13 Engineering Internships for High School Students in NYC
If you're a high school student looking to pursue an engineering internship, New York City offers a number of opportunities to explore the dynamic field of engineering and gain valuable hands-on experience. These internships provide an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios, develop practical skills, and network with professionals in the field.
Whether you're interested in electrical, software, mechanical, civil, biomedical, chemical, aerospace, or environmental engineering, an internship will enhance your college applications and help you kickstart your journey in your chosen field. New York City's bustling setting will allow you to sharpen your technical skills and gain early practical experience that will help you in your future academic and career pursuits.
Check out this list of 13 engineering internships for high school students in New York City!
1. Ladder Internships - Engineering Track
Location: Virtual! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students, who can work for 5-15 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year. The upcoming summer cohort deadline is May 12, 2024.
Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter. The summer cohort begins on June 3, 2024.
Cost: Starting at $1,990. Financial aid is available.
Ladder Internships, a fairly selective program founded by Harvard alumni, pairs high school students with startups and nonprofits around the world for virtual internships. You can choose the field you wish to work in, from technology, engineering, machine learning, AI, computer science, environmental science, sustainability, biotechnology, medicine, and more. As an intern, you will work on meaningful projects that contribute to the startup or nonprofit’s larger goal, and present your work at the end of the program. This internship program includes one-on-one training in communication and time management, among other skills, and group training sessions with fellow interns. You will be paired with a manager at the startup and with a Ladder coach, who serves as a second mentor.
Interns usually require 5-10 hours a week to work on assigned tasks and to meet the company management. The internship opportunities in this program span the globe, with a concentration in the U.S., Asia, Europe, and the UK.
2. Boyce Thompson Institute Internships
Location: Cornell University Campus, Ithaca, New York
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be a current high school student who is regional to Ithaca, NY year-round.
- Be 16 years of age before the first day of the program.
- Not be graduated by the first day of the program, June 25, 2024.
Application Deadline: March 31, 2024
Dates: June 25, 2024 - August 9, 2024 (Tentative dates)
Cost/Stipend: No cost; High school researchers receive a stipend of $4,000, paid bi-weekly.
Internships at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BSI) are conducted alongside Cornell University and the USDA. This 7-week internship offers both lab experimentations and fieldwork in a variety of projects spanning plant science, plant molecular biology, plant biotic interactions, bioinformatics, and biological engineering of plant systems.
As an intern, you will be paired with a research mentor (typically a graduate student or a postdoctoral researcher) and a faculty mentor. You will work alongside your mentors on a predetermined project. Apart from conducting research, you can join undergraduate researchers for professional development lectures and discussions. Moreover, Boyce Institute organizes local field trips and training sessions as well!
3. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internships
Location: There are AEOP locations in almost every state. Students may select their preferred location. The program is intended for commuters. Transportation, meals, and housing are not provided. (Opportunities are available in New York City).
Eligibility: Those applying must be current high school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents. Additional eligibility requirements vary by location. Check details here.
Application deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Check AEOP’s Summer 2024 opportunities here for the application dates.
Dates: This is a summer internship program, specific dates vary from location to location.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend is provided but varies from location to location.
This program is a chance to work one-on-one with a university researcher or Department of Defense (DoD) scientist mentor on research projects. As an intern, you will be exposed to high-tech equipment and cutting-edge techniques in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, and have access to professional scientists and engineers. Additionally, you will learn from other STEM practitioners during the internship. The Army-sponsored research that you will be a part of addresses the USA’s biggest challenges. The program aims to hone critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills to prepare you for a career in STEM.
If you’re interested in engineering, you can select research opportunities like the ones offered by New York University where you’ll get to work in the field of computer science and electronic engineering or you can opt to work at the CUNY-Advance Science Research Center (New York) in the field of biochemical engineering. In the second half of the summer program, you’ll focus on experimental realizations of basic quantum tools.
