Updated October 2026
TL;DR
These nine paid Philadelphia internship programs let high school students explore engineering and tech work, including Navy lab research, robotics, web development, and UI/UX design. Depending on the program, students might run a mentored lab project, launch an app, or compete in a robotics challenge, then present their results. Most run during the summer, while two stretch across the school year. For a virtual alternative, Ladder Internships pairs students with startups on eight-week projects in fields like software engineering.
Every heavy rain in Philadelphia tests a design problem: where should all that water go? The Philadelphia Water Department’s Green City, Clean Waters plan, which began in 2011, uses plants and soil to absorb runoff before it reaches the city’s combined sewers. Projects like this show that engineering solves everyday problems, and high school is a great time to see that work up close. A paid internship lets you try that kind of problem-solving yourself while earning money for your time.
We selected these programs because each is based in Philadelphia, accepts high school students, offers pay or a stipend, and connects to engineering, technology, or STEM research.
If you’d like even more local options, our list of engineering internships for high school students in Philadelphia covers more labs and design programs across the city. Students curious about science beyond engineering can also explore these STEM internships for high school students in Pennsylvania.
Why should you do an engineering internship?
Engineering classes teach formulas, but an internship shows how those ideas hold up in real projects. Working alongside engineers and researchers helps you discover which branches of the field genuinely excite you before you choose a college major. If you’d like to start from home, Ladder Internships offers virtual startup projects in fields such as software engineering.
What skills can you pick up in engineering internships?
Engineering internships help you practice turning a loose problem into clear requirements, then testing and refining a solution. You may also build technical skills such as coding, prototyping, data analysis, or lab techniques, depending on the field. Just as important, you learn to document your work and explain technical decisions to people outside your team.
How do you choose the right option?
Consider several factors before applying, including your grade level, location, academic background, schedule, and budget. You should also check requirements related to citizenship, residency, coursework, or GPA, as these can vary significantly!
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Program type |
Top programs |
Cost/Stipend |
Best for |
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Virtual Programs |
Fee-based (financial aid available) |
Students seeking fully remote startup projects in software engineering or related technical fields |
|
|
Engineering Research Labs |
Free; stipends $4,000 - $4,500 |
Students interested in robotics, naval systems, or mentored engineering research in professional laboratories |
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|
Biomedical and Life Sciences Research |
Monell Science Apprenticeship, CHOP-RISES II, Wistar Biomedical Research |
Free; stipend $1,500 |
Students interested in biomedical or computational research, including pediatric science and smell and taste research |
|
Software and Product Development |
Free; stipends $500/week - $4,500 |
Students interested in building apps, developing web products, or exploring UI/UX and product management through team projects |
|
|
Career and College Pathways |
Free; stipend $1,000 |
Students seeking engineering or STEM career exploration with college preparation, mentorship, and a supportive peer community |
1. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) – Department of Navy
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Stipend: $4,000 for new participants; $4,500 for returning participants
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; about 300 placements across 38 Navy labs nationally
Dates: Eight weeks in summer, with possible extension of up to two weeks
Application Deadline: November 30
Eligibility: Have completed at least Grade 9; be currently enrolled in high school, with graduating seniors eligible; be 16 or older by the internship start date; be a U.S. citizen; hold sole U.S. citizenship, without dual citizenship, for the NIWC Pacific Philadelphia site; be able to obtain a security clearance for that site
You do real Naval research over the summer at a Department of the Navy laboratory, mentored by the lab's scientists and engineers. In Philadelphia, the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific lab supports C4ISR, cyber, and space systems. It lists disciplines such as electrical, mechanical, systems, and aeronautical engineering, plus robotics. You give at least two progress showcases and a final presentation on your project, and the lab often offers technical talks and workshops.
Who is it best for: Students who want hands-on Navy research experience in engineering areas such as communications, cyber, and space systems, guided by working scientists and engineers.
