Development Engineer Internships
Development engineer internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience, mentorship from working engineers, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated in Technology & Software, Retail, and E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces, with Amazon, Amazon, and ByteDance among the employers posting roles now.
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At Zimmer Biomet, we believe in pushing the boundaries of innovation and driving our mission forward. As a global medical technology leader for nearly 100 years, a patient’s mobility is enhanced by a Zimmer Biomet product or technology every 8 seconds.
As a Zimmer Biomet team member, you will share in our commitment to providing mobility and renewed life to people around the world. To support our talent team, we focus on development opportunities, robust employee resource groups (ERGs), a flexible working environment, location specific competitive total rewards, wellness incentives and a culture of recognition and performance awards. We are committed to creating an environment where every team member feels included, respected, empowered and recognised.
What You Can Expect
Join Zimmer Biomet's Development Co-Op Program!
Our co-op program is a multi-rotational commitment aligned to your school's cooperative program curriculum. While at ZB, students will act as engineers managing daily research and development tasks in a global MedTech organization. As part of the Development Co-Op cohort, you are encouraged to bring innovative solutions to real world challenges. Co-Op managers and ambassadors encourage the development of our student team members by offering technical trainings, certifications, workshops, networking sessions and more, in addition to daily work life.
Students interested in this opportunity should be able to rotate 3-5 times at Zimmer Biomet, including Spring and Fall full-time work assignments, and should be willing to temporarily relocate for on-site assignments.
Generally speaking, development co-ops are responsible for the design, development, and processing of orthopedic implants, instruments and technologies under the direction of a project leader or manager.
How You'll Create Impact
- Design control element generation (i.e. Risk analysis, DFMEAs, design reviews)
- Participate in cross functional project teams
- Complaint investigations
- Technical report writing
- May participate in cadaveric studies
This is not an exhaustive list of duties or functions and might not necessarily comprise all of the essential functions for purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
What Makes You Stand Out
- Demonstrates excellent technical writing and verbal communication skills
- Ability to effectively work within a team and cross functionally
- Demonstrates advanced problem solving skills through the use of quality and statistical tools
- Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects at once
- Must work in an FDA regulated environment
Your Background
- Must be actively enrolled in an academic program for the entire duration of the assignment.
- Available to work full-time (40 hours/week) during the co-op term
- Authorized to work in the U.S. without employer sponsorship
- Pursuit of B.S./B.E. degree in engineering discipline. Mechanical or Biomedical majors preferred.
- GPA of 3.2+ preferred
- Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio
- Computer Aided Design Systems, GD&T experience, Project management skills, product development experience a plus
Travel Expectations
- None; optional opportunities may be available.
EOE/M/F/Vet/Disability
At Zimmer Biomet, we believe in pushing the boundaries of innovation and driving our mission forward. As a global medical technology leader for nearly 100 years, a patient’s mobility is enhanced by a Zimmer Biomet product or technology every 8 seconds.
As a Zimmer Biomet team member, you will share in our commitment to providing mobility and renewed life to people around the world. To support our talent team, we focus on development opportunities, robust employee resource groups (ERGs), a flexible working environment, location specific competitive total rewards, wellness incentives and a culture of recognition and performance awards. We are committed to creating an environment where every team member feels included, respected, empowered and recognised.
What You Can Expect
Join Zimmer Biomet's Development Co-Op Program!
Our co-op program is a multi-rotational commitment aligned to your school's cooperative program curriculum. While at ZB, students will act as engineers managing daily research and development tasks in a global MedTech organization. As part of the Development Co-Op cohort, you are encouraged to bring innovative solutions to real world challenges. Co-Op managers and ambassadors encourage the development of our student team members by offering technical trainings, certifications, workshops, networking sessions and more, in addition to daily work life.
Students interested in this opportunity should be able to rotate 3-5 times at Zimmer Biomet, including Spring and Fall full-time work assignments, and should be willing to temporarily relocate for on-site assignments.
Generally speaking, development co-ops are responsible for the design, development, and processing of orthopedic implants, instruments and technologies under the direction of a project leader or manager.
