15 STEM Internships for Undergraduates in Arkansas
If you are an undergraduate student interested in STEM, an internship can be a worthwhile way to explore this field. Internships allow you to apply classroom learning in professional environments while gaining work experience before graduation. Through internships, you can work on industry or research projects that strengthen your technical skills, improve your communication skills, and demonstrate initiative to future employers or graduate programs. Manyhiring managers value candidates who can show evidence of problem-solving, familiarity with workplace tools, and the ability to contribute to team-based projects. If you are pursuing a STEM degree, internships provide a way to explore different career paths. You will gain exposure to specialized technologies and can clarify whether you prefer research, industry, healthcare, data science, engineering, or another technical field.
Why should I do a STEM internship in college?
A STEM internship helps bridge the gap between academic learning and application. You gain experience using industry tools, laboratory techniques, coding frameworks, data analysis platforms, or engineering processes that are difficult to replicate in a classroom. Internships also allow you to build professional relationships and expand your network. In addition, you gain experience with workplace skills such as project management, collaboration, and technical reporting. Many entry-level STEM roles now expect prior internship experience; completing one during college can give you a significant advantage when entering the job market. Beyond employability, internships also help you refine your interests, build confidence in your abilities, and prepare for graduate school and research fellowships.
To help you get started, we’ve put together 15 STEM internships for undergraduates in Arkansasbased on experiential depth, mentorship quality, and relevance to high-demand technical skills.
1. Arkansas INBRE Summer Research Fellowships
Location: University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR) or University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (Little Rock, AR)
Stipend: $7,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 9-week summer programs
Application Deadline: Not listed | see AR INBRE summer programs webpage
Eligibility: Rising junior or senior undergraduate STEM majors
The Arkansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (AR INBRE) offers a paid, 9-week summer research fellowship for undergraduate students interested in human health–related research. As a fellow, you will work under the mentorship of a faculty investigator at either the University of Arkansas or the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, contributing to a biomedical research project. The program offers two structured tracks. The Mentored Summer Research Program is designed for students planning to pursue advanced training, such as graduate school or medical school, offering intensive research experience and mentorship. The Professional Research Opportunity (PRO) Summer Program is designed for students who plan to enter the biomedical workforce directly after completing a bachelor’s degree, preparing them for roles such as research technologists in laboratories or core facilities.
2. Ladder University Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on the program | financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Spring, summer, fall, and winter cohorts
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort | applications typically open in January, May, September, and November
Eligibility: Undergraduate and gap year students are able to work for 8 - 12 weeks, committing 10 - 20 hours/week
The Ladder University Internship Program is a selective, virtual internship that places students with startups and nonprofit organizations working on real operational, strategic, or technical projects. You are assigned to a specific project with defined deliverables, ensuring that your work directly contributes to an organization. Throughout the internship, you collaborate closely with a manager from the host organization and receive structured mentorship from a dedicated ladder coach. This structure helps you strengthen both your technical capabilities and professional competencies. The program emphasizes ownership, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration, allowing you to develop applied skills in technology, data analysis, product development, marketing strategy, or operations management in a professional environment. Apply now!
3. Experiential Scholars Program (ESP) – University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Location: Central Arkansas (with potential housing support; primary work across Extension offices/field sites)
Stipend: $4,500 in total | about $12.50/hour for a nine-week appointment
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: May 18 - July 17
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Undergraduate juniors and seniors enrolled at any U.S. institution (U.S. citizens/permanent residents)
The Experiential Scholars Program (ESP) is a paid, nine-week summer internship that immerses participants in applied agricultural and community research through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service. You will select one of three focus areas: water & soil conservation, health, nutrition & food safety, or community & economic development. Each participant is paired with a faculty or specialist mentor who provides training and hands-on field experience. During the internship, you gain practical extension-related experience by assisting with daily technical activities, leading independent projects such as field demonstrations, public workshops, or community meetings, and participating in leadership seminars.
4. Extension Animal Science Summer Internship
Location: Arkansas | state-level extension programming | travel may be required
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer term (12 weeks)
Application deadline: Not listed
Eligibility: College sophomores, juniors, and seniors
The Extension Animal Science Summer Internship offers a 12-week paid opportunity to gain hands-on experience in statewide extension programming. As an intern, you will work alongside Animal Science Extension Specialists across multiple focus areas, such as 4-H livestock programs, horses, forages, beef cattle, small ruminants, and animal health. You have the flexibility to shadow specialists in multiple disciplines while also spending dedicated time in an area aligned with your academic interests. Responsibilities may include supporting youth livestock programs, assisting with 4-H contests and outreach events, contributing to educational programming, and participating in ongoing extension initiatives.
