Optimization Engineer Internships
Optimization engineer internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience optimizing real systems, mentorship from working engineers, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Demand is active across Automotive, with TikTok, Nio Usa, and GE Vernova among the employers posting roles now.
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See related jobsOur core assets provide services for customers in the Delaware Basin in West Texas and New Mexico, and the DJ Basin in northeastern Colorado, and the Powder River Basin in Northeast Wyoming. Additional assets and investments are located in South Texas, Utah, and Southwest Wyoming.
We’re engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, treating, processing, and transporting natural gas; gathering, stabilizing and transporting condensate, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and crude oil; and gathering, transporting, recycling, treating and disposing of produced water for our customers. In our capacity as a natural gas processor, we also buy and sell natural gas, NGLs, and condensate on our behalf and our customers under certain gas processing contracts.
Western Midstream (WES) is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol, WES.
Job Summary:
The Process Optimization Engineering (POE) Intern will support the POE team in improving the performance, reliability, and profitability of gas gathering, compression, saltwater disposal, and oil treating facilities across our West Texas Delaware Basin assets. The intern will assist engineers with operating data analysis, hydraulic and process model support, and capital project economics, gaining hands-on exposure to midstream oil and gas operations, field facilities, and data-driven optimization tools.
Key Responsibilities:
- Assist Process Optimization Engineers in monitoring and analyzing daily gathering, compression, and facility operating data to support safe, compliant, and profitable operations.
- Assist with data compilation, process simulation inputs, and economic calculations to support capital project recommendations for safety, environmental compliance, and profitability.
- Support monitoring of compression, treating, and gathering equipment performance using SCADA and data historian tools (Seeq)
- Participate in Process Hazard Analyses (PHA) and Management of Change (MOC) reviews as an observer/contributor.
- Help prepare summaries, presentations, or documentation to communicate findings to Operations, HSSE, and Engineering stakeholders.
- Willing and eager to learn, while helping drive process improvement initiatives across the POE team.
Qualifications:
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Petroleum, or a related Engineering discipline.
- Coursework or academic exposure to fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, or process engineering preferred.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel; familiarity with data analysis or visualization tools is a plus.
- Proficiency in AI tools such as Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and ChatGPT required.
- Exposure to or interest in hydraulic modeling software (e.g., Synergi, PIPESIM, OLGA) or gas compression simulation tools (e.g., Ariel Performance) is a plus but not required.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
- Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with Operations, HSSE, and Engineering teams.
Educational Requirements:
- Currently enrolled in an accredited university pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree; Chemical, Mechanical, or Petroleum Engineering preferred, though other engineering disciplines may be considered.
Certification/Licenses:
- Valid driver’s license with no restrictions that would prohibit driving a company vehicle, required for field site visits.
Travel Requirements:
- The percentage of travel required for this position is 0 - 10%, primarily for occasional field familiarization visits to gathering, compression, and facility sites in the Delaware Basin (West Texas).
Work Schedule:
- This position utilizes a Hybrid work schedule: Monday–Thursday (9-hour days) and Friday (4-hour day), with occasional flexibility for business needs.
- WES reserves the right to change employee’s schedule if it is required by operations.
Western Midstream does not offer sponsorship of employment-based nonimmigrant visa petitions for this role.
Western Midstream is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in recruiting, hiring, developing, compensating and promoting applicants and employees. All employment decisions are made without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected categories. This includes providing reasonable accommodation for employee's and applicant's disabilities or religious beliefs and practices.
To learn more about our Pay-for-Performance Compensation and our comprehensive benefits package, click here
Our core assets provide services for customers in the Delaware Basin in West Texas and New Mexico, and the DJ Basin in northeastern Colorado, and the Powder River Basin in Northeast Wyoming. Additional assets and investments are located in South Texas, Utah, and Southwest Wyoming.
We’re engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, treating, processing, and transporting natural gas; gathering, stabilizing and transporting condensate, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and crude oil; and gathering, transporting, recycling, treating and disposing of produced water for our customers. In our capacity as a natural gas processor, we also buy and sell natural gas, NGLs, and condensate on our behalf and our customers under certain gas processing contracts.
Western Midstream (WES) is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol, WES.
Job Summary:
The Process Optimization Engineering (POE) Intern will support the POE team in improving the performance, reliability, and profitability of gas gathering, compression, saltwater disposal, and oil treating facilities across our West Texas Delaware Basin assets. The intern will assist engineers with operating data analysis, hydraulic and process model support, and capital project economics, gaining hands-on exposure to midstream oil and gas operations, field facilities, and data-driven optimization tools.
Key Responsibilities:
- Assist Process Optimization Engineers in monitoring and analyzing daily gathering, compression, and facility operating data to support safe, compliant, and profitable operations.
- Assist with data compilation, process simulation inputs, and economic calculations to support capital project recommendations for safety, environmental compliance, and profitability.