4. Biorocket Research Internship Program at Genspace
Location: Genspace, Brooklyn, NY
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be 16 years of age or older by orientation date.
- Live OR attend a NYC Public or Charter School within 45 minutes of Genspace.
Application Deadline: Applications typically open in the fall and close in January.
Dates: Spring Session: February 28 to May 23, 2024 | Summer Session: July 1 to August 16, 2024
Cost/Stipend: No cost; a $2,000 stipend is provided.
The internship program at Genspace, a community-based biotech laboratory in New York City, provides an opportunity for students to explore biotechnology and genetic engineering. Throughout the program, you will engage in research spanning DNA sequencing, genetic modification, and bioinformatics.
Guided by experienced scientists and specialists at the lab, you will deepen your knowledge of life science concepts. You will also be able to refine your lab techniques and analytical abilities, by utilizing state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and technology. Emphasizing hands-on learning, the program helps students carry out genuine experiments within a fully equipped biotech lab. Through this internship, you will develop a better understanding of the foundations of biotechnology while understanding the importance of ethical and conscientious biotech applications.
5. SHTEM: Summer Internships for High Schoolers at Stanford University
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be current high school juniors or seniors in the 2023-2024 school year (i.e. 11th or 12th grade at the time of application) OR full-time CC students (within first three years of CC)
- Be at least 14 by June 17 (if you are a high school junior or senior).
- Be between the ages of 17 and 21 (inclusive) by June 17 (if you are a full-time CC student).
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Dates: June 17, 2024 - August 9, 2024
Cost/Stipend: None
This program is aimed at providing high school and community college students early exposure to cutting-edge research in an academic environment as well as introducing students to the diversity of research topics pursued in engineering. Conducted by a highly esteemed institution during the summer, this internship offers a unique chance for students to explore diverse subjects remotely. You will spend most of the time conducting research from where you are located (if you are working on hardware projects, materials will be sent to you) while maintaining regular communication with your mentors and group members. You can anticipate a commitment of 30-40 hours per week, guided by Stanford's renowned faculty and industry experts who provide valuable insights into the evolving tech landscape.
Themes cover the science of information and communication, engineering, the arts, linguistics, psychology, biology, neuroscience, computer science, technology, philosophy, and design, among other areas. This program will help you develop technical skills and foster a success-oriented mindset.
6. Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, NY
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be in their junior year (11th grade) of high school at the time of applying
- Be US citizens and/or permanent residents.
- Be at least 16 years old by the start of the program.
Application Deadline: February 7, 2024
Dates: July 1, 2024 - August 9, 2024
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students will receive a stipend
This program is a chance to engage in hands-on research in STEM alongside faculty mentors. In this program, you will be matched with a faculty mentor, join a research group or team, and be responsible for a project. You will engage in research, learning to conduct scientific investigations, communicate complex mathematics and computational science concepts, and explore careers in applied mathematics and computational science. During the program, you’ll get a chance to work closely with experts and forge valuable professional networks. Beyond research, you will also get to attend community and career-focused events, including faculty research talks and workshops, at no tuition cost.
If you’re interested in engineering, you can opt to work with Dr. Ji Liu in the Electrical & Computer Engineering department where you’ll get to work on projects involving algorithm design, analysis, or simulation for (distributed) control, optimization, or machine learning over large-scale complex networks. By the end of the program, you will get to produce a written research abstract and a research poster.
7. Project SEED by American Chemical Society
Location: Varies based on lab choice. Opportunities are available in New York City. Check here.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors (and recent graduates).
- Have completed one course in high school chemistry.
Preference is given to students whose maximum family income does not exceed 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines based on family size.
Note: Project SEED has multiple methods of documenting eligibility that you can access here!
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in April.
Dates: 8-10 weeks, June to August
Cost/Stipend: No cost; $4000 is awarded to the interns.
