Last updated: August 2026
National Instruments built the test-and-measurement software that runs in every engineering lab on earth, from LabVIEW to PXI to CompactDAQ. In October 2023 Emerson Electric acquired NI for $8.2 billion, folding its roughly 7,000 employees into a $18-billion industrial technology conglomerate. The NI brand still ships products, but the careers page now redirects to Emerson's Oracle ATS. For the 2027–2028 cycle, expect NI-division intern postings to appear on Emerson's portal between September and November 2027 for a summer 2028 start.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Emerson Oracle ATS. Search "Test & Measurement," "NI," or "LabVIEW" under the student/intern category. ni.com/careers redirects here |
| Application window (2027–28) | No postings live as of August 2026. Based on prior cycles, NI/Emerson Test & Measurement intern roles are expected to post September–November 2027 for summer 2028. Rolling until filled |
| Rolling? | Effectively yes. Emerson reviews intern applications on a rolling basis and closes postings when seats fill. Apply within the first two weeks of postings going live for the best odds |
| Eligibility | Currently pursuing a B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related STEM field. Must return to school for at least one semester after the internship |
| Duration | 10–12 weeks, full-time. Typically late May through mid-August. Co-op tracks extend to 16–24 weeks |
| Compensation | SDE interns: $25–$27/hr (~$4,333–$4,680/month). Housing stipend ~$666/month. Transportation allowance ~$166/month. $1,000 sign-on bonus reported. Texas has no state income tax (Levels.fyi, 2021–2023 self-reported data) |
| Visa sponsorship | Varies by posting. Many Emerson US intern roles require work authorization without sponsorship. CPT-eligible students may qualify. NI historically sponsored H-1B for full-time post-graduation |
| Locations | Primary: Austin, TX (11500 N Mopac Expy, NI headquarters campus). Additional R&D sites in Penang, Bangalore, and Debrecen. Under Emerson, adjacent roles may appear in Round Rock, TX |
| # Programs | 7 tracks: SDE (Software), Hardware Engineering, Test Engineering, Applications Engineering, R&D (Firmware/Embedded), Business/Operations, and Emerson Co-op (NI division) |
NI is the dominant name in automated test and graphical programming (LabVIEW), now operating as a division of Emerson Electric. Internships pay $25–$27/hr in Austin with housing and transport stipends. The application funnel routes entirely through Emerson's Oracle ATS, not ni.com. No live NI-specific intern postings exist as of August 2026; the next cycle is expected fall 2027.
Externships are short, remote projects where you finish real work for a real company. The Wayfair AI Agent Engineering Externship and Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship build the software-plus-hardware systems thinking that NI's technical interviews reward. Explore all Externships.
What Is a National Instruments (NI) Internship?
A National Instruments internship is a paid, full-time, 10–12 week placement on an engineering team that builds the software and hardware used to automate testing across virtually every industry: semiconductors, aerospace, automotive, academic research, and life sciences. Interns write production code in LabVIEW, C/C++, or Python, design PXI modules, build automated test systems, and present project reviews to senior engineers. NI was founded in 1976 in Austin, Texas and generated $1.66 billion in revenue in 2022 before its acquisition by Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR) for $8.2 billion in October 2023. Under Emerson's roughly 71,000-employee umbrella, NI retains its product lines and Austin campus while gaining access to a broader industrial automation ecosystem. Glassdoor ratings hover around 4.0 out of 5 historically.
When Do National Instruments (NI) Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
NI's internship calendar now follows Emerson's corporate recruiting cycle. For summer 2028, expect postings to appear on Emerson's Oracle ATS between September and November 2027, with interviews running through winter and offers extending on a rolling basis into spring 2028. No NI-specific intern postings are live as of August 2026, which means you have over a year of runway to build LabVIEW proficiency, earn a CLAD certification, and complete projects that demonstrate test-and-measurement engineering skills. The pattern: postings appear in fall, the online assessment and interviews run through winter, and offers land by early spring.
No NI/Emerson T&M intern postings are live. This is your build window: learn LabVIEW, pursue the CLAD certification, and build automated test projects that demonstrate real instrument-control skills.
Watch Emerson's Oracle ATS for NI/Test & Measurement intern postings. Search for "NI," "LabVIEW," or "Test & Measurement" in the student/intern category. Based on prior cycles, postings typically appear September through November.
