HDR Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: October 2026

On 3 October 2026 HDR had 272 US intern and co-op postings open on its own applicant system, and 267 of them went up after 7 August. That's the summer 2027 wave going live: you apply during 2026, you intern in summer 2027. HDR hires office by office, mostly with one posting per office per discipline, and no posting carries an application deadline, so the practical deadline is when your target office fills its seat.

HDR is the Omaha-based, 100% employee-owned architecture and engineering firm, with 15,000+ employees in 200+ offices. Its internships page says it hosted 600 interns worldwide in 2026 and that 670+ of its full-time employees started as interns. Where HDR publishes pay, posted ranges run from $18 to $30 an hour.

Quick Facts

Summer 2027 applications are open now and no posting has a deadline. Most offices posted in late August and September, so apply this month; if your office hasn't posted, keep checking through January.

Externships are short, remote programs where you finish a real project for a real company, most often over 8 weeks. Do one alongside your HDR applications, not instead of them: the Arceh Children's Environmental Health Analytics Externship builds the environmental data skills behind HDR's water and environmental internships, and the Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship works on connected water infrastructure, close to HDR's water and ICT/security roles. Explore all Externships.

What Is an HDR Internship?

An HDR internship is a paid, temporary summer placement in one of HDR's US offices, working on real projects in buildings, transportation, water, power or environmental services, or in a business role. HDR says interns "work with talented teams on real projects, connecting you with recent college graduates and company leaders."

The development side is spelled out on HDR's internships page: formal mentoring programs, professional development courses, eLearning and in-person leadership learning, and Employee Network Groups. HDR ranks No. 6 on ENR's Top 500 Design Firms, according to its awards page, and every intern posting lists a commitment to its employee-owned culture as a requirement.

When Do HDR Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

HDR's summer wave opens in August and spreads across offices for months. Applications for summer 2027 opened on 7 August 2026, Texas offices posted more than 40 roles on 4 September, Omaha and Iowa followed on 9 September, and finance, project controls and environmental roles were still being added on 30 September to 2 October. That's about nine to ten months before a late-May or June start.

The prior cycle had the same spread. Summer 2026 postings went up from 28 August 2025, and the latest confirmed one, a structural internship in Folsom and Walnut Creek, California, appeared on 19 January 2026. Same-office postings moved by less than four weeks year over year, so the pattern is stable.

How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

HDR's window is long, but each seat isn't. An HDR employee on Reddit puts it simply: hiring "is done office by office, so there's not one contact date." Each office reviews its own postings and makes offers when it finds the right person, and the posting comes down when the seat is filled.

The early offices move fast. In a past cycle, a Central Texas water and wastewater student held offers from both HDR and Kimley-Horn by 23 September, weeks after postings went up. Late offices still interview in spring, but they're a smaller pool. Apply in October to every office you'd accept, and keep checking for offices that haven't posted yet.

Which HDR Internship Programs Should You Target?

HDR has no branded intern program; each office posts the roles it needs. These are the groups among the 272 US postings live on 3 October 2026:

Counts are approximate because some titles fit two groups. Search HDR's job board for "intern" and filter by location.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

HDR's postings share one qualifications block, which keeps the rules simple:

• Enrollment (required): "Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate Engineering program" for engineering roles, or any related undergraduate or graduate program for the rest.

• GPA (preferred): 247 of 272 postings prefer a 3.0 GPA; one Denver structural posting prefers 3.25. No posting lists GPA as a requirement.

• Year (preferred): most postings prefer two completed years toward the degree; a few prefer three.

• Location: on site at the posting office, for example "work in our office in downtown Denver on a daily basis."

• Not stated: visa sponsorship and work authorization. No posting mentions either, so ask the recruiter. Offers depend on background and reference checks, and some positions require drug testing.

Is the 3.0 GPA a Hard Cutoff?

No. On every posting that mentions it, the 3.0 sits under Preferred Qualifications, not Required. The required list is short: current enrollment, attention to detail, problem solving and communication, basic Microsoft Office, and a commitment to HDR's employee-owned culture.

A lower GPA isn't disqualifying on paper, but with this many applicants per office, a relevant project or prior work experience helps make up the difference.

What Skills Does HDR Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

HDR's required qualifications are almost identical on every posting: attention to detail, problem solving and communication, basic Microsoft Office, and an active part in the employee-owned culture. That's why the top five bars are near the full count.

