AI Specialist Internships
Ai specialist internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience, mentorship from working AI practitioners, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated in Energy, Food & Beverage, and Technology & Software, with Shure, Cook, and V2X among the employers posting roles now.
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Showing 5 of 22+ AI Specialist Internships
Do you want to learn more on how to best defend the United States, our armed forces, and our allies from all forms of air and missile threats?
If you are pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, or a similar major and want to work in an exciting and collaborative environment to solve challenging technical problems, we'd love to have you join our team.
We are seeking an innovative and highly talented intern to join our Information Fusion and Artificial Intelligence Group. You will be joining a team of engineers and scientists who are at the forefront of APL's mission to provide innovative solutions to critical challenges. Accurate, timely, and actionable information derived from a variety of sources provides the warfighter advantages over its adversaries. Our group at APL identifies, develops, and applies efficient and effective algorithms to support critical capabilities for a variety of DoD missions.
As an intern, you will apply math, engineering, computer science, and physics knowledge to implement new distributed algorithms, advanced Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning techniques, data fusion concepts, etc. in support of a wide variety of US Navy, Missile Defense, and Air Force systems.
As a member of our team...
- You will research, implement, prototype, and analyze algorithms, quantify and document the performance capabilities and limitations of algorithms for specific tasks, and provide metrics of robustness and confidence in specific approaches.
- You will interact with large data sets of various types, formats, and structures for algorithm training and testing, data cleaning, pre-processing, normalization, or manipulation as needed.
- You will create, develop, and debug code to contribute to various multi-user software test beds.
- You will create effective visualizations and documentation to explain complex topics to a variety of audiences.
Qualifications
You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...
- Are pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, or similar degrees with a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Are fluent in Python or C/C++, with the ability to translate mathematical concepts into well-documented and efficient code
- Have a desire to apply software engineering techniques to complex problems
- Have good written and verbal communication skills
- Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship
You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...
- Are pursuing a PhD degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, or similar degrees with a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Have basic knowledge in AI/ML or have taken AI/ML courses
- Have basic knowledge in Autonomy, or have taken Autonomy courses
- Have prior experience deploying AI/ML or Autonomy algorithms on edge compute devices
- Have prior experience developing AI/ML algorithms, used Generative AI or LLMs
- Have demonstrated experience in working with version control software like Git
About Us
Why Work at APL?
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.
At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Accessibility@jhuapl.edu.
The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Minimum Rate
$22.60 Hourly
Maximum Rate
$47.95 Hourly
Do you want to learn more on how to best defend the United States, our armed forces, and our allies from all forms of air and missile threats?
If you are pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, or a similar major and want to work in an exciting and collaborative environment to solve challenging technical problems, we'd love to have you join our team.
We are seeking an innovative and highly talented intern to join our Information Fusion and Artificial Intelligence Group. You will be joining a team of engineers and scientists who are at the forefront of APL's mission to provide innovative solutions to critical challenges. Accurate, timely, and actionable information derived from a variety of sources provides the warfighter advantages over its adversaries. Our group at APL identifies, develops, and applies efficient and effective algorithms to support critical capabilities for a variety of DoD missions.
As an intern, you will apply math, engineering, computer science, and physics knowledge to implement new distributed algorithms, advanced Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning techniques, data fusion concepts, etc. in support of a wide variety of US Navy, Missile Defense, and Air Force systems.
As a member of our team...
- You will research, implement, prototype, and analyze algorithms, quantify and document the performance capabilities and limitations of algorithms for specific tasks, and provide metrics of robustness and confidence in specific approaches.
- You will interact with large data sets of various types, formats, and structures for algorithm training and testing, data cleaning, pre-processing, normalization, or manipulation as needed.
- You will create, develop, and debug code to contribute to various multi-user software test beds.
- You will create effective visualizations and documentation to explain complex topics to a variety of audiences.
Qualifications
You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...
- Are pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, or similar degrees with a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Are fluent in Python or C/C++, with the ability to translate mathematical concepts into well-documented and efficient code
- Have a desire to apply software engineering techniques to complex problems
- Have good written and verbal communication skills
- Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship
You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...