5. IT Help Desk Intern – UADA Cooperative Extension Service
Location: Arkansas (UADA State Office) | on-site support role
Stipend: Starting at $14/hour (based on experience)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer | part-time | up to 29 hours/week
Application deadline: Not listed
Eligibility: College students interested in IT support, networking, or technology services
The IT Help Desk Internship with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture (UADA) provides hands-on experience in Tier 1 technical support within a professional IT environment. As an intern, you will act as the first point of contact for Cooperative Extension Service staff, handling service requests through the TeamDynamix ticketing system, remote support tools, phone, email, or in-person support. Your responsibilities include troubleshooting hardware and software issues, resolving local network problems, supporting printers and peripherals, managing user accounts in accordance with security policies, and accurately documenting incidents in the help desk system. You may also assist with state office networking tasks and help maintain service-level standards.
6. Lab Chemist I – Summer Internship
Location: El Dorado, AR
Stipend: $25/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer
Application Deadline: Not listed
Eligibility: Enrolled or recent graduate in chemistry, environmental science, biology, or a related field
The Lab Chemist I Internship at Clean Harbors offers hands-on experience in environmental and industrial waste management within a regulated laboratory environment. In this role, you spend approximately 75% of your time on document control and data analysis, which includes reviewing, updating, and validating laboratory records. The remaining 25% is focused on shadowing supervisors and technicians to gain practical insight into daily lab operations. You will learn analytical techniques involving metals (such as mercury), wet chemistry testing (for example, chlorine and fluoride analysis), and instrumentation such as Gas Chromatography (GC), Ion Chromatography (IC), and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP). You will gain exposure to additional methods such as flashpoint testing, calorimetry, Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis, and wastewater-related processes. The internship also emphasizes Process Safety Management (PSM) practices, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance, and proper handling and disposal of laboratory-generated waste.
7. Summer Science Program – Arkansas Children’s Hospital & UAMS
Location: Little Rock, AR
Stipend: Competitive stipend | limited housing available | housing costs not included in stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 1 - 24
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Primarily target juniors and seniors | U.S. residents or current U.S. visa holders
The Summer Science Program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, co-sponsored by the UAMS Department of Pediatrics and the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, offers an eight-week, mentored research experience in pediatric health sciences. You will work on a dedicated research project under the guidance of scientists working in basic laboratory science, translational research, clinical investigation, or community-based health research. In addition to core research work, you have opportunities to tour hospital units and research facilities and shadow physicians and researchers during clinical rounds.
8. NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
Location: Fayetteville, AR (University of Arkansas campus)
Stipend: Competitive stipend | includes housing, travel support, and often site visits/field trips
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 10 weeks (mid-May to late July)
Application Deadline: Typically late February to mid-March
Eligibility: Undergraduates pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree | U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or U.S. nationals | typically 60+ credit hours and a minimum GPA of 3.0
The National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs at the University of Arkansas offer a 10-week, immersive summer research experience across multiple STEM disciplines. Each program selects approximately 10 students from institutions nationwide and enrolls them in a one-credit research course where they work with faculty mentors on independent research projects. Research tracks span across diverse fields, including biomedical engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, physics, food science, ecosystem services, entomology and plant pathology, biomedical research (IDeA network), and power optimization of electro-thermal systems. Throughout the program, you contribute to ongoing research initiatives while building skills in experimental design, data analysis, technical writing, and scientific presentation.
9. Arkansas Heart Hospital Summer Internship Program
Location: Little Rock & North Little Rock, AR
Cost/Stipend: Not listed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer term (specific dates not listed)
Application Deadline: Not specified | apply online | rolling consideration likely
Eligibility: Students pursuing degrees in healthcare, business, technology, communications, or related fields
The Arkansas Heart Hospital Summer Internship Program offers hands-on experience in a specialized cardiovascular healthcare environment. As an intern, you will work alongside professionals in a high-performance hospital environment and contribute to operational, clinical, analytical, or technical initiatives. The program is designed to provide practical exposure beyond classroom theory, helping you develop applied skills in a real-world healthcare system. Internship opportunities are available across multiple disciplines, including accounting and finance, business and data analytics, chaplaincy, corporate wellness, clinical roles such as nursing, cardiac sonography, exercise physiology, marketing and communications, and technology & IT, including cybersecurity and software support.
10. Process Engineering Intern – LANXESS
Location: El Dorado, AR (On Site - El Dorado Central)
Cost/Stipend: Competitive (exact rate not listed)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specifiedDates: Summer (full-time)
Application Deadline: Not listed
Eligibility: Completed sophomore year in a bachelor’s engineering program
The Process Engineering Internship at LANXESS offers hands-on experience in a specialty chemicals manufacturing plant. As an intern, you apply engineering principles to short-term, impact-driven projects focused on process optimization, production efficiency, quality improvement, and waste reduction. You will analyze existing processes, identify improvement areas, and help implement practical engineering solutions in an industrial environment. Your responsibilities may include developing and updating standard operating procedures (SOPs), reviewing equipment documentation, interpreting schematics, and contributing to safety and environmental initiatives. You participate in plant-based activities while performing analytical and documentation tasks, gaining balanced exposure to both engineering work and on-site manufacturing operations.
