How to hire an Electrical Engineer Internship

How to hire an electrical engineer internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step electrical engineer internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an electrical engineer internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new electrical engineer internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an Electrical Engineer Internship do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The electrical engineer internship hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An electrical engineer internship's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, electrical engineer interns from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents electrical engineer internship salaries for various positions.

   Type Of Electrical Engineer Internship	Description	Hourly Rate
   Electrical Engineer Internship	Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems—from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPSs).	$21-43
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show More	$31-62
   System Design Engineer	A system design engineer is a professional who participates in system design engineering and resolves manufacturing and service problems. System design engineers are required to collaborate with the system design team to research emerging technologies and develop new capabilities... Show More	$37-71

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • C++
   • Analog
   • Revit
   • CAD
   • PowerPoint
   • RF
   • Python
   • Troubleshoot
   • Test Equipment
   • Control Systems
   • Electrical Systems
   • PCB
   • Electrical Design
   • Circuit Design

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Coordinate with senior electrical engineers and achieve hands-on experience on coal fire plant power generation and power transformers, circuit breakers.
   • Design hardware and firmware for HVAC user interface project.
   • Board interface Wiznet TCP/IP chip and Ethernet switch controllers.
   • Debug and repair malfunction circuits boards used to control custom scientific apparatus.
   • Prepare engineering specifications, schematics, and bill of materials (BOM).
   • Provide a study of the cost saving of using solar power versus ac power.

   More Electrical Engineer Internship duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the electrical engineer internship job description is a good way to get more applicants. An electrical engineer internship salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an electrical engineer internship in West Virginia may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level electrical engineer internship. Additionally, an electrical engineer internship with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average electrical engineer internship salary

   $63,398yearly

   $30.48 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level electrical engineer internship salary

   $44,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 26, 2025

   Average electrical engineer internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	Washington	$83,328	$40
   2	California	$83,142	$40
   3	District of Columbia	$78,048	$38
   4	New Mexico	$73,431	$35
   5	Massachusetts	$72,023	$35
   6	Pennsylvania	$66,090	$32
   7	Oregon	$65,440	$31
   8	Minnesota	$65,268	$31
   9	Texas	$63,926	$31
   10	North Carolina	$63,440	$31
   11	Florida	$62,929	$30
   12	Virginia	$62,840	$30
   13	Colorado	$62,358	$30
   14	Arizona	$62,192	$30
   15	Illinois	$61,592	$30
   16	Georgia	$61,405	$30
   17	Wisconsin	$57,715	$28
   18	Nebraska	$57,583	$28
   19	Utah	$56,940	$27
   20	Alabama	$55,563	$27

   Average electrical engineer internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	KLA	$99,228	$47.71	38
   2	Intel	$91,419	$43.95	43
   3	Formlabs	$87,185	$41.92	9
   4	Comtech Telecommunications	$82,926	$39.87
   5	Alliant Energy	$79,825	$38.38
   6	Jefferson Lab	$79,333	$38.14	2
   7	Westinghouse Appliances Australia	$78,560	$37.77	54
   8	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	$78,164	$37.58	62
   9	BorgWarner	$78,002	$37.50	6
   10	National Railroad Passenger Corporation	$77,961	$37.48	4
   11	Volvo Trucks	$76,978	$37.01	2
   12	Persistent Systems	$76,182	$36.63	1
   13	Idaho Power	$75,302	$36.20
   14	Parsons	$73,018	$35.10	71
   15	MERL	$72,830	$35.01	4
   16	Agilent Technologies	$72,527	$34.87
   17	Meggitt PLC	$71,551	$34.40
   18	Novelis	$70,190	$33.75	21
   19	Smith Seckman Reid	$67,220	$32.32	14
   20	Mortenson	$66,476	$31.96	26

4. Writing an Electrical Engineer Internship Job Description

   An electrical engineer internship job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an electrical engineer internship job description:

   Electrical Engineer Internship job description example

   Intern--Electrical Engineer - (22001292) Description Global Rolled Products (GRP), is a dynamic global organization that offers the widest variety of aluminum plate and sheet in the world. GRP is made up of Arconic's rolling operations around the world with manufacturing and commercial sites in North America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia, Australia and Russia. GRP is an approximately $8 billion global business.
   
   As suppliers to the aerospace, automotive, commercial transportation, building and construction, industrial, and packaging and consumer goods markets, our high-quality materials are the foundation for many products that touch everyday life.
   
   We're currently seeking highly motivated and energetic students to join our team as interns in our Global Rolled Products (GRP) group. An internship with GRP allows students to be a part of dynamic and innovative projects, while providing ample mentoring and professional development opportunities. Working alongside leadership, GRP interns have the opportunity to sharpen their skills through hands-on learning. An internship with GRP will provide you with invaluable experience that you could utilize in any role, and it is Arconic's goal to evaluate its interns for potential entry-level openings. With over 60 locations across the US, there are opportunities to work in a variety of places around the country.
   
   Electrical engineering role will work on plant floor with other like Engineering employees. Will work on projects, and other day to day aspects of electrical work at our facility.
   Qualifications Basic Qualifications
   
   3.0 GPA and above
   Must be involved in at least 1 extracurricular activity.
   Prior work experience.
   Must be currently enrolled in a Bachelor's degree program in Electrical Engineering with an expected graduation date of August 2023, December 2023, or April/May/June 2024.
   Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
   
   Primary Location: United States-TN-AlcoaWork Locations: US ALC Alcoa, Tennessee 300 South Hall Road Alcoa 37701Job: OperationsOrganization: 00300-95501 TN HUMAN RESOURCESShift: Day JobJob Type: Internship Hourly Paid or Salaried: SalariedJob Level: Entry Level NoneJob Posting: Sep 21, 2022, 6:35:30 PMMinimum Years of Experience: 0 / entry LevelThis position requires access to export controlled items or information related to ATC, CDL, DAV, LAF, or MAS.: N/AArconic affirms it's policy to operate without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, veteran status, genetic information, sex or age.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right electrical engineer internship for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your electrical engineer internship job on Zippia to find and recruit electrical engineer internship candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit electrical engineer interns, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new electrical engineer internship

   Once you've found the electrical engineer internship candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new electrical engineer internship. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an electrical engineer internship?