Project SEED is a paid, summer fellowship program for high school students. Once accepted, students commute daily to a research lab (typically about 8 hours per weekday, Monday through Friday) for anywhere from 8 to 10 weeks. This program offers an opportunity for students keen on working in laboratories and conducting work in the field of chemistry and chemical engineering. Students will get to work in real laboratories at universities and other sites, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture lab.
In particular, Project SEED focuses on supporting over 350 students from underrepresented communities, providing both internships and summer camps to help students with university applications. As an intern, you will work on an independent project at a research lab located in the nearest Project SEED location. You get to choose the type of project you’re interested in – from a wide range of choices. Depending on your project site, you might have the chance to go on field trips and campus tours, attend career panels, and more!
A bonus is that your coordinator can choose to register you for the American Chemical Society National Meeting – where you can present your work.
Location: The program is conducted in a hybrid format, in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles (Summer Internship takes place in New York).
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors enrolled in a New York City, Los Angeles, or Miami high school are eligible.
Application Deadline: The application cycle for Tech Flex Leaders 2024-2025 will open in May 2024 and close in August 2024.
Dates: 9 months starting in September
Cost/Stipend: No cost; a $1,000 stipend is provided.
The Tech Flex Leaders program is a perfect fit for students looking to forge a path in the technology sector. This program delves deeper than basic concepts, offering insights into the complexities of software engineering.
Designed to nurture future leaders in technology, the program offers a variety of tracks, including UX Design, Data Science, and Web Development, among others. Throughout the program, you’ll get to engage in workshops and hackathons designed to test your problem-solving abilities and learn various programming languages. With a structured approach that emphasizes both theoretical understanding and the development of practical skills relevant to the fast-paced tech industry, this program offers a comprehensive learning experience. Additionally, it will allow you to connect with and gain knowledge from industry experts, helping to build a valuable professional network.
9. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internships
Location: These internships are offered across NASA facilities. Depending on the project, interns will work either remotely or on-site at any of NASA’s 10 field centers across the country. Opportunities are available in New York at CUNY New York City College of Technology, Brooklyn.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
- Be a full-time student (high school through graduate level) or a part-time college-level student enrolled in a minimum of 6 semester hours.
- Be a minimum of 16 years of age at the time of application (no exceptions).
Application Deadline: July (Fall session) | November (Spring session) | April (Summer session)
Dates: These internships are offered in 3 sessions –
- Fall (16-week program, from late August or early September to mid-December)
- Spring (16-week program, from mid-January to early May)
- Summer (10-week program, from late May or early June to August).
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Interns may receive a stipend based on academic level and session duration.
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers paid internships to high school and college-level students based in its various sites across the country including internship opportunities at CUNY New York City College of Technology, Brooklyn.
These internships provide training, mentorship, and career development to over 2000+ students annually alongside exposure to leading experts in science, engineering, finance, IT, and business. The internships are offered in a range of subjects and disciplines, including space science, engineering, aeronautics, technology, space microbiology, robotics, ecology, and even outreach and communications. You will get to design experiments, analyze mission data, and develop innovative technologies.
You can explore different internship opportunities here by using the ‘Filter’ option to view the options open to high school students.
10. The New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) High School Summer Internship Program
Location: New York City, NY
Eligibility: New York City public high school students who are eligible to work in the United States and can work for the program's six-week duration. School G.P.A. will be considered.
Application Deadline: March 8th, 2024
Dates: Vary depending on the placement and assignment of the intern (6 weeks between June and August 2024)
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Students are paid $16 an hour for 30 hours a week during the six-week internship.
This program invites talented NYC public high school students for a six-week paid internship with various SCA departments and business partner companies throughout New York City. SIP is designed to expose students to careers in various industries including architecture, engineering, construction management, information technology, business, and public administration. The program provides interns with a diverse internship experience in civil engineering along with career mentoring.
