15 Robotics Internships for College Students
- Stephen Turban
- 41 minutes ago
- 11 min read
If you’re a college student considering a career in robotics, an internship can help you decide if this is the work you want to pursue. Robotics is a broad field, and internships give you early insight into different roles, work settings, and technical focuses. Robotics internships place you inside labs, startups, or engineering teams where systems are built, tested, and improved over time. You may work with sensors, embedded systems, simulation tools, or autonomous platforms.
Why should I do a robotics internship in college?
Beyond developing technical skills, a robotics internship lets you see how engineers collaborate, debug failures, and make trade-offs when designs do not work as planned. Having this experience strengthens your CV because you can point to specific systems you worked on and tools you used. It gives you concrete examples to discuss in graduate school applications, research statements, or full-time job interviews.
To help you explore the best opportunities, we’ve put together a list of 15 robotics internships for college students!
If you're looking for more prestigious internships, check out this set of blogs!
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to undergraduates and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a fully virtual program that connects students with startups tackling challenges across disciplines, including deep tech, mental health, biotechnology, health tech, AI, sustainability, and engineering. As an intern, you will be paired with a company mentor who will offer consistent feedback and career-focused guidance throughout the internship as you work on projects and deliverables. You will also have access to a Ladder Coach, who will serve as a second mentor throughout the program. You will develop practical skills in research, analysis, and professional communication, while preparing for and delivering a final project presentation. Apply now!
Location: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
Cost: Free; travel reimbursement provided for selected students
Program Dates: May 25–August 7
Application Deadline: Applications open in September and close in January
Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students graduating within one year of the program
The Robotics and Automation Summer School is a project-based internship where you work in small teams to design and build rapid prototypes that solve automation problems at Los Alamos National Laboratory. You get hands-on experience with robotics systems, LabVIEW, PLCs, motion planning, and mechanical and electrical design while working directly with engineers and researchers across the lab. Alongside the project work, you attend technical talks on advanced automation and take part in site visits to major facilities like the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center and the Strategic Computing Complex. The program ends with you presenting your prototype to laboratory leadership, and there is also a dedicated hiring event that gives you a chance to be considered for open roles at the lab.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Free; all participants receive financial support (scholarship)
Program Dates: June 1–August 9 (11-week immersion; remote research opportunities may continue after)
Application Deadline: November 1 – January 21
Eligibility: Undergraduate students with at least one semester remaining; U.S. citizens, permanent residents, nationals, TPS holders, or international students enrolled at U.S. institutions with CPT eligibility; must have completed at least two semesters of undergraduate study
The Robotics Institute Summer Scholars program is an eleven-week, full-time research experience where you work in CMU robotics labs on projects. You join teams working on areas like perception, autonomous systems, manipulation, and AI, and contribute directly to ongoing research under the guidance of faculty and graduate researchers. The focus is on doing real work, from defining problems to running experiments and analyzing results. You also take part in research talks, workshops, and lab visits that help you understand how advanced robotics research is actually done. You document your work through posters, videos, and a research paper published in the RISS Working Papers Journal, with chances to present beyond the program.
Location: NASA centers nationwide (Ames, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Goddard, Johnson, Langley, Armstrong, Marshall, etc.)
Cost: Paid internship (stipend varies by session and location)
Program Dates: Offered in Summer (June–August), Fall (August–December), and Spring (January–April)
Application Deadline: Summer deadline: February 27; Fall deadline: May 22
Eligibility: U.S. citizens; full-time or part-time college students with at least 6 semester hours; minimum 3.0 GPA; open to undergraduates through graduate level
NASA OSTEM internships place you on engineering or research teams working on projects tied to robotics, autonomous systems, spacecraft technology, and mission software. Depending on the center, you might help with prototyping, data analysis, modeling, coding, or testing robotic components, all under the guidance of NASA engineers and scientists. Many robotics-focused roles are based at centers like JPL or Ames, where interns support work related to rovers, robotic sampling systems, perception tools, or mission operations. Alongside the technical work, you are introduced to how NASA missions actually run, from team workflows to system reviews.