Online assessment and applications expected. The OA typically includes ~20 multiple-choice questions on C/C++ fundamentals plus 2 data structure and algorithm coding problems. Apply early as positions may close before stated deadlines.
Technical interviews and HR behavioral rounds. Offers extended on a rolling basis. The full process from application to offer typically takes 3–4 weeks.
Internship begins: 10–12 weeks, full-time in Austin, TX. Own a real project on LabVIEW, PXI, or automated test systems, present design reviews, and build production-grade test software.
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
Rolling review under Emerson's system means the earliest complete applications face the most open seats. NI's test-and-measurement niche is small but deep: only 50–100 intern postings appear across NI, Keysight, Tektronix, and Rohde & Schwarz each cycle, and the specialized skill requirements (LabVIEW, PXI, embedded C) filter out most generalist applicants. That scarcity works in your favor if you apply early with the right credentials, but it also means that once seats fill, there are no overflow positions. The Emerson acquisition added lateral opportunity: strong NI interns may be considered for adjacent roles in industrial automation, process control, and IoT within Emerson's 71,000-person platform. Set an alert on the Emerson ATS and submit within the first two weeks of postings going live.
Which National Instruments (NI) Internship Programs Should You Target?
NI runs internships across software engineering, hardware design, test engineering, and business functions. Under Emerson, the NI division retains its product-focused teams: LabVIEW development, PXI modular instruments, CompactDAQ/CompactRIO, and automated test platforms. The track you target should match the skills you can already evidence, because the online assessment and technical interview will probe domain-specific knowledge in C/C++, embedded systems, or graphical programming depending on the role.
| Track | Focus | Duration | Key skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDE Intern (Software) | LabVIEW development, test automation software, instrument drivers, SystemLink | 10–12 weeks | C/C++, Python, software design |
| Hardware Engineering Intern | PXI module design, CompactDAQ/CompactRIO hardware, RF instruments | 10–12 weeks | EE fundamentals, circuit design |
| Test Engineering Intern | Automated test systems, production test development, validation | 10–12 weeks | Test methodology, scripting |
| Applications Engineering Intern | Customer demos, reference architectures, technical marketing content | 10–12 weeks | Communication, LabVIEW |
| R&D Engineering (Firmware/Embedded) | FPGA development, embedded C/C++, real-time OS programming | 10–12 weeks | VHDL/Verilog, RTOS |
| Business/Operations Intern | Marketing, finance, supply chain, IT within NI division | 10–12 weeks | Business analysis, Excel |
| Emerson Co-op (NI division) | Extended engagement across any track, deeper project ownership | 16–24 weeks | Varies by track |
See all open roles at the Emerson Oracle ATS. Note the LabVIEW tilt: NI’s graphical programming platform remains the company’s core product, and familiarity with it is a differentiator for software and applications roles.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
NI/Emerson's intern requirements combine standard academic criteria with domain-specific preferences:
• Enrollment: currently pursuing a B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related STEM field.
• Return-to-school requirement: must return to school for at least one semester or quarter after the internship concludes. This distinguishes the intern track from the new-grad track.
• Work authorization: many Emerson US intern roles require work authorization without sponsorship. Students on CPT may still be eligible since CPT does not require employer sponsorship. NI historically sponsored H-1B for full-time engineering roles post-graduation.
• Technical preferences: familiarity with C/C++, LabVIEW, or embedded systems is strongly preferred for engineering tracks. CLAD (Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer) certification is a notable differentiator.
Does NI/Emerson Have a GPA Cutoff?
No published minimum GPA exists for NI specifically. Under Emerson's umbrella, intern roles generally use a 2.75–3.0 minimum threshold. A GPA of 3.0 or higher combined with strong relevant projects in LabVIEW, embedded systems, automated test, or signal processing is competitive. Project work and CLAD certification carry more weight than a decimal point on your transcript.
What Skills Does National Instruments (NI) Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
Read across NI software engineering intern job descriptions and the product requirements for LabVIEW, PXI, and CompactRIO, and the skill pattern is distinctive. C/C++ programming is the foundation: NI's instrument drivers and runtime software are written in C/C++, and the online assessment tests it directly. Data structures and algorithms are table stakes for the coding rounds. LabVIEW graphical programming is the differentiator that separates NI from generic SDE roles. Digital logic and embedded systems knowledge matters because NI's hardware products bridge software and physical instruments. Python rounds out the stack as the scripting layer for test automation and data analysis.
