Last updated: October 2026
National Grid's US internship window is short. The main summer-2026 Gridtern wave was posted on 8 October 2025 and closed on 16 November 2025, and the summer-2025 wave closed on 13 October 2024, less than four weeks after it opened. On 3 October 2026 the summer-2027 wave had not posted yet: National Grid's US job board listed 94 openings and none of them was an internship. The Gridtern Program is the paid summer internship for National Grid's US business, which delivers electricity and gas to more than 20 million people in New York and Massachusetts. Summer-2026 reqs paid $18 to $34 an hour depending on role, office and degree level. In plain words, you apply during 2026 and intern in summer 2027, but only if you're watching the board this month: last year's main window lasted about five and a half weeks.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | jobs.nationalgrid.com/usa (search "intern"); join the Talent Community for alerts. Program page: Gridtern Program. |
| Application window (2027–28) | Main wave for summer 2027 expected ~October 2026, closing ~mid-Oct to mid-Nov 2026 (last cycle: 8 Oct to 16 Nov 2025). Second wave for summer 2027 expected ~late Feb 2027, open ~10 days. |
| Rolling? | No. Each req states a hard closing date, and windows are short: about 3.5 to 5.5 weeks for the main wave, about 10 days for the second. |
| Eligibility | Full-time bachelor's or master's student continuing through the fall semester, 18+ credits, age 18+; no visa sponsorship including CPT and OPT; must live in the nine-state Northeast footprint. |
| Duration | Full-time, 40 hours a week, May/June to August (summer 2026 started Monday 15 June). |
| Compensation | Summer-2026 reqs: $18–$34/hr by role and office (e.g. $25–$34 Brooklyn engineering, $18–$28 Syracuse CS/data). No relocation or housing support. |
| Return offers | Conversion rate not published; Gridterns are encouraged to apply to the Graduate Development Program. |
| Locations | Waltham and Worcester MA; Brooklyn, Staten Island, Syracuse, Melville, Albany and Buffalo NY; one National Grid Partners seat in Menlo Park, CA (2026). |
| # Programs | Bundled main-wave reqs by major and office, single-team second-wave reqs, plus co-ops and off-cycle internships. |
Summer 2027 applications haven't opened yet. Based on the last two cycles, expect the main wave in October 2026 with a stated close between mid-October and mid-November, then a short second wave in late February 2027.
Externships are short, remote projects where you finish real work for a real company, most running 8 weeks at 5 to 10 hours a week. The Breaking Games SQL Database Architecture Externship builds the data skills behind National Grid's billing and EMS data clean-up projects, and the Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship fits its grid and IT security teams. Explore all Externships.
What Is a National Grid Internship?
A National Grid internship, called the Gridtern Program, is a paid, full-time summer placement with one team in National Grid's US business, the New York and Massachusetts utility owned by UK-based National Grid plc. The UK program recruits separately, and this page covers only the US one. Gridterns get a mentor, orientation, lunch-and-learn sessions, site visits and volunteering, and can contribute to a 401(k). Main-wave reqs are bundles: one application to, say, "Computer Science/Engineering, Data Analytics Majors (Syracuse, NY)" puts you in front of several departments at once, from customer billing analytics to energy management system upgrades and safety dashboards. National Grid also runs co-ops of three to six months and off-cycle fall or spring internships of up to 20 hours a week.
When Do National Grid Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
National Grid posts one main wave each fall and a smaller second wave in late winter. The main wave opened around 17 September 2024 for summer 2025 and on 8 October 2025 for summer 2026, about 8 months before the June start. Closing dates moved too: 13 October 2024, then 16 November 2025. Because the window shifted 3 weeks later at the open and 5 weeks later at the close in a single year, our projection for summer 2027 is low-to-medium confidence: expect the main wave around October 2026 and check the board every week until mid-November. A second wave of single-team reqs for summer 2026 posted on 26 to 27 February 2026 and closed on 8 March.
Applications for summer 2027 aren't open yet: on 3 October 2026 the US board showed 94 openings and no internships. This is your window to pick the bundle that fits your major and nearest office, and to get your resume ready.
Main-wave reqs for summer 2027 expected, organized by major and office (engineering, CS/data, business/communications/policy). Last cycle this wave opened on 8 October; the year before, around 17 September.
Main-wave applications for summer 2027 expected to close, on a date printed in each req (16 November last cycle). An AI-scored assessment, typically a HireVue video, follows soon after applying.
Team interviews and final rounds run December to January, with offers in late January to February (one Waltham offer was reported on 6 February 2026). A second, single-team wave for summer 2027 is expected in late February with a window of about 10 days.
Gridterns start on a fixed date, most likely late May to mid-June 2027, and work full-time all summer. Afterwards, National Grid points graduating Gridterns to its Graduate Development Program.