Location: Air Force Research Laboratory sites nationwide (Wright-Patterson AFB, OH; Eglin AFB, FL; Kirtland AFB, NM; Edwards AFB, CA; and others)
Cost: Paid internship (stipend varies by location, academic level, and project area)
Program Dates: Typically 10–12 weeks (May–August)
Application Deadline: Applications generally open in October and close in January
Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students pursuing STEM degrees; U.S. citizenship required; some projects may require specific coursework in engineering, computer science, robotics, or related fields
The AFRL Scholars Program offers paid summer research internships where you work alongside Air Force Research Laboratory engineers and scientists on technical projects relevant to robotics, autonomous systems, control algorithms, or embedded systems. Depending on your placement, you might support research in UAV technologies, robotic sensing, machine vision, flight control, mechanical systems, or AI for autonomous platforms. Interns are embedded within active research groups, giving you direct exposure to the engineering workflows used in defense-oriented robotics development. Many projects include opportunities to contribute to prototypes, simulations, or field-test support equipment.
Location: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA
Cost: Paid internship (10-week stipend provided)
Program Dates: 10-week summer internship (typically June–August)
Application Deadline: Internal BGD Scholar selection timeline; applications follow completion of the STREAMS program requirements
Eligibility: Incoming college freshmen and current undergraduates who have completed the BGD STREAMS training sequence
The IMPETUS Internship is a ten-week paid research experience at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for BGD Scholars who have trained in underwater robotics, autonomous systems, and scientific diving through the STREAMS program. You work directly with WHOI researchers on marine technology projects that can involve coding sensor systems, supporting ROV work, calibrating instruments, or helping collect data at sea. The work is hands-on and field-focused. You work with oceanographers, engineers, and technicians, learn how research vessels operate, and handle equipment used in ongoing studies. Many interns contribute technical documentation, prototype components, or written updates tied to active WHOI projects, and some present their work or support open source tools by the end of the internship.
Location: West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
Cost: Fully funded; includes $7,000 stipend, lodging, meals, and up to ~$500 travel reimbursement
Program Dates: May 18–July 24
Application Deadline: March 3 (rolling until filled)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; must be currently enrolled undergraduates who have not yet completed a bachelor’s degree.
The NSF REU in Robotics at West Virginia University introduces you to robotics research aligned with motion planning, autonomy, locomotion, and field robotics challenges specific to rural, forested, or topographically complex environments. You’ll join one of five labs and work on focused research topics such as legged robot localization in forest canopies, programming-by-demonstration for agricultural robots, soft robotic manipulators, or autonomous trail navigation. Through the internship, you’ll collect sensor data, develop algorithms, and build or test robotic platforms, gaining experience with SLAM, machine learning, multi-sensor fusion, and 3D-printed actuation systems. The program culminates in a university-wide undergraduate research symposium.
Location: University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
Cost: Free. Includes $7,000 stipend, suite-style housing, meal plan, travel reimbursement, recreation center access
Program Dates: June 2 – August 6
Application Deadline: Rolling until filled (priority deadline typically early spring)
Eligibility: Current undergraduates with at least one semester of coursework remaining
This REU places you inside the Nebraska Intelligent Mobile Unmanned Systems Lab, where you work on research in aerial robotics and autonomous systems. You contribute to advanced projects involving drone coordination, vision-based control using machine learning, human-robot interaction, and wireless communication for mobile robots. The work may include flight testing drones, building electromechanical systems for environmental sensing, running human subjects studies, or developing algorithms using simulation tools like the RuralProp 3D RF platform. Alongside the research, you take part in field deployments, collect and analyze multi-sensor data, and learn how ideas move from simulation into systems.
Location: The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (orientation) + Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN / Penn State University, University Park, PA
Cost: Fully funded; includes $6,000 stipend + on-campus housing
Program Dates: May 28–July 26
Application Deadline: Typically early spring
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors, and seniors; preference for U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The Summer Intensive Research Internship (SIRI) is a 9-week program that places you on CPS-focused research teams working at Purdue or Penn State after a three-day orientation at UNM. You work in pairs on projects involving autonomy, sensing, verification, embedded systems, or safety-critical decision processes, gaining hands-on exposure to how CPS systems are designed and validated. Mentorship is built into the structure, with faculty and graduate researchers guiding you through problem formulation, prototyping workflows, data collection, and technical reporting. You also participate in professional development sessions that cover research communication, responsible engineering practices, and graduate school preparation.
