Last updated: August 2026
Howmet Aerospace is a Fortune 500 specialty manufacturer with $8.3 billion in FY2025 revenue, approximately 25,000 employees, and mission-critical jet engine components inside virtually every major aircraft flying today. The company posted $2.3 billion in Q1 2026 revenue alone (up 19% year over year) and added roughly 1,445 net new employees in its Engine Products segment in 2025. Its paid summer internships run 10 to 14 weeks across manufacturing plants and R&D centers — and as of August 2026, zero US intern postings are live, which is normal for this time of year.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Howmet Intern Career Site |
| Application window (2027–28) | Expected ~Nov 2026 – Mar 2027 (based on summer 2026 cycle) |
| Rolling? | Likely yes — no deadline language in any JD; positions removed individually at different times |
| Eligibility | Sophomore+ · Engineering major · US work auth (no sponsorship) · ITAR U.S. person for defense roles |
| Duration | 10–14 weeks, full-time, on-site |
| Compensation | $23–$29/hr (official JD rates, $25–$26 most common) |
| Return offers | Not published — JDs say the program evaluates interns for potential entry-level openings |
| Locations | Whitehall MI · Torrance/Brea/Fullerton CA · Dover NJ · Kingston NY · Cleveland OH |
| # Tracks | 6+ tracks across four business segments (Engine Products, Fastening Systems, Engineered Structures, Forged Wheels) |
Howmet Aerospace posts US internships between roughly November and March for a summer start. The company uses rolling review with no published deadlines, so positions can fill quietly. Join the Talent Community now to be alerted the moment postings go live.
Howmet's intern board is empty right now, but the posting window opens in a few months. Use this gap to build the data analytics and operational strategy skills Howmet's JDs ask for. The Amazon Fulfillment Center Operational Strategy & People Analytics Externship develops the process-improvement thinking Howmet values, and the Wayfair AI Agent Engineering for BI Externship builds data and engineering fundamentals. Both run remotely. Explore all Externships.
What Is a Howmet Aerospace Internship?
The Howmet Aerospace internship is a 10-to-14-week paid summer program that places engineering students on-site at manufacturing plants and R&D centers across the United States. Interns work on structured projects involving plant tours, lunch-and-learn seminars, networking events, and business-focused assignments, culminating in a final presentation to plant management. Howmet is a Forbes World's Best Employers 2024 honoree and holds a Diversity Jobs Top Employer distinction. The program is worth pursuing because it offers hands-on aerospace manufacturing experience at a company whose components are inside nearly every commercial and defense jet engine flying today.

When Do Howmet Aerospace Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
Howmet Aerospace does not publish an application calendar. Based on the summer 2026 cycle, US intern postings appeared between January and March for a June start, with a median lead time of about 3.5 months. Today sits in Howmet's normal dead zone between the summer 2026 cohort wrapping up and the summer 2027 requisitions going live.
Zero US internship postings are live on Howmet's Intern site — this is the expected state in August. The summer 2026 cohort is finishing. Join the Talent Community now so you are alerted the moment summer 2027 postings go live.
Preparation window. Set up a Handshake profile (Howmet uses Handshake for campus recruiting). Confirm your ITAR U.S. person status if applying to defense-adjacent roles. Get MS Office and Excel proficiency to the level Howmet names in every JD.
Based on the summer 2026 cycle, Howmet posts intern requisitions between roughly January and March (the earliest documented was January 18 for a June start). Positions are likely rolling and until filled. Apply as soon as postings appear; Whitehall MI and Southern California sites are the most popular.
Howmet's 7-step process: apply online, application review, recruiter phone call, phone/video interview, meet team members, feedback, offer. The Glassdoor intern review says the process took about two weeks with two behavioral interviews and no technical assessment.
Howmet interns work 10–14 weeks, on-site at manufacturing plants or R&D centers. Pay is $23–$29/hr. The program includes plant tours, lunch-and-learn seminars, networking events, and business-focused projects culminating in a final presentation to plant management.
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
Howmet does not publish deadlines, and its intern postings have historically been live for only two to four months before being removed. The practical risk is not missing a deadline — it is missing the posting window entirely. Positions at popular sites like Whitehall MI and Southern California likely fill before less-popular locations. Since Howmet does not announce when the cycle starts, the Talent Community alert is the only reliable detection mechanism.
Which Howmet Aerospace Internship Programs Should You Target?