What National Instruments (NI) looks for in interns
Skills across 5 National Instruments (NI) intern & analyst job descriptions · NI SDE internship reports and product requirements
Method: analysis of NI SDE internship reports, product documentation requirements, and online assessment content. C/C++ and DSA are tested directly in the OA; LabVIEW is the key domain differentiator.
How Is Demand for Test & Measurement Interns Moving Right Now?
Test & measurement intern hiring right now: August 2026
Aggregate market data, NI and peer employers
The test-and-measurement niche is small but deep. NI's acquisition by Emerson expanded the lateral opportunity set without diluting the core engineering focus.
Method: aggregate from Levels.fyi, Emerson portal observations, and industry headcount data, August 2026.
Build These Skills Before You Apply
And every skill in that chart maps to a remote Externship where you finish a real project before a role opens.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineering & algorithms | SDE JDs: "proficiency in C/C++, Python" and "data structures, algorithms, software design patterns" | Wayfair AI Agent Engineering |
| IoT & embedded systems | Hardware and R&D JDs: "embedded C/C++, FPGA, real-time OS, CompactRIO, sensor interfaces" | Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense |
| Data visualization & analysis | Applications and Test JDs: "customer-facing demos, data presentation, reference architectures, DIAdem" | Youth Justice Data Visualization |
How close is the overlap? The Wayfair project is agent-engineering work that yields the algorithm-design and system-architecture evidence NI's OA and technical interviews probe for, and the Hydroficient project hands you an IoT-and-embedded story that maps directly to CompactRIO and PXI instrument work.
What Is the National Instruments (NI) Application and Interview Process Like?
NI's interview funnel (now administered under Emerson) is a 3-round process that typically completes in 3 to 4 weeks:
1. Apply on the Emerson Oracle ATS. Search for "Test & Measurement," "NI," or "LabVIEW" under the student/intern job category. Apply within the first two weeks of postings going live for the best odds.
2. Online Assessment (OA). Approximately 20 multiple-choice questions on C/C++ fundamentals (pointers, memory management, OOP concepts) plus 2 data structure and algorithm coding problems. Timed. Focus on arrays, strings, trees, and graph traversal.
3. Technical Interview. A live session with an NI engineer covering system design, coding ability, and domain-specific knowledge. Expect questions about signal processing, instrument control, or test automation depending on the track. Showing your thought process matters as much as the final answer.
4. HR Behavioral Round. Standard behavioral interview using STAR methodology. Questions about teamwork, handling ambiguity, and why you want to work at a test-and-measurement company specifically. Under Emerson, expect a question about how you see the NI division fitting into the broader industrial technology platform.
5. Final Decision. Offers typically extend within 1–2 weeks of the final round. Rolling review means earlier applicants receive decisions first.
The two skills to drill: C/C++ fluency for the OA (brush up on pointers, memory management, and standard DSA problems) and a genuine, specific answer to why test-and-measurement engineering matters to you. LabVIEW experience or CLAD certification will set you apart from candidates who only know web development frameworks.
What the Community Says
NI carries a historical Glassdoor rating around 4.0/5 and was consistently recognized as one of Austin's best workplaces before the Emerson acquisition. Here is what the community reports.
NI was historically rated around 4.0 out of 5 on Glassdoor and won multiple Best Place to Work awards in Austin. Reviewers praised transparent leadership, engineering autonomy, and a collaborative culture that gave interns real production-impacting projects rather than busywork. The strong intern-to-full-time pipeline was a recurring theme in pre-acquisition reviews.
Software engineering interns reported earning $25 to $27 per hour in Austin, plus a $666/month housing stipend, $166/month transportation allowance, and a $1,000 sign-on bonus. At a time when Texas has no state income tax, that total compensation package positioned NI competitively against TI, AMD, and Arm in the same market. Community consensus: the pay is solid for hardware-adjacent SWE work.
