15 Civil Engineering Internships for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- Nov 2
- 8 min read
If you’re an undergraduate studying civil engineering and want to see how the subject is applied in the real world, one way to do that is by joining a civil engineering internship.
Civil engineering internships let you work on projects related to transportation, water systems, buildings, or construction. You might help with surveying land, drafting plans, analyzing structural data, or visiting sites where projects are being built. Some internships place you in research labs, while others connect you with engineering firms or government agencies.
Doing this kind of work also strengthens your college applications and future job prospects. It shows that you’ve already taken steps to apply your knowledge outside of class, which can give you a strong edge when applying for graduate school or entry-level positions.
To make your search easier, we’ve put together a list of the top 15 civil engineering internships for undergraduates!
15 Civil Engineering Internships for Undergraduates
Location: Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
Stipend: $19-$27/hour (based on experience and location)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Program Dates: Starts in June
Eligibility: Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a relevant field, proficiency with MS Office
The Highway Engineer Intern position at AECOM is a summer role where you support roadway and transportation projects while building core civil engineering skills. You’ll help with roadway alignments, traffic control plans, utility coordination, and right-of-way design using tools like OpenRoads Designer, MicroStation, and AutoCAD. The work includes design calculations, plan development, and field reviews, along with office tasks like report writing and documentation. You’ll also join team meetings and collaborate with engineers across departments, giving you direct exposure to how large infrastructure projects are planned and delivered.
Location: Nashville, TN, US
Stipend: Average $19/hour
Application Deadline: Rolling
Program Dates: Mid-May – Early August (tentative, based on previous year)
Eligibility: Student actively pursuing a 4-year or advanced degree in civil engineering, CGPA 3.0+
The Civil Engineering Intern/Co-op at Langan is a summer role where you work on real land development, environmental, and infrastructure projects. You’ll support engineers with site studies, field inspections, technical reports, and design plans using AutoCAD and Civil 3D. The work can include analyzing soil, hydrology, and terrain, preparing cost estimates and schedules, and reviewing zoning requirements. This internship gives you practical experience in how engineering projects are planned, permitted, and built.
Location: Boise, Idaho
Stipend: $20/hour
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Program Dates: June through August
Eligibility: Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering
The McMillen Construction Internship is a summer program based in Boise, ID, that gives you hands-on experience in civil design-build projects with a focus on water resources like dams, energy, fisheries, and natural resource infrastructure. You’ll join the Heavy Civil Construction Management team and work through all phases of operations, from estimating to field engineering. Your responsibilities may include project planning, construction documentation, field coordination, scheduling, and problem-solving tasks that reflect the challenges of large-scale projects.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by the program. Financial aid is available
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Program Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Undergraduate students can apply!
Ladder Internships is a highly selective virtual program where students work on real-world projects for startups in fields like health tech, biotechnology, AI, and sustainability. You’ll be paired with a company coach who provides structured feedback and professional guidance every week. You’ll gain experience in research and communication, wrap up the program with a final presentation, and walk away with a strong addition to your resume. Placements are aligned with each student’s interests, and financial assistance is available. Alumni have gone on to attend universities such as Stanford, Princeton, and UC Berkeley.
Location: Kansas City, MO
Cost: Not Specified
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Program Dates: May to August, typically for a three-month full-time term
Eligibility: Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, construction science, or architectural engineering
The US Project Engineering Internship in Kansas City, MO, runs for 12 to 24 weeks and gives you direct experience in mechanical, construction, civil, and architectural engineering projects. You’ll work onsite with project engineers and managers, assisting with planning, scheduling, and coordination. Your responsibilities may include reviewing field conditions, tracking project progress, supporting subcontractor management, and contributing to quality control efforts. You will also learn how architectural and mechanical systems come together in real-world builds, practice applying engineering concepts to active sites, and develop skills in communication, documentation, and project coordination.
Location: Tennessee, Indiana, Kentucky, Florida, and Alabama
Cost/Stipend: Not Specified
Application Deadline: November 30
Program Dates: Usually starts in May
Eligibility: Enrollment in an accredited bachelor’s program in civil engineering, proficiency with MS Office
The OHM Civil Engineering Internship is a full-time summer program where you work on projects in transportation, municipal engineering, environmental and water resources, site design, surveying, and GIS. You’ll assist project engineers with reviewing site plans, observing construction, supporting survey crews, gathering field data, preparing technical documents, and contributing to planning reports. You’ll also sit in on internal meetings to see how teams coordinate across disciplines and manage project workflows.
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Stipend: $25/hour
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Program Dates: Typically June through August
Eligibility: High school diploma or equivalent, current enrolment in a bachelor’s program specialising in civil/geo-technical engineering.
The GeoEngineers’ Geotechnical Internship is a field and lab program where you work on active construction and infrastructure projects to understand how soil and rock properties affect design and performance. You’ll spend much of your time in the lab, running tests such as Atterberg limits, sieve analysis, triaxial shear, and permeability to see how different conditions influence soil behavior. These tests are used to evaluate foundations, slope stability, and earthworks. You’ll also join in field sampling, site classification, and report preparation, giving you exposure to both testing and practical applications.