Howmet's intern program spans four business segments. Here are the six documented internship tracks from recent cycles.
| Track | Focus | Duration | Key skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Materials Engineering (Engine Products — R&D) | Material characterization, failure analysis, data analytics | 10–14 weeks, on-site, Whitehall MI | Materials Science or Metallurgical Engineering, analytical skills |
| Automation / Electrical Engineering (Engine Products) | Manufacturing technology, automation, robot programming, controls | 10–14 weeks, on-site, Whitehall MI | Mechanical/Electrical/Robotics Engineering, MS Office |
| Manufacturing Engineering (Fastening Systems) | Assembly processes, fixture design, work instructions, FMEA | 10–12 weeks, on-site, Kingston NY / CA | MS Office (Excel, Word, Teams), basic programming |
| Quality Engineering (Engine Products) | Aerospace engine quality systems and inspection | Summer, on-site, Dover NJ | Quality engineering, aerospace standards |
| Procurement / Finance (Engine Systems) | Cost reduction, supplier management, financial targets | 12–14 weeks, on-site, Rancho Cucamonga CA | Finance, Accounting, data analytics |
| General Intern (Fastening Systems) | Manufacturing, CI, BI, HR, Data Analytics, Computer Science | Summer, on-site, Southern California | Business, Engineering, or Data Analytics |
Check the Howmet Intern Career Site for current openings.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
Across six Howmet intern JDs, four consistent eligibility gates appear.
• Class year: Minimum completion of sophomore-level coursework by May of the internship year. Sophomores are explicitly included.
• Work authorization: Every JD requires legal authorization to work in the US with no visa sponsorship available (6 of 6 JDs).
• ITAR U.S. person status: Defense-adjacent roles require U.S. person status (citizen, permanent resident, asylee, or refugee). Not every role requires it, but any position touching defense components likely does.
• Engineering major: All JDs name a specific engineering discipline (Materials Science, Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, etc.) or business field (Finance, Accounting).
• Extracurricular activity: Two of six JDs require involvement in at least one extracurricular — unusual for an engineering internship.

Does Howmet Aerospace Have a GPA Cutoff for Interns?
Two of six JDs state a 3.0 GPA minimum, while the other four are silent on GPA entirely. The page should present 3.0 as common but not universal. Howmet's gate is more about engineering discipline match and work authorization status than grade-point threshold. If you meet the ITAR and major requirements, a GPA slightly below 3.0 may not automatically disqualify you for roles that do not list it.
What Skills Does Howmet Aerospace Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
Across six Howmet intern JDs spanning four functions, communication and MS Office proficiency are universal requirements. Every JD asks for strong verbal and written communication, and five of six name Microsoft Office explicitly. Analytical and problem-solving skills appear in five of six postings, alongside the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. The differentiator is the engineering specialization: Materials Science for the R&D center, robotics for automation, and finance for procurement.
What Howmet Aerospace looks for in interns
Skills across 5 Howmet Aerospace intern & analyst job descriptions · 6 Howmet Aerospace intern JDs
Skills across 6 Howmet Aerospace intern job descriptions, 2023–2026 cycles across four functions, read in full, August 2026.
How Is Demand for Aerospace Engineering Interns Moving Right Now?
Aerospace engineering intern hiring right now: August 2026
Aggregate market data, all employers
Howmet's financial results are strong and the company is actively growing headcount, which bodes well for summer 2027 intern hiring. The empty board today is seasonal, not a signal of reduced demand.
Method: Howmet financial releases, intern career site snapshot, and job board mirrors, August 2026.
Build These Skills Before You Apply
And every skill in that chart maps to a remote Externship.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical & problem-solving skills | JD: "material characterization, failure analysis, and data analytics" | Wayfair AI Agent Engineering for BI |
| Independent & collaborative work | JD: "identifying new manufacturing technology and sustaining current technology" | Amazon Fulfillment Center Operational Strategy |
| Engineering discipline match | JD: "Automation teams", "manufacturing technology", electrical controls | Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense |
These Externships build the data analytics, operational strategy, and engineering problem-solving evidence Howmet's requisitions reward — the transferable skills that translate across aerospace manufacturing functions.
What Is the Howmet Aerospace Application and Interview Process Like?
Howmet publishes a clear 7-step hiring process on its application page.
1. Check both career sites. Howmet runs a dedicated Intern site and a main careers site. Some intern postings appear on one but not the other.
2. Join the Talent Community. Howmet recommends this for alerts when matching positions are posted. Set up a Handshake profile as well — Howmet uses Handshake for campus recruiting.
3. Apply online and allow 30 minutes. Howmet's application page advises setting aside at least 30 minutes. You can save an unfinished application to return later.
4. Behavioral interviews only. Howmet uses behavioral interviewing techniques. The Glassdoor intern review confirms two online behavioral interviews with no technical assessment. Be ready to share examples from past experiences.
5. Offer timeline. The Glassdoor intern reviewer reports the entire process took about two weeks from application to offer.
Read Howmet's full application process at howmet.com/application.
What Students on Reddit Say
Here is what engineers and former employees say about working at Howmet Aerospace on Reddit.
