACH welcomes students with interest in public health regardless of major. IRC Youth Program is open to students with interest or experience in youth development, education, or social work.
Which internships are best for students interested in social impact or nonprofit work?
Asian Health Services REACH focuses on community health equity and healthcare advocacy for marginalized populations. CRL Policy Research at Self-Help involves quantitative research on predatory lending and consumer finance policy affecting underserved communities. IRC Youth Program supports refugee youth integration. Neighborship offers tracks in sustainable engineering, restorative justice, and community media for affordable housing advocacy.
When should I apply to internships for college students in Oakland?
Williams-Sonoma has the earliest deadline at December 5. OakDOT closes January 9 and Asian Health Services closes March 2. Port of Oakland closes March 11 and UC Office of the President closes March 31. Kaiser Permanente, Fehr & Peers, PG&E, and Simpson Gumpertz & Heger recommend early applications with rolling or unspecified deadlines. Students should begin preparing materials in the fall and prioritize December and January deadline programs well before the spring semester.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here, check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.