Engineering Intern Jobs in Illinois
Engineering Intern jobs in Illinois concentrate in manufacturing, energy, transportation infrastructure, and technology, with demand at every level from first-year undergraduates to students completing capstone programs. Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford anchor the bulk of hiring, and established employers like Caterpillar, Abbott Laboratories, and Boeing consistently bring on engineering interns across disciplines. Civil, mechanical, and electrical are the most in-demand specialties, though software and environmental engineering internships have grown steadily alongside Illinois's expanding clean energy and logistics sectors. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 164+ Engineering Intern jobs
As an Environmental Intern for Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC), in our Chicago, IL office, you will work closely with our staff to gain hands-on experience assisting our project teams as we help our commercial, institutional, and public sector clients navigate today’s complex environmental regulatory landscape. You will assist our project managers, geologists, and environmental scientists with data collection, management, and presentation. Our service areas include environmental investigations and remediation, environmental compliance, hydrogeology and environmental due diligence. Interns work directly under experienced personnel performing field sampling and observations, office data management and evaluation and assist with report preparation support.
Through the CEC Internship Program, you will:
- Acquire practical experience applying knowledge from college courses, learn from industry experts, and collaborate with teams across functional groups and locations
- Develop a robust professional network through social events and interactive activities
- Collaborate closely with a mentor in your discipline to tackle real-world challenges
- Participate in workshops to help foster interpersonal skills within the workplace and prepare students for success in their full-time careers
- Current enrollment in an undergraduate Geology, Environmental Science or Environmental Engineering program
- Ability to work flexible hours and have an awareness for safety
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Previous intern experience a plus
- Local candidates preferred.
We have support! We have a variety of Employee Resource Groups, including CEC Community – focused on giving back to the communities in which we work; CEC Ignite – focused on helping professionals early in their careers to develop their pathway; CEC iDEA – focused on inclusion, diversity, equality, and acceptance; and CEC Women – focused on creating internal and external opportunities for women to network and leverage professional experience!
We care about our people! People and Culture are two of the five elements of our strategic plan. When you care about your people, they will want to grow a career with you – that is our goal. CEC offers you a small-firm work environment with large-firm opportunities. Not only will we help you develop professionally, but we will also provide an opportunity to become an owner of the firm and share in its success.
CEC offers a matching 401(k); profit sharing; a performance bonus; company stock; medical, dental, and vision insurance; short and long-term disability; tuition assistance; professional development; and work-life balance.
CEC is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring or promotion based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis or characteristic prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law.
The posting range for this position is between $21.00 - $25.00 an hour based on experience and location.
THIRD PARTY RECRUITERS
As an Environmental Intern for Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC), in our Chicago, IL office, you will work closely with our staff to gain hands-on experience assisting our project teams as we help our commercial, institutional, and public sector clients navigate today’s complex environmental regulatory landscape. You will assist our project managers, geologists, and environmental scientists with data collection, management, and presentation. Our service areas include environmental investigations and remediation, environmental compliance, hydrogeology and environmental due diligence. Interns work directly under experienced personnel performing field sampling and observations, office data management and evaluation and assist with report preparation support.
Through the CEC Internship Program, you will:
- Acquire practical experience applying knowledge from college courses, learn from industry experts, and collaborate with teams across functional groups and locations
- Develop a robust professional network through social events and interactive activities
- Collaborate closely with a mentor in your discipline to tackle real-world challenges
- Participate in workshops to help foster interpersonal skills within the workplace and prepare students for success in their full-time careers
- Current enrollment in an undergraduate Geology, Environmental Science or Environmental Engineering program
- Ability to work flexible hours and have an awareness for safety
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Previous intern experience a plus
- Local candidates preferred.
We have support! We have a variety of Employee Resource Groups, including CEC Community – focused on giving back to the communities in which we work; CEC Ignite – focused on helping professionals early in their careers to develop their pathway; CEC iDEA – focused on inclusion, diversity, equality, and acceptance; and CEC Women – focused on creating internal and external opportunities for women to network and leverage professional experience!
We care about our people! People and Culture are two of the five elements of our strategic plan. When you care about your people, they will want to grow a career with you – that is our goal. CEC offers you a small-firm work environment with large-firm opportunities. Not only will we help you develop professionally, but we will also provide an opportunity to become an owner of the firm and share in its success.
CEC offers a matching 401(k); profit sharing; a performance bonus; company stock; medical, dental, and vision insurance; short and long-term disability; tuition assistance; professional development; and work-life balance.
CEC is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring or promotion based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis or characteristic prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law.
The posting range for this position is between $21.00 - $25.00 an hour based on experience and location.
THIRD PARTY RECRUITERS
See All 164+ Engineering Intern Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Engineering Intern JobsEngineering Intern Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Engineering Intern Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Shure16
- Burns & McDonnell6
- Motorola Solutions6
- Progress Rail5
- Sargent & Lundy5
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Manufacturing
- Medical Devices
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in engineering intern jobs across Illinois.
- Current enrollment in an accredited engineering degree program at an Illinois or recognized university
- Completed coursework in core engineering fundamentals relevant to the specific discipline
- Proficiency with engineering software such as AutoCAD, MATLAB, SolidWorks, or equivalent tools
- Ability to work on-site at Illinois facilities, plants, or field locations as required
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional team collaboration
- GPA of 3.0 or above on a four-point scale, as required by many Illinois employers
Engineering Intern Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a engineering intern in Illinois?
Becoming an engineering intern in Illinois starts with enrollment in an ABET-accredited engineering program at a university such as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Tech, or Northwestern. Illinois does not require a state license for internship work, but candidates pursuing civil or structural engineering should be aware that the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation oversees Professional Engineer licensure, and beginning the Fundamentals of Engineering exam early strengthens your candidacy significantly.
Which companies hire engineering interns in Illinois?
Employers hiring engineering interns in Illinois right now include Shure, Burns & McDonnell, and Motorola Solutions, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Illinois's concentration of manufacturing headquarters, national laboratories such as Argonne, and major infrastructure firms means intern roles appear across a wide range of engineering disciplines throughout the year.
Which Illinois cities have the most engineering intern jobs?
The cities with the most engineering intern openings in Illinois are Chicago, Niles, and La Grange. Chicago dominates due to its density of corporate headquarters, engineering consultancies, and technology firms, while Peoria reflects Caterpillar's global operations and supplier network, and Rockford draws from its strong aerospace and precision manufacturing base.
Are there remote engineering intern jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're rare. About 62% of engineering intern openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on, lab-based, or plant-floor nature of most engineering internship work. The roles most likely to offer remote or hybrid arrangements are in software engineering, data analysis, and systems design rather than civil, mechanical, or manufacturing disciplines.
How can I get hired as a engineering intern in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to structured intern programs at large Illinois employers before completing your junior year. Caterpillar, Abbott, and Exelon all run rotational intern cohorts that explicitly target students with no prior industry experience. Building a portfolio of class projects, participating in engineering competitions through Illinois university chapters of ASME or IEEE, and passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam early all give candidates a measurable edge when applying to those competitive programs.
Where can I find and apply to engineering intern jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to engineering intern jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers actively hiring across the state. Search the listings for roles that match your discipline and location, then apply directly to the ones that fit your background and availability.
See All 164+ Engineering Intern Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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