11. Pediatric Therapy Internship – Pediatric Complex Care of Arkansas
Location: North Little Rock, AR (in-person)
Cost/Stipend: $16/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer | full-time | 40 hours/week
Application deadline: Not listed
Eligibility: Completed at least one year of college | pursuing a degree in PT, OT, SLP, nursing, special education, recreation therapy, pre-med, or a related healthcare field | 18+ years old
The Pediatric Therapy Internship at Pediatric Complex Care of Arkansas (PCCA) provides hands-on clinical experience supporting children who have complex medical and developmental needs. As an intern, you will support licensed therapists and care teams in both classroom and therapeutic settings while gaining exposure to pediatric rehabilitation services and interdisciplinary care models. Your responsibilities include assisting with patient lifting and mobility support, facilitating sensorimotor activities under the supervision of an occupational therapist, supporting oral motor stimulation programs guided by a speech-language pathologist, and participating in gait training and adaptive mobility exercises. You will also contribute to documentation using the PCCA Quality of Life Matrix and assist with therapy-based summer programming and field activities.
12. DELTA | AR Construction Internship – Delta Companies Inc.
Location: Paragould, AR
Cost/Stipend: Competitive | exact rate not listed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer
Application Deadline: Not listed | posted January 26
Eligibility: Enrolled in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, construction management, or related program | valid driver’s license required
The DELTA | AR Construction Internship provides hands-on exposure in highway construction and site development operations within a vertically integrated infrastructure organization. As an intern, you will gain exposure to asphalt paving, aggregate operations, and transportation infrastructure projects while applying academic knowledge to construction environments. Your responsibilities include supporting project teams with bid preparation, contract development, scheduling coordination, cost tracking, and materials forecasting. You also assist in ensuring compliance set by organizations such as the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), while actively participating in the company’s safety culture initiatives.
13. Manufacturing Engineering Co-Op/Intern – Rheem (US Air Division)
Location: Fort Smith, AR (Onsite)
Cost/Stipend: Not listed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Not specified | Co-op/internship | likely semester or summer-based
Application Deadline: Not listed
Eligibility: Undergraduate engineering student | minimum GPA of 2.5 | AutoCAD preferred
The Manufacturing Engineering Co-Op/Intern position at Rheem provides direct exposure to lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives within a production environment. In this role, you redesign material delivery systems and assembly processes using Rheem Production System (RPS) principles to maximize operational efficiency and reduce waste. You will contribute to structured Kaizen events, support waste identification, and help standardize work improvements across multiple manufacturing lines. Responsibilities include developing operator station layouts, designing part flow racks, conducting time studies, supporting line balancing for new product launches, and assisting with PFEP (Plan for Every Part) documentation. You may also participate in fixture design, material delivery system development, and factory master planning projects.
14. Engineering Intern – West Fraser
Location: Leola, AR
Cost/Stipend: Not listed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer (May - August; full-time, seasonal)
Application Deadline: Not listed
Eligibility: Electrical Engineering major | graduating no later than December in the upcoming year | minimum GPA of 2.75
The Engineering Internship at West Fraser provides hands-on experience in a large-scale wood products manufacturing environment. As an intern, you will work with the site reliability engineer, regional electrical engineer, maintenance leadership, millwrights, electricians, and vendors to support reliability initiatives and reduce repeat equipment failures. Your responsibilities include assisting with the implementation of West Fraser’s reliability program, supporting troubleshooting efforts, and contributing to process and equipment improvement projects. You gain direct exposure to industrial electrical systems, preventive maintenance strategies, and cross-functional collaboration within a manufacturing environment.
15. Intern – Engineering (Summer) – Arkansas Department of Transportation
Location: West Helena, AR (and other district/division offices as assigned)
Stipend: $15 - $22.50/hour (based on completed college credit hours)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer (seasonal)
Application Deadline: April 2
Eligibility: Engineering student (Bachelor’s or Master’s) enrolled in an EAC of ABET-accredited program | minimum 30 completed credit hours | minimum GPA OF 2.0
The Engineering Internship with the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) provides structured exposure to public-sector transportation engineering across multiple functional areas. Under supervision, you assist with engineering tasks while receiving formal training in departmental procedures, standards, and regulatory frameworks. Depending on the placement, you may support divisions such as design, planning, materials, resident engineer, survey, or maintenance. Yourresponsibilities can include assisting with data collection and analysis, creating CADD-based layouts and technical drawings, supporting cost estimates and bid documentation, contributing to traffic modeling and transportation studies, performing materials quality assurance testing, and participating in construction inspections and site visits.
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