How You'll Create Impact
- Design control element generation (i.e. Risk analysis, DFMEAs, design reviews)
- Participate in cross functional project teams
- Complaint investigations
- Technical report writing
- May participate in cadaveric studies
This is not an exhaustive list of duties or functions and might not necessarily comprise all of the essential functions for purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
What Makes You Stand Out
- Demonstrates excellent technical writing and verbal communication skills
- Ability to effectively work within a team and cross functionally
- Demonstrates advanced problem solving skills through the use of quality and statistical tools
- Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects at once
- Must work in an FDA regulated environment
Your Background
- Must be actively enrolled in an academic program for the entire duration of the assignment.
- Available to work full-time (40 hours/week) during the co-op term
- Authorized to work in the U.S. without employer sponsorship
- Pursuit of B.S./B.E. degree in engineering discipline. Mechanical or Biomedical majors preferred.
- GPA of 3.2+ preferred
- Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio
- Computer Aided Design Systems, GD&T experience, Project management skills, product development experience a plus
Travel Expectations
- None; optional opportunities may be available.
EOE/M/F/Vet/Disability
Development Engineer Internship Market
Who's Hiring
- Amazon21
- ByteDance4
- Zimmer Biomet3
- Tesla2
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software17
- Retail15
- E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces15
- Manufacturing1
- Medical Devices1
Tips for Your Development Engineer Internship Search
Apply earlier than your classmates do
Large employers open summer development engineer internship applications the preceding fall, often in August or September, and close them months before the role starts. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to the start date. Check listings regularly and apply as soon as a role opens rather than waiting until spring.
Build proof before you need it
Intern hiring teams cannot rely on your work history, so give them something concrete: two or three documented projects with the tools used and a link to the output. For development engineer candidates, that means a code repository, a CAD or design file, a working prototype, or a published test report, whatever shows you can do the work.
Work your campus network and apply directly at the same time
Campus career fairs surface structured internship programs tied to your university, and professors or career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. At the same time, apply directly to companies running smaller cohorts, they rarely appear at fairs. Running both channels widens the pool you reach.
Practice the actual development engineer intern screen out loud
Development engineer intern interviews typically involve a technical screen focused on engineering fundamentals, systems reasoning, or applied problem-solving, depending on the specialty. Practice by working through problems out loud rather than silently, interviewers weigh your reasoning process as much as the final answer, and narrating your approach is a skill that improves with repetition.
Target structured internship programs and apply in the first wave
Many larger employers run cohort-based or rotational engineering internship programs designed for people new to the field. These programs recruit early, fill fast, and often have defined application windows. Identify the programs that fit your discipline, note their opening dates, and submit in the first wave rather than waiting to see if you hear back from other applications.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 96% of the development engineer internships listed here. Decide what you can commit to before you start searching, then filter by location and work type so you're not sorting through roles you cannot take. Applying to a focused list of roles that actually fit your situation is more effective than casting wide and hoping.
Development Engineer Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a development engineer internship?
Lead with coursework and personal projects rather than work history, hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. A portfolio of documented projects gives recruiters something concrete to assess: linked code repositories, design files, or test results show what you can actually build. Combine direct applications with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a development engineer internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it is performance on real work, available headcount on the team, and whether the employer's return-offer window aligns with your graduation. Position yourself by treating every project deliverable seriously and clarifying expectations early, while keeping your full-time search active in parallel.
When should I apply for development engineer internships?
Earlier than most students expect. Large employers open summer internship applications the preceding fall, sometimes as early as August or September, and close them before winter break. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to the actual start date, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly and applying as soon as a role opens gives you the strongest shot.
Are development engineer internships paid?
Most professional development engineer internships in the United States are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location. Where an employer discloses pay, it appears directly in the listing, so you can compare opportunities before you apply. Unpaid internships exist mainly in certain nonprofit and research settings, and they are the exception rather than the norm.
What should a development engineer resume include?
Lead with two or three complete, documented projects rather than work history. For each, name the tools and methods used and link directly to the output: a code repository, a CAD model, a published analysis, or a design portfolio. Add relevant coursework in a dedicated section. Keep the resume to one page, intern hiring managers scan quickly, and brevity signals focus.
Are there remote development engineer internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 4% of the development engineer internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill quickly because they attract applicants from outside the local area, so apply early once you decide remote is right for you. Filter by work type before you start so you only spend time on roles you can actually take.
Can international students get development engineer 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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