During the program, you’ll spend four days a week with your intern host and the remaining day attending educational programming. Assignments will vary depending on the company or department and the student’s skill set. You’ll also get to participate in various workshops, a design challenge, and panel discussions. The internship is an in-person position and the standard hours for the program are 9:00 am-4:00 pm Monday through Friday. A 10-hour OSHA construction safety course will be provided for students based on assignment needs before the program start date. You will be required to submit a signed parent consent form before participating in construction site visits.
11. NYU’s Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, NY
Eligibility: Students residing in New York City, who will complete 10th or 11th grade in June 2024, are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: March 6, 2024
Dates: June 3, 2024 - August 9, 2024 (10 weeks).
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Students will receive a stipend of at least $750
NYU's ARISE program offers a rich summer learning experience for those drawn to engineering and its many branches. Its interdisciplinary approach encompasses a wide array of subjects, including chemical engineering, robotics, computer science, bio- and molecular engineering, machine learning, anthropology, biology, aerospace engineering, and artificial intelligence.
Designed to cultivate a breadth of STEM skills, ARISE provides hands-on laboratory experiences, alongside classroom sessions, and workshops focusing on ethics, lab safety, data collection, and even college admissions preparation. A standout element of the program is the mentorship from NYU's esteemed research faculty, which encourages a culture of teamwork, guidance, and creative inquiry, enabling students to engage in significant research endeavors within their chosen STEM domains. The program culminates with students showcasing their research outcomes at a colloquium.
For its 2024 session, ARISE is set to accept 76 to 80 students into the program. You can view Research Opportunities for this summer's participating professors and their labs.
12. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program
Location: AFRL Scholar internship opportunities are offered at several locations across the United States depending on the program including Rome Laboratory in New York.
Eligibility: Applicants:
- Must be a US Citizen.
- Must be enrolled or accepted at an educational institution taking at least a half-time academic course load leading to a degree or certificate for the semester immediately preceding the internship session.
- Must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Must be at least 16 years of age (by session application deadline) and have a valid Government ID.
- Must be available full-time (40 hours a week) and work in their physical offices over the summer.
Application Deadline: The applications typically close in January.
Dates: The dates vary for different programs.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; weekly stipends are provided based on the education level of the students and the GS pay scale.
The AFRL Scholars Program is a paid internship opportunity for upper-level high school students who are interested in aerospace engineering. Post-selection, you will receive guidance from full-time AFRL scientists and engineers, touring AFRL laboratories and working on cutting-edge research and technology. Each mentor in the program is highly knowledgeable and you can find a list of mentors here.
The AFRL Scholars Program offers summer internships, with a very limited number of positions also available during the fall and spring semesters. The internship dates and number of weeks are based on scholar availability and funding available from year to year. You can apply to up to 3 topics per AFRL site. These topics may be within any technical area provided on the topic list.
13. SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Internships
Location: SUNY Oneonta campus, Buffalo, NY
Eligibility:
- Open to all high school students.
- Must have a solid academic background in environmental or natural sciences.
Application Deadline: April 12, 2024
Dates: Late May to August (9 weeks)
Cost/Stipend: No cost; On successfully completing the internship, interns receive $3,000.
SUNY Oneonta offers 9-week summer research internships for New York State residents. SUNY Oneonta internships are highly selective, with only 1-3 positions available for high school students (with one place awarded to a resident of Otsego County, NY).
In the internship, you will aid faculty and staff at the BFS central lab with their research projects or work on your research projects in the field of environmental engineering. Throughout the summer, you will engage in a mix of fieldwork, laboratory analyses, data analysis, and writing. You can view previous publications here! Previous fieldwork and laboratory analysis experiences include fisheries and plant surveys, water sampling, water chemistry, zooplankton ID, and fish dissection. The program concludes with you producing a poster to display your research findings to your mentor, BSF faculty, and other interns!
Looking for an immersive internship experience?
Check out Ladder Internships!
Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program where students work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. Apply now!
Stephen is one of the founders of Ladder Internships and a Harvard College graduate.