The tools differ by practice. AutoCAD and MicroStation show up on transportation and civil roles, Revit on buildings roles, and GIS on planning and environmental roles. Structural postings also name analysis tools such as RISA, RAM and ETABS.

How Is Demand for Engineering Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

Each of these HDR roles has a skill you can practice before applying:

A finished project also gives you something specific to bring to HDR's hiring-manager interview, where you'll be asked about the work the office actually does.

What Is the HDR Application and Interview Process Like?

HDR publishes its hiring process on its hiring process page. For interns it runs like this:

1. Apply online through HDR's Taleo job board and get a confirmation email.

2. Recruiter review. A recruiter evaluates your qualifications; unsuccessful applicants are told by email.

3. Recruiter call. Shortlisted applicants get a phone or web call with a recruiter.

4. Hiring-manager interview. Finalists interview with the hiring manager, and sometimes HR; more interviews depend on the role.

5. Offer and checks. Offers come verbally, then in writing, and depend on background and reference checks; some positions need a drug test.

Community advice for power and electrical roles: know your resume well and review circuits and power basics. For any office, learn its main projects before the interview.

What Students on Reddit Say

HDR comes up often on r/civilengineering, usually in comparisons with other design firms.

How Do You Stand Out for an HDR Internship?

HDR publishes how many interns it hosts (600 worldwide in 2026) but not applicant numbers or a return-offer rate, so we won't guess at the odds. Three moves fit how it hires:

1. Apply by office, early. With 272 separate postings, you're competing within one office's pile, not nationally. Apply in October to every office you'd work in, then check again monthly through January for offices that post late.

2. Match the practice's tools. Put Revit on a buildings application, AutoCAD, MicroStation or Civil 3D on a transportation one, and GIS on planning and environmental roles. The preferred lists name them for a reason.

3. Take employee ownership seriously. Every posting lists commitment to the employee-owned culture as a requirement. Be ready to say what ownership means to you and how you'd act on it as an intern.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

HDR applicants usually also apply to other design and engineering firms:

Our engineering internships summer 2027 guide covers the wider civil, construction and engineering field.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 HDR internship?

No. HDR's summer 2026 internships have ended, but summer 2027 applications are open now: 272 US intern and co-op postings were live on 3 October 2026, with no deadline on any of them. A few school-year roles are open too, including three fall 2026 internships and one spring 2027 role.

When should I apply for an HDR summer 2027 internship?

Now. Applications for summer 2027 opened on 7 August 2026 and most offices posted in September. No posting has a deadline, and each office hires on its own schedule, so apply in October. If your office hasn't posted, keep checking through January, when last cycle's latest offices posted.

How much do HDR interns make?

Where HDR publishes pay, on 60 of its 272 US postings, ranges run from $18 to $30 an hour. Typical bands are $21 to $25 in Virginia, DC and Maryland and $25 to $30 in Minnesota and Chicago. Texas, Nebraska and Missouri postings mostly publish no range.

Where are HDR internships located?

In 37 states plus DC. Texas has the most postings (67 of 272), followed by Nebraska, mostly at the Omaha headquarters, then Missouri and Minnesota. Internships are on site at the posting office, and some postings pool several offices in one region, such as eight Florida offices under one transportation posting.

Is there a GPA requirement for HDR internships?

Not a hard one. 247 of 272 postings prefer a 3.0 GPA and most prefer two completed years, but both sit under preferred qualifications. The required list is current enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program, attention to detail, problem solving, communication, basic Microsoft Office and commitment to employee ownership.

What majors does HDR hire interns from?

Mostly civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and environmental engineering, plus architecture and interior design, planning and GIS. HDR also posts business internships in finance and accounting, project controls, funding, marketing, communications, data science, software development and economic consulting, so non-engineers have real options.

Does an HDR internship lead to a full-time job?

Often, though HDR doesn't publish a return-offer rate. Its internships page says 670+ of its full-time employees started as interns, and one summer 2027 Denver posting calls the role a paid internship that may lead to full-time employment upon graduation. Don't divide 670 by this year's 600 interns; they measure different things.

What is HDR's interview process for interns?

You apply online, a recruiter reviews your application, and shortlisted applicants get a phone or web call with the recruiter. Finalists interview with the hiring manager, sometimes with HR. Offers come verbally and then in writing, and depend on background and reference checks.

HDR's summer 2027 seats fill office by office this fall, so apply now, then use the weeks before interviews to finish one project you can talk through: a remote Externship gives you that.