Location: Timonium, MD
Stipend: $20-$25/hour.
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Program Dates: 10-12 weeks through August (tentative, based on the previous year's dates)
Eligibility: Pursuing a bachelor’s in civil engineering, prior internship/relevant experience, 2.5 GPA or above
RS&H’s Civil Engineering Internship lets you work directly on transportation and aviation projects while pursuing your civil engineering degree. You’ll support both conventional and design-build work, handling calculations, preparing data, and using tools like AutoCAD and MicroStation for drafting and design. Your tasks can include developing models, drafting plan sets, and checking that project deliverables meet technical requirements. You’ll also see how large-scale infrastructure projects move from planning to execution.
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Stipend: $19-$30/hour
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Program Dates: May 25th - August 17
Eligibility: Undergraduate program with graduation date of the next year or later.
WSP’s Summer Civil Engineering Internship is a 12-week, full-time role where you’ll work on transportation design projects with senior engineers. You’ll use CADD tools like AutoCAD, Civil 3D, InRoads/OpenRoads, and MicroStation to create design drawings and support project development. Your responsibilities may include preparing final design plans, drafting special provisions, estimating costs, and keeping project records organized. By the end of the internship, you’ll have direct experience in both the technical and documentation sides of transportation engineering.
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Stipend: $23-$28/hour
Application Deadline: October 31
Program Dates: mid-May through mid-August
Eligibility: College or graduate school civil engineering student.
Merrick & Company’s Civil Infrastructure Engineering Internship is a paid summer role where you’ll contribute to active projects in storm drainage, site development, roadway, and utility design. You’ll gain exposure to the full process of infrastructure planning, from early design concepts to execution. During the internship, you’ll work with engineers from different disciplines, assist in coordinating with clients and contractors, and take on tasks tied to scheduling, budgeting, and design problem-solving. You’ll also build technical skills using software such as AutoCAD Civil 3D while learning how civil infrastructure projects are delivered in practice.
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Stipend: Interns typically earn $20–$25/hour, depending on experience and location
Application Deadline: March 5
Program Dates: Mid-June to early/mid-August (tentative, based on the previous year's pattern)
Eligibility: Civil and structural engineering students can apply.
Jacobs’ Civil Engineering Internship is a summer program focused on airport infrastructure and aviation facility projects. You’ll work with engineers on real assignments involving runways, taxiways, terminals, and support systems, applying transportation engineering concepts to both design and planning tasks. Your role may include preparing site layouts, grading plans, stormwater management designs, and pavement evaluations. You’ll use tools such as AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and MicroStation to develop design documentation and models.
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Cost/Stipend: Not Specified
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Program Dates: June (tentative)
Eligibility: High school diploma/GED, bachelor’s in civil engineering.
Kimley-Horn and Associates’ Civil Engineering Internship is a full-time program where you’ll work on the pre-construction side of infrastructure projects. You’ll take part in design, planning, permitting, and analysis for assignments in site development, transportation, environmental systems, and utilities. Your tasks may include preparing design documents, running calculations, reviewing field conditions, and assisting with quality control. You’ll also build skills in software such as AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Revit, MicroStation, VISSIM, OpenRoads, and Excel while working directly with engineers on active projects.
Location: US-Michigan-Ann Arbor
Cost/Stipend: Not Specified
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Program Dates: August 27
Eligibility: Undergraduate degree or enrolled
HDR’s Civil/Structural Engineering Internship is a full-time summer role where you’ll gain hands-on experience in structural engineering while working on active infrastructure projects. You’ll assist licensed engineers with design packages, perform calculations, attend project meetings, and join field reviews to see how designs translate into construction. You’ll work under the guidance of project engineers and managers, contributing to documentation, design development, and technical workflows across transportation, water, and energy projects.
Location: Downtown Appleton, WI
Cost/Stipend: Not Specified
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Program Dates: Not Specified
Eligibility: Bachelor’s in civil engineering
raSmith’s Civil Engineering Internship is a full-time summer program where you’ll gain practical experience on transportation and municipal projects. You’ll work alongside project engineers to support plan production, technical documentation, and design tasks using AutoCAD Civil 3D. Your responsibilities may include performing quantity take-offs, assisting with cost estimating, preparing exhibits, and attending public meetings. You’ll also help collect and organize field data, contribute to permit applications, and participate in internal project reviews.
Location: Lake Buena Vista, Florida, US
Cost/Stipend: Not Specified
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Program Dates: January- May/June
Eligibility: Enrolled in an accredited college/university
The WDI Civil Engineering Internship at Walt Disney Imagineering is a paid, full-time role that places you on the team behind theme park and resort development. You’ll work on design, calculations, analysis, and specifications for site systems like hydrology, sanitary and stormwater networks, water treatment, potable water, and other utilities that keep Disney facilities and attractions running. Your work may include supporting construction contract documents, coordinating with structural, mechanical, and electrical teams, and helping manage utility systems across large project sites. You’ll also build skills in grading, detention and retention ponds, and utility coordination, while gaining experience with tools such as AutoCAD Civil 3D.
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.
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 Harvard College graduate. 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.
Image Source - Ladder Internships logo