2. Monell Science Apprenticeship Program
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Stipend: Paid hourly wage, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 10%; generally 18–24 apprentices
Dates: TBA; Usually June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: TBA; Usually January 9
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in high school or an undergraduate institution; be able to prove eligibility to work in the United States; live in the greater Philadelphia area, including Camden, NJ; obtain work papers from the School District of Philadelphia after admission if under 18
You carry out paid, full-time structured research with a Monell Chemical Senses Center scientist and present your findings at a public conference for scientific staff, family, and friends. Recent projects include a computational search for odor metamers, a project on SCENTinel, a rapid smell test, and a coding workshop. You also attend enrichment lectures on scientific topics, public speaking and writing, and ethics in human and animal research.
Who is it best for: Students who want hands-on biomedical research on smell and taste, including computational work, rather than a traditional engineering internship.
3. CHOP-RISES II – Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed; travel and meal subsidies provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: Eight weeks in summer
Application Deadline: No direct application; only CHOP-RISES I completers can join; entry is through CHOP-RISES I, whose application opens in February
Eligibility: Have completed CHOP-RISES I; be a rising senior; be over 16, per CHOP research-lab policy; be legally authorized to work in the United States; have entered CHOP-RISES I as a rising junior at a City of Philadelphia public or charter school; have turned 16 by the CHOP-RISES I cutoff (June 15); show demonstrated interest in science and math
You choose a research track based on your interests and complete an independent research project with a CHOP research group. The internship covers STEM-M (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine) and focuses on pediatric research. You also receive mentor training and serve as a mentor to CHOP-RISES I students. The summer ends with your poster presentation to the CHOP community and your family.
Who is it best for: Students who want to turn a first summer of pediatric lab experience into an independent research project, a poster presentation, and a mentoring role.
4. Provost's Summer Mentorship Program (SMP)
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Stipend: Up to $1,000 on completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~100 participants
Dates: July 6–31
Application Deadline: March 22
Eligibility: Students who live in Philadelphia; attend a Philadelphia public, Catholic, private, or charter high school; be in 9th or 10th grade when applying; have a minimum 3.0 GPA; have an up-to-date vaccine record
In the Penn Engineering track, you take a four-week engineering course with programming lessons, engineering design lessons, engineering projects, and a robotics competition. You also go to an industry career day, take field trips to engineering facilities, and tour Penn's GRASP and BE Labs. College-readiness workshops cover financial literacy, study skills, SAT preparation, and personal statement writing, and the program ends with a college fair on Penn's campus.
Who is it best for: Students who want to explore engineering through programming, design projects, and robotics while getting ready for college applications on a university campus.
5. The Wistar Institute High School Biomedical Research Program
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Stipend: $1,500 upon completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 15 students
Dates: TBA; Usually July 6–30; optional cancer-lab extension for selected participants, pending funding: August 3–21
Application Deadline: TBA; Usually March 20
Eligibility: Be at least 16 years old by July 6; have completed at least one high school science course
You learn biomedical laboratory techniques and contribute to active Wistar science projects in the institute's Training Lab, while reading and interpreting scientific literature and exploring biomedical research careers. You present your work at the end of the four-week program. If funding allows, selected participants may stay three more weeks for individually mentored research in a cancer research lab.
Who is it best for: Students who want hands-on biomedical lab research experience and are open to life-science work, since the program has no verified engineering focus.
6. GRASP Lab, Penn Engineering (University of Pennsylvania) – Penn Engineering High School Internship Program (HIP)
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors (currently in 10th or 11th grade)
You spend seven weeks full-time on a research project with real-world applications. You are paired with a doctoral-candidate mentor and a faculty principal investigator in a field that matches your interests, and 2026 placements included the Sung Robotics Lab. Both interns and their mentors receive stipends, making this a paid, mentored research experience in Penn Engineering labs. You also attend college and career readiness workshops and present your work in a poster presentation at the end of the summer.
Who is it best for: Students who want to try hands-on engineering research, such as robotics, with guidance from Penn doctoral researchers and faculty, and then present their findings.
7. Launchpad Philly – Launchpad 101
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Stipend: Up to $4,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~56 students
Dates: 12 months covering senior year, including summer; starts in September
Application Deadline: Open until all slots are filled; decisions: May 1
Eligibility: Current 11th or 12th grade students in Philadelphia; be on track to graduate
During your senior year, you work half-days on a technical skill in your chosen career pathway. You also join a team that builds, tests, and launches an app for the community, and you earn an AI Fundamentals certification plus a pathway certification. You also complete a paid summer internship with an employer partner, where former Launchpad interns worked in roles such as web application development, front-end web development, and data and coding.