- Are pursuing a PhD degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, or similar degrees with a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Have basic knowledge in AI/ML or have taken AI/ML courses
- Have basic knowledge in Autonomy, or have taken Autonomy courses
- Have prior experience deploying AI/ML or Autonomy algorithms on edge compute devices
- Have prior experience developing AI/ML algorithms, used Generative AI or LLMs
- Have demonstrated experience in working with version control software like Git
About Us
Why Work at APL?
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.
At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Accessibility@jhuapl.edu.
The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Minimum Rate
$22.60 Hourly
Maximum Rate
$47.95 Hourly
AI Specialist Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Food & Beverage
- Technology & Software
- Marketing & Advertising
Tips for Your AI Specialist Internship Search
Apply months before the summer start date
Large employers open ai specialist summer internship applications the preceding fall, often in September or October. If you wait until spring, the structured cohort programs are already closed. Set a calendar reminder and treat the fall semester as the start of your internship search.
Build a portfolio before you send a single application
AI specialist intern hiring teams want evidence you can do the work, not just that you studied it. Document two or three complete projects with the tools used, the problem you solved, and a link to the code or output. A public GitHub repository with clean, readable notebooks gives recruiters something concrete to evaluate before the interview.
Work your campus network and apply directly at the same time
Campus career fairs surface structured programs tied to your university, and professors or career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Applying directly to companies running smaller cohorts alongside your campus activity widens the pool you reach and reduces your dependence on a single channel.
Practice your technical screen out loud before you apply
AI specialist intern interviews typically include a coding screen covering data structures, algorithms, or machine learning fundamentals, followed by questions where you explain your reasoning on a problem. Practice working through problems out loud rather than silently, since interviewers weigh how you think through uncertainty as much as whether you reach the right answer.
Target structured AI internship programs at larger companies
Many large technology and research organizations run cohort-based AI or machine learning internship programs designed to train people earlier in their careers. These programs have defined curricula, mentorship structures, and earlier deadlines than general internship postings. Identify the programs that fit your background and apply in the first wave, as they fill well ahead of their start dates.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 29% of the ai specialist internships listed here. Decide what you can realistically commit to before you search, then filter by location and work type on Migrate Mate so you are not sorting through roles you cannot accept. Applying only to roles that fit your situation keeps your effort focused.
AI Specialist Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an ai specialist internship?
Lead with coursework and personal projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. For ai specialist candidates, a linked portfolio of documented ML experiments, model demos, or data pipelines gives recruiters something concrete to assess. Pair direct applications with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can an ai specialist internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. For ai specialist interns, what actually drives it is the quality of your project contributions, whether the team has open headcount at the end of the internship, and how early you signal interest in returning. Treat the internship as an extended audition without counting on the outcome.
When should I apply for ai specialist internships?
Earlier than most expect. Large employers recruit summer cohorts the preceding fall, so applications for June start dates often open in September and October. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to their actual start dates, which means ai specialist internship openings appear year-round rather than in a single defined window.
Are ai specialist internships paid?
Most professional ai specialist internships in the U.S. are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location, so there is no single standard rate. Where an employer discloses pay, you will see it directly in the listing. Internships that are unpaid are less common at established companies and are more typical of academic research settings.
What should an ai specialist internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three documented projects that name the tools and frameworks you used and link to the work, such as a GitHub repository, a published notebook, or a deployed demo. Add relevant coursework in machine learning, statistics, or data engineering. Keep the whole document to one page.
Are there remote ai specialist internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 71% of the ai specialist internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill fast because they draw applicants from across the country, so apply early and filter by work type to see them before they close.
What is an AI or machine learning research internship program?
Several large technology and research organizations run structured AI research internship programs that pair students with scientists or engineering teams on defined research projects. These programs target undergraduates and graduate students newer to applied research, recruit well ahead of the summer cycle, and are competitive. Identifying the programs that match your research interests and applying in the first posting wave improves your chances.
Can international students get ai specialist internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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