- Support monitoring of compression, treating, and gathering equipment performance using SCADA and data historian tools (Seeq)
- Participate in Process Hazard Analyses (PHA) and Management of Change (MOC) reviews as an observer/contributor.
- Help prepare summaries, presentations, or documentation to communicate findings to Operations, HSSE, and Engineering stakeholders.
- Willing and eager to learn, while helping drive process improvement initiatives across the POE team.
Qualifications:
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Petroleum, or a related Engineering discipline.
- Coursework or academic exposure to fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, or process engineering preferred.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel; familiarity with data analysis or visualization tools is a plus.
- Proficiency in AI tools such as Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and ChatGPT required.
- Exposure to or interest in hydraulic modeling software (e.g., Synergi, PIPESIM, OLGA) or gas compression simulation tools (e.g., Ariel Performance) is a plus but not required.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
- Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with Operations, HSSE, and Engineering teams.
Educational Requirements:
- Currently enrolled in an accredited university pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree; Chemical, Mechanical, or Petroleum Engineering preferred, though other engineering disciplines may be considered.
Certification/Licenses:
- Valid driver’s license with no restrictions that would prohibit driving a company vehicle, required for field site visits.
Travel Requirements:
- The percentage of travel required for this position is 0 - 10%, primarily for occasional field familiarization visits to gathering, compression, and facility sites in the Delaware Basin (West Texas).
Work Schedule:
- This position utilizes a Hybrid work schedule: Monday–Thursday (9-hour days) and Friday (4-hour day), with occasional flexibility for business needs.
- WES reserves the right to change employee’s schedule if it is required by operations.
Western Midstream does not offer sponsorship of employment-based nonimmigrant visa petitions for this role.
Western Midstream is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in recruiting, hiring, developing, compensating and promoting applicants and employees. All employment decisions are made without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected categories. This includes providing reasonable accommodation for employee's and applicant's disabilities or religious beliefs and practices.
To learn more about our Pay-for-Performance Compensation and our comprehensive benefits package, click here
Optimization Engineer Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Automotive
Tips for Your Optimization Engineer Internship Search
Apply months before the internship starts
Large employers open summer optimization engineer internship recruiting the preceding fall and close cohorts well before spring. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to start dates, so roles appear year-round. Check listings regularly and submit applications as soon as roles open rather than waiting until the semester you want to intern.
Build a project portfolio before you apply
Recruiters hiring optimization engineer interns want evidence of your analytical thinking, not a long work history. Document two or three projects, naming the tools you used, linear programming solvers, simulation software, Python or R, and link to the work in your resume so reviewers can see it directly.
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. Applying directly to companies running smaller cohorts alongside your campus activity widens the pool you reach and covers openings that never appear at fairs.
Practice your technical screen out loud before interviews
Optimization engineer intern screens typically involve quantitative problem-solving, modeling scenarios, or algorithm questions depending on the team. Practice solving these out loud and walking through your reasoning, not just reaching an answer silently. Interviewers weigh how you structure a problem as much as whether your final answer is correct.
Target structured rotational and university programs early
Many larger employers run dedicated optimization or operations research internship cohorts designed to train people new to the field. These programs recruit on a fixed calendar, fill fast, and often move candidates through a structured technical evaluation. Identify the ones that match your background and apply in the first recruiting wave.
Set your work-type filter before you start searching
On-site roles are 67% of the optimization engineer internships listed here. Decide what you can commit to, full relocation, hybrid, or fully remote, before you start sorting through listings. Filtering by location and work type upfront keeps you focused on roles you can actually accept and avoids wasted applications.
Optimization Engineer Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an optimization engineer internship?
Lead with coursework and personal projects rather than work history, hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. For optimization engineer roles, a documented portfolio of optimization models or simulation projects gives recruiters something concrete to assess. Apply directly to open roles and attend campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can an optimization engineer internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What drives it for optimization engineer interns is consistent performance on real project work, available headcount on the team, and understanding when return-offer decisions are made. Position yourself by delivering measurable results and expressing clear interest early, without counting on an offer as certain.
When should I apply for optimization engineer internships?
Earlier than most students expect. Large employers recruit summer interns the preceding fall, often closing cohorts before spring semester begins. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to their actual start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly and applying as soon as a role opens gives you the best shot at structured programs.
Are optimization engineer internships paid?
Most professional optimization engineer internships in the United States are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location, and the specifics depend on what each employer chooses to disclose. Where an employer has shared pay information, it appears directly in the listing so you can factor it into your decisions.
What should an optimization engineer internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three complete, documented projects that name the tools, methods, and outcomes, and link to the work directly, think linked code repositories, published optimization models, or case study write-ups reviewers can open. Add relevant coursework in operations research, algorithms, or modeling, and keep the whole document to one page.
Are there remote optimization engineer internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 33% of the optimization engineer internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill fast because they draw applicants from a wider geography, so apply early and filter by work type to see those openings before they close.
Can international students get optimization 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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