Who is it best for: Students who want to build and launch a real app, earn AI and tech certifications, and try out a tech career through a paid internship with a Philadelphia employer.
8. The College of Physicians of Philadelphia – Out4STEM
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Stipend: Paid on successful completion, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohorts generally 15–20 students
Dates: September – May
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in a Philadelphia School District high school, including public, private, parochial, or charter schools, or be home-schooled in the Philadelphia area; hold a Pennsylvania state work permit, if applicable
You explore careers across science, technology, engineering, math, and healthcare in weekly after-school sessions at the Mütter Museum, where you meet scientists, educators, activists, and medical practitioners. You also study how the body responds to stress, practice stress-relief techniques, work out responses to bullying and discrimination, and learn LGBTQIA+ history. The program gives Philadelphia's LGBTQIA+ youth and students interested in these topics healthcare- and STEM-oriented instruction, mentorship, academic support, and college and career preparation in an inclusive, safe space.
Who is it best for: Students who want to explore STEM and healthcare careers in an LGBTQIA+-affirming peer community with mentorship and college and career guidance, more than hands-on engineering work.
If you live outside Philadelphia or don't want to commute every day, consider Ladder Internships, which pair you with startups to work on real projects in a fully virtual format.
9. Coded by – Tech + Innovation Internship
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Stipend: $500 weekly
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 20 high school and college interns
Dates: High school cohort: June 21 – August 13
Application Deadline: TBA; Usually March 30
Eligibility: Current 10th or 11th graders for the high school cohort; live in the Philadelphia area during the summer; have some prior technical knowledge
You work in a team to take a startup idea through problem validation to a working minimum viable product (MVP), in a Web Developer, UI/UX Designer, or Product Manager role. Past interns in the Web Developer role have written JavaScript and connected API functions to user interfaces. The hybrid program is based at CIC Philadelphia in University City. It is mostly in person, with weekly virtual workdays, site visits to tech industry partners, virtual workshops with mentors, and a closing demo day where teams present their prototypes.
Who is it best for: Students who want to build a real tech product from scratch, whether by coding web applications, designing user interfaces, or managing product development in a startup-style team.
Can an engineering internship help with your college applications?
An engineering internship gives you specific stories to share, such as a design that failed before it worked. Those details show admissions readers how you apply math and science, take responsibility, and learn from setbacks. Reflecting on what you built or tested can also help explain why you want to study engineering.
How do you apply for an engineering internship?
Start with each program’s official page, since eligibility, required materials, and deadlines differ from one opportunity to the next. Prepare concrete examples of your interest, such as a robotics build, a coding project, or a favorite science experiment. Then allow several weeks to gather documents, write any requested responses, and request recommendations if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What types of engineering could I work on in these internships?
The work ranges from hardware and systems engineering to software and product development. Defense lab placements list disciplines such as electrical, mechanical, systems, and aeronautical engineering, while tech-focused programs involve web development, app building, interface design, and product management. A few entries lean toward biomedical or computational research, so they suit students who want engineering-adjacent science rather than design work.
2. Will I build things myself or mostly observe?
Most of these internships center on hands-on work, such as running a mentored lab project, building an app or product prototype, or competing in a robotics challenge. One program focuses more on career exploration, mentorship, and discussion than on technical building. Many also end with a poster, conference talk, or demo day where you present what you did.
3. How much could I earn from these internships?
Every program on this list offers some form of pay, though the amounts and timing vary. Stated totals range from $1,000 to $4,500, and one tech internship pays $500 per week. Several others confirm pay without listing an amount, and some pay only once you complete the program.
4. Do I need to live in Philadelphia to take part?
Most of these programs require you to live in the Philadelphia area or attend a Philadelphia school, though a few do not list a residency requirement. All of them take place in Philadelphia, and only one includes weekly virtual workdays, so plan for a regular commute. If you live farther away, Ladder Internships offers fully online startup internships you can complete from home.
Bonus: Looking for an immersive internship experience?
Check out Ladder Internships!
Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program where students work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! Startups span a variety of industries. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. Apply now!