Multiple commenters describe Howmet as a good place to get experience in high-level casting and engineering. The company is very process-driven. Several people had coworkers who started there and moved on to other aerospace roles. Benefits are described as good.
Mixed feedback on Howmet in the Cleveland aerospace scene. One commenter warns of a constant revolving door at Howmet and competitor PCC, while another notes there are plenty of openings. The aerospace components business is described as very cyclical.
How Do You Stand Out at Howmet Aerospace?
First, get on the alert list now, because Howmet does not announce its cycle. The Talent Community and Handshake are the only detection mechanisms, and postings appeared as early as January for a June start, so the window is short and unpublicized. Second, know which gate you face: every JD requires US work authorization, and many defense-adjacent roles require ITAR U.S. person status. A student authorized to work on OPT but who is not a U.S. person will be eligible for some roles and ineligible for others. Third, name the right engineering discipline for the site. Howmet's Whitehall MI facility is a casting and materials hub; the Southern California Fastening Systems sites focus on machining and assembly. A generic aerospace resume without connecting your discipline to the plant's work misses the opportunity to show fit.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?
Howmet Aerospace competes for engineering talent with the major aerospace primes and specialty component makers.
- GE AerospaceJet engine OEM whose interns design the engine — Howmet's interns make the parts inside itCareers site
- BoeingAirframe OEM, much larger program (5,000+ interns/yr), posts months earlier than Howmet (August–October)Careers site
- Lockheed MartinDefense prime with extensive ITAR requirements and a structured intern program that posts August–OctoberCareers site
- RTX (Raytheon)Defense conglomerate whose Pratt & Whitney division is the closest peer as an engine-parts buyerCareers site
- TransDigmClosest peer by business model (specialty aerospace components) but private-equity culture and a very different intern experienceCareers site
Compare all engineering internships in our Engineering Internships Guide.

FAQ
When do Howmet Aerospace internship applications open for summer 2027?
They have not been announced yet. Howmet does not publish an application calendar. Based on the summer 2026 cycle, postings appeared between January and March for a June start. Join the Howmet Talent Community and set up a Handshake profile to be alerted when US positions go live.
Are Howmet Aerospace internships paid?
Yes, all of them. Howmet's own FAQ page confirms that all internships, co-ops, and apprenticeships are paid. Based on recent postings, engineering interns earn $23 to $29 per hour, with $25 to $26 per hour being the most common rate for summer 2026 positions.
Does Howmet Aerospace require U.S. citizenship for internships?
Not always citizenship, but always work authorization and often ITAR U.S. person status. Every JD requires legal authorization to work in the US with no visa sponsorship. Roles touching defense aerospace components typically require U.S. person status, meaning citizen, permanent resident, asylee, or refugee.
What GPA does Howmet require for an internship?
A 3.0 minimum where stated, but it is not universal. Two of six JDs reviewed specify a 3.0 GPA requirement while the other four are silent on GPA. Howmet's gate is more about engineering discipline match and work authorization than grade-point threshold.
What is the Howmet Aerospace intern interview like?
Behavioral questions only, with no technical assessment. The Glassdoor intern review describes two online interviews focused solely on behavioral questions, with the process taking about two weeks. Howmet's own FAQ confirms behavioral interviewing and advises candidates to prepare examples from past experiences.
Where are Howmet Aerospace internships located?
Primarily at manufacturing plants and R&D centers across the US. The densest cluster is in Whitehall, Michigan (Engine Products), followed by Southern California (Fastening Systems in Brea, Fullerton, Torrance, and Carson). Other documented sites include Dover NJ, Kingston NY, and Cleveland OH.
How long are Howmet Aerospace internships?
Ten to fourteen weeks, starting in May or June. Engine Products internships in Whitehall MI run 10 to 14 weeks. Fastening Systems internships run 10 to 12 weeks. Co-ops run longer, often a full semester or more. All positions are full-time and on-site at a Howmet facility.
Does Howmet sponsor visas for interns?
No. Every Howmet intern JD reviewed states that visa sponsorship is not available. Additionally, many engineering roles require ITAR U.S. person status, which excludes most non-immigrant visa holders. International students on F-1 visas without permanent-resident status would be ineligible for ITAR-restricted positions.
Howmet's posting window opens in a few months, and the positions fill without published deadlines. Build the engineering and operational strategy proof that Howmet's JDs reward right now with a remote Externship — real professional experience that strengthens your resume before applications go live. Explore all Externships.
About the Author
Bifei Wang has spent 17 years focused on human flow and the growth of young professionals, spanning international education, career training and coaching, and recruitment process outsourcing. Over 7 years at Extern, he has had one-on-one sessions with thousands of students exploring careers in consulting, finance, tech, marketing, and data, giving him a firsthand view of how the job market has shifted for early-career professionals and what it actually takes to break in.