Post-acquisition, community discussions flag concerns about Emerson's integration impact on NI's engineering-first culture. The interview process is described as moderate compared to FAANG, emphasizing embedded systems and C/C++ fundamentals rather than pure LeetCode. Multiple reviewers note that NI's work-life balance was a standout compared to Big Tech, though how that holds under Emerson remains an open question.
How Do You Stand Out at a Test & Measurement Company?
Three moves, all before a role opens. First, earn the CLAD certification: the Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer credential is free to attempt for students through NI's academic program and immediately signals domain commitment that generic CS candidates lack. Second, build a test automation project: use NI's free Community Edition of LabVIEW to build a data acquisition or instrument-control project, ideally interfacing with real hardware like an Arduino or DAQ device. Third, understand the Emerson context: NI is no longer a standalone company, so articulate how test-and-measurement engineering fits into Emerson's broader industrial automation platform. Interviewers want to see that you understand the acquisition context and can navigate a larger corporate structure while maintaining the engineering depth NI is known for.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
NI is not the only test-and-measurement company hiring engineering interns. If you are building an instrumentation and embedded-systems internship list, these are the obvious neighbors:
- Keysight TechnologiesClosest competitor in RF and test instruments. Stronger in wireless/5G testing, similar Austin presenceCareers site
- Texas InstrumentsIC design focus rather than test software. Higher pay, deeper analog/mixed-signal engineering, same Austin marketCareers site
- Emerson ElectricNI's parent company. Broader industrial automation roles in process control, valves, and plant managementCareers site
- MathWorksMATLAB/Simulink peer in engineering software. More simulation-focused, less hardware, strong intern programCareers site
- Tektronix (Fortive)Oscilloscopes and signal analyzers. Smaller T&M niche, Beaverton OR headquarters, similar engineering cultureCareers site
Our tech internships summer 2027 guide maps the whole landscape, timeline by timeline.
FAQ
Does NI still hire interns independently after the Emerson acquisition?
No. NI's careers page redirects to Emerson's portal. All NI internships are now posted under Emerson's Oracle ATS. Search for "Test & Measurement," "NI," or "LabVIEW" within Emerson's student/intern job category to find NI-division roles in Austin.
When should I apply for an NI Summer 2028 internship?
Watch Emerson's career portal starting September 2027. Based on prior cycles, NI/Emerson Test & Measurement intern roles post in the fall with deadlines through January-February. Apply early because positions may close before stated deadlines when strong candidates fill them.
How much do NI interns earn?
Self-reported data shows $25–$27 per hour for Austin software engineering interns, plus a housing stipend of approximately $666 per month and a transportation allowance of $166 per month. A $1,000 sign-on bonus was also reported. Texas has no state income tax, boosting take-home pay.
What is the NI internship interview process?
Typically three rounds. First, an online assessment with approximately 20 multiple-choice questions on C/C++ fundamentals plus two data structure and algorithm coding problems. Second, a technical interview. Third, an HR behavioral round. The total process takes about three to four weeks.
What GPA do I need for an NI internship?
No published minimum GPA exists for NI specifically. Under Emerson's umbrella, intern roles generally range from 2.75 to 3.0 minimum. A GPA of 3.0 or higher combined with strong relevant projects in LabVIEW, embedded systems, or test automation is competitive.
Does NI/Emerson sponsor international students?
It depends on the specific posting. Many Emerson US intern roles require work authorization without sponsorship. Students on CPT authorization may still be eligible since CPT does not require employer sponsorship. NI historically sponsored H-1B for full-time engineering roles post-graduation.
Where are NI internships located?
The primary intern hub is Austin, Texas at NI's headquarters campus. NI also has R&D offices in Penang, Bangalore, Debrecen, and other global locations. Under Emerson, adjacent roles may appear in Round Rock, Texas. The vast majority of US NI interns are placed in Austin.
How does NI compare to Texas Instruments or Keysight for interns?
NI offers a unique software-hardware hybrid experience combining LabVIEW graphical programming with modular instruments. TI pays more and focuses on IC design. Keysight is the closest competitor in RF and test instruments. NI's differentiator is automated test systems used across all engineering industries.
NI's test-and-measurement niche is small and specialized, which means the right preparation makes you stand out immediately. Spend the runway building proof: a remote Externship turns 'interested in automated test' into a finished project you can point at when Emerson's portal opens in fall 2027.
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.