Location: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Fully funded; includes stipend (amount varies by year), housing support may be included
Program Dates: May 26–July 24
Application Deadline: Priority review begins February 1; rolling until filled
Eligibility: Undergraduate students (U.S. citizens/permanent residents)
This 9-week REU introduces you to research across cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and socially relevant computing. You work directly with faculty and graduate mentors on problems like privacy-aware systems, adversarial AI, secure computing architectures, and algorithmic tools for domains such as medical imaging or social media safety. The program builds your research foundation through structured training modules, lab involvement, weekly seminars, and hands-on experimentation within UNC Charlotte’s collaborative computing ecosystem. The REU concludes with a final research showcase where you present your findings, strengthening both your communication skills and your readiness for graduate-level research.
Location: At sea aboard E/V Nautilus (departs from various Pacific locations; travel funded)
Cost: Fully funded; paid internship + travel covered
Program Dates: 3–5 week expedition slots (rolling assignments through exploration season)
Application Deadline: January 4
Eligibility: Community college, undergraduate, and graduate students; recent graduates up to 2 years out
The Science and Engineering Internship Program with Ocean Exploration Trust places you aboard the research vessel Nautilus, where you work alongside engineers and ocean technologists during deep-sea expeditions. Depending on your role, you might help operate and maintain ROVs like Hercules and Argus, work with sonar and mapping systems to build seafloor maps, manage robotic camera and video systems, or support ocean science teams with sampling and dive documentation. The work often happens during active dives. You train with multidisciplinary teams and learn how complex systems function under field conditions, from fault diagnosis and equipment handling to data flow and operations at sea.
Location: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA
Cost: Fully funded; stipend ($22/hour, full-time); housing assistance available
Program Dates: June 8–August 14
Application Deadline: March 9
Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students; educators are also eligible
This 10-week internship places you inside MBARI’s engineering–science ecosystem, where ROVs, AUVs, and custom deep-sea instruments are designed, built, and tested. You will work on a mentored project that may involve robotics hardware integration, embedded systems, ocean-sensor calibration, vehicle operations support, or software tools for autonomous underwater platforms. Because MBARI’s core mission is to advance ocean technology, many interns interact directly with research vessels, robotic vehicles, and instrumentation workflows. You’ll also participate in communication training, peer mentoring, and collaborative project reviews, mirroring engineering team processes.
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Cost: Paid; hourly wage ($18.25/hour)
Program Dates: June 22 – August 17
Application Deadline: January 23
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; 2nd–3rd year undergraduates majoring in marine science, engineering, physics, applied math, or related quantitative fields
The Marine Physical Laboratory Summer Internship at UC San Diego places you inside an ocean engineering lab at Scripps, where you support research in sensing, acoustics, and marine technology. You work with a mentor on a specific project and gain hands-on experience with hardware integration, embedded systems, signal processing, or marine vehicle instrumentation, depending on the lab’s focus. You spend the summer working full-time alongside researchers on projects funded by agencies like NSF and the Department of Defense, learning how field experiments are planned, tested, and refined.
Location: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA
Cost: Fully funded; stipend of $721/week plus institution housing and travel allowance
Program Dates: June–August (10–12 weeks)
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate students who will have completed their junior year by the start of the program; must be studying a science or engineering field
In this program, you will work on an independent research project designed with a WHOI scientist or senior technical staff member, with topics spanning oceanography, ocean engineering, and autonomous vehicles and marine instrumentation. Over the summer, you’ll design and run a focused research project, handle ocean data, and learn core skills like experimental design, data analysis, and scientific writing. Fellows also get structured exposure to the broader field through a dedicated summer lecture series, an ethics in science workshop, and a one-day oceanographic cruise on the R/V Tioga to practice sampling and instrument deployment. You’ll present your work in a mid-summer progress talk and a final oral or poster presentation, plus submit a written report.
Location: Symbotic, Wilmington, MA (with additional roles at customer sites across North America)
Cost: Paid internships (salary varies by role)
Program Dates: Varies by position
Application Deadline: Rolling; positions are open until filled
Eligibility: College students pursuing engineering, computer science, robotics, or related fields; specific requirements and degree levels vary by opening
Symbotic offers paid internships where you work on warehouse-automation systems powered by fleets of autonomous robots, AI, and advanced vision/sensing. Depending on the role, you might help design or test hardware, contribute code that runs large-scale robotic systems, or build UX/UI for tools used by engineering and operations teams. Interns are embedded in existing teams and expected to contribute to active projects, so you’ll see how robotics, logistics, and software engineering come together in production environments. You also gain experience with problem-solving on deployments rather than toy problems, plus day-to-day exposure to disciplines like machine learning, edge computing, and industrial automation.
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.
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