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
National Grid's reqs print a closing date, and there's no late entry, so treat this as a short window rather than a rolling process. The summer-2025 main wave was open about three and a half weeks; the summer-2026 wave about five and a half; the late-February wave about ten days. Each req also screens with an assessment that uses "AI or statistically based scoring", which applicants describe as a HireVue with behavioral questions, so applying early buys you time to do it well. If you miss the fall wave, the second wave is real but small, posted per team, and gone within two weekends.
Which National Grid Internship Programs Should You Target?
Past reqs show four ways in. Main-wave reqs bundle several departments under one application.
| Track | Focus | Duration | Key details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main-wave bundles (fall) | Engineering; CS/data analytics; business, communications and policy; engineering and environmental science | Full-time summer, 40 hrs/week | One req per major and office; apply to more than one if you qualify; $18–$34/hr in 2026 |
| Second-wave team reqs (late Feb) | Single teams, e.g. Electric Operations Services, Customer Communications & Marketing, Integrated Planning & Solutions | Full-time summer | About 10-day window; $19–$34/hr in 2026, by team and city |
| National Grid Partners | Venture arm: startup market maps, CRM upkeep, events | Full-time summer | One seat posted in 2026 (Menlo Park, CA); $22–$34/hr |
| Co-op | Full-time placement for students in accredited co-op programs | 3 to 6 months | Posted individually |
| Off-cycle internship | Fall or spring work alongside classes | Up to 20 hrs/week | One-off reqs that fill fast; a Hicksville treasury intern req filled within weeks in Sept 2026 |
Track openings on National Grid's US job search and read the early careers FAQ.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
These rules repeat word for word across every summer-2025 and summer-2026 Gridtern req we read:
• Student status: registered full-time and continuing full-time through the following fall semester; pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree.
• Credits and age: at least 18 credits completed and at least 18 years old.
• Work authorization: no sponsorship now or in the future, and the reqs name CPT and OPT explicitly.
• Residence: you must live in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island or Vermont, within commuting distance of your office. No relocation, housing or transit support.
• Driver's license: required for some roles, stated per role at interview.
• GPA: not stated in any req or program page we checked.
Can a Freshman Become a Gridtern?
Possibly. The reqs set an 18-credit floor rather than a class year, and a freshman environmental science student on Reddit said in October 2021 that National Grid was considering them for several customer-facing teams at once. The bigger filters are residence and work authorization, which no amount of coursework gets around.
What Skills Does National Grid Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
Gridtern reqs describe teams more than tools, but the same asks repeat: working across teams and with stakeholders, clear communication, and analysis. Data roles name Power BI dashboards, Snowflake, Python, SQL and Azure; one safety team wants "effective storytelling of the data". Engineering roles add EMS data work, NERC-CIP compliance and protection studies. Safety and compliance language appears in most bundles because the field workforce runs on it.
What National Grid looks for in interns
Skills across 5 National Grid intern & analyst job descriptions · summer 2025–2026 Gridtern reqs, projecting summer 2027
Method: keyword match across the full text of 5 prior-cycle Gridtern requisitions read from verbatim mirrors (Syracuse CS/data 2026, Waltham data and IT 2025, Electric Operations Services 2026, Customer Communications 2026, Integrated Planning & Solutions 2026). Bundled reqs describe several teams each, so counts are per req, not per team.
How Is Demand for Engineering Interns Moving Right Now?
Mechanical engineering intern postings · Sep vs Aug 2026
vs 207 in August
Most engineering employers opened in September and National Grid typically posts in October, so line up a couple of other utility applications now and keep your Gridtern materials ready for the day the wave lands.
Daily US job-posting counts, Sep 1–30 vs Aug 1–31, 2026. Covers under half of US postings; shows direction, not market size. Pay = median of employer-published ranges only (87 postings in September, 36 in August).
Build These Skills Before You Apply
Each skill below maps to a remote Externship you can finish before the window opens or while you wait on interviews.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| SQL and data clean-up | EMS replacement data clean-up; customer data governance; load forecasting pipelines | Breaking Games SQL Database Architecture |
| Security operations | IT Security Performance Management: SIEM, EDR, email security | Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense |
| Startup and technology scouting | National Grid Partners: market maps of emerging utility technology | HP Tech Ventures Deal Sourcing & Startup Analysis |
| Financial analysis | Revenue Assurance; Risk Management & Shared Treasury | Attronica Financial Planning & Analysis |
| Operations dashboards | Safety analytics dashboards; field workforce exam scheduling | Amazon Fulfillment Center Operational Strategy & People Analytics |
An October cohort finishes around the time team interviews start, which gives you a recent, specific project for the behavioral questions.
What Is the National Grid Application and Interview Process Like?
National Grid's FAQ and past reqs describe four steps:
1. Apply on jobs.nationalgrid.com/usa to the bundle matching your major and nearest office. The FAQ says you may apply to more than one, and that a resume and cover letter are encouraged but not required.
2. AI-scored assessment. Reqs disclose an assessment using AI or statistical scoring under NYC Local Law 144; applicants report a HireVue with easy behavioral questions and unlimited re-records.
3. Team interview. A video interview with two team members; one EE applicant described a one-hour Zoom with two interviewers.
4. Final round and offer. For summer 2026, next-round emails came in early December, finals in January, and an offer on 6 February 2026. The contract usually follows within four weeks of written acceptance.
Our HireVue interview questions guide covers the recorded format.
What Students on Reddit Say
Students on Reddit mostly talk about timing and the screening steps.
A reposted summer-2026 Gridtern req circulated in mid-October 2025 with the key facts: posted 8 October, close 16 November, start 15 June, and $25 to $34 an hour for engineering majors in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Applicants in National Grid's fall 2025 cycle said the HireVue questions were easy behavioral ones you could re-record, that next-round emails arrived in early December, and that final interviews ran into late January.
A Boston University junior held two National Grid internship offers by mid-December 2022. The advice from commenters: pick a utility internship, because utilities like to hire and train from their own intern pool.
How Do You Stand Out as a Gridtern Applicant?
First, be ready before the req appears. With windows of three to six weeks, the students who do well have a resume, a short project story and HireVue practice done in early October. Second, pick the right bundle and say why. A CS student applying to the Syracuse data bundle should name one team (billing analytics, the EMS upgrade, safety dashboards) and the tool it uses. Third, show you understand a utility. One sentence on why reliability, safety rules and regulators shape the work tells an interviewer you know this isn't a startup. National Grid doesn't publish a return-offer rate; it encourages Gridterns to apply to its Graduate Development Program after graduation.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
Other Northeast and East Coast utilities recruit the same engineering and data students.
- Con EdisonNew York City utility competing for the same NY engineering studentsGuide →
- Eversource Energythe main Massachusetts and New England peerGuide →
- PSEGNew Jersey utility that also operates on Long IslandGuide →
- Exelonmulti-state East Coast utility with a structured summer programGuide →
- Avangriddirect upstate New York and New England utility peerCareers site
Our sustainability and energy internships for summer 2027 guide covers the wider energy field.
FAQ
Can I still apply for a summer 2026 National Grid internship?
No. Summer 2026 Gridtern applications closed on 16 November 2025 for the main wave and 8 March 2026 for the second wave, and those internships are over. The summer 2027 main wave hadn't posted as of 3 October 2026 and is expected this month, with a short window.
When do National Grid summer 2027 internship applications open?
They're expected around October 2026. The main wave opened on 8 October 2025 for summer 2026 and around 17 September 2024 for summer 2025, and closed between mid-October and mid-November. A shorter second wave for summer 2027 is expected in late February 2027.
Is the Gridtern application rolling?
No. Each req prints a hard closing date, and the windows are short: about three and a half weeks in 2024, five and a half weeks in 2025, and roughly ten days for the February wave. Check the board weekly and apply in the first days a req appears.
How much do National Grid interns earn?
Summer-2026 reqs listed $18 to $34 an hour depending on role, office and degree level, for example $25 to $34 for Brooklyn engineering and $18 to $28 for Syracuse CS and data. Summer-2025 reqs split undergraduate and graduate bands. There's no relocation or housing support.
Can international students apply to the Gridtern Program?
No. Every Gridtern req we read requires work authorization that won't need visa sponsorship now or in the future, and it names CPT and OPT as excluded. National Grid's early careers FAQ says the same, so F-1 students can't use curricular or optional practical training for this program.
Do I need to live near a National Grid office?
Yes. Gridterns must live in one of nine Northeast states (MA, NY, NJ, PA, CT, NH, ME, RI, VT) and within commuting distance of their assigned office. National Grid doesn't offer relocation, housing or public-transport reimbursement for interns, so pick the bundle for the office you can actually reach.
What is the National Grid interview process?
After applying you take an AI-scored assessment, usually a HireVue with behavioral questions you can re-record. Next comes a video interview with two team members, then a final round. For summer 2026, finals ran in January and offers arrived in late January and early February.
Do Gridterns get full-time offers?
National Grid doesn't publish a conversion rate. Its program page encourages Gridterns to apply to the Graduate Development Program or full-time roles after graduation. The Graduate Development Program recruits in the same fall window and needs a valid driver's license and no sponsorship.
The Gridtern window is short and should open within weeks. Start now: a remote Externship gives you a finished data, security or operations project to bring to the HireVue.
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.
