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

Last updated: August 2026

RTX runs one of the largest early-career pipelines in US aerospace and defense: its Raytheon business alone manages more than 1,000 interns and co-ops a year, inside a 180,000-employee, $88.6 billion company. And it is ahead of the pack for 2027 (live Summer 2027 intern reqs are already posted. Here is the cycle at a glance: engineering, software, and business internships across Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, and Collins, pay roughly $27–43 an hour, and one hard gate) US citizenship.

Quick Facts

RTX already has live Summer 2027 intern reqs (posted July 2026) that fill on rolling ~40-day windows, so applications are open now. Pay runs roughly $27–43/hr (community data) with housing and relocation common. The single biggest filter: nearly every US role requires US citizenship (ITAR), and a minority require an active SECRET clearance on day one.

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, systems, and hardware evidence RTX's engineering reqs reward. Explore all Externships.

What Is a RTX Internship?

An RTX internship is a paid, full-time role at RTX Corporation (NYSE: RTX), formerly Raytheon Technologies (the aerospace and defense giant formed by the 2020 Raytheon–United Technologies merger, with $88.6 billion in 2025 revenue and ~180,000 employees including ~54,000 engineers. RTX runs through three business units, each of which hires interns: Pratt & Whitney (aircraft engines, including the F135 for the F-35 and GTF commercial engines), Raytheon (missiles, radars, and defense systems like SPY-6 and Patriot), and Collins Aerospace (avionics, interiors, and mission systems) covered on its own Extern page). Interns work on real hardware and software inside a company that manages more than 1,000 interns and co-ops a year, so the experience is structured and the conversion pipeline is real. The one thing to know upfront: because RTX defense work is ITAR-controlled, nearly every US role requires US citizenship.

When Do RTX Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

RTX is an exception in this series: live Summer 2027 intern reqs already exist, posted in July 2026 (a Pratt & Whitney Mechanical Engineering Intern in Tucson and a Raytheon Software Engineer Intern in Fullerton). RTX posts individual reqs on a rolling basis, each open roughly 40 days, with the bulk of engineering reqs opening from August 2026 through winter and filling into spring 2027. There is no single company-wide deadline. All start/end and co-op dates below are labeled expected; the postings themselves are already documented.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

RTX does not run a single company-wide deadline (it posts individual reqs team-by-team, and each one closes about 40 days after it goes up ("factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window"). That makes applying the moment a matching role appears the highest-use move, and it is why setting alerts and checking careers.rtx.com regularly beats waiting for a season to "open." Two things shape whether you are even eligible: first, US citizenship) nearly every US engineering req requires it because the work is ITAR-controlled, and software roles are explicitly tagged "No H1B Sponsorship." Second, clearance: most reqs need only the "ability to obtain" a clearance (which follows from citizenship), but a minority (like the P&W Tucson mechanical role) require an active, transferable SECRET clearance before your start date, which realistically targets returning interns or already-cleared candidates. Read the "Security Clearance Type/Status" fields on every req, and apply to more than one matching role.

Which RTX Internship Programs Should You Target?

RTX posts intern roles as individual team requisitions rather than a fixed named catalog. The tracks below reflect the actual function families seen across live RTX reqs, including two Summer 2027 JDs read in full.

Search reqs at careers.rtx.com. Raytheon's campus program alone manages more than 1,000 interns and co-ops a year across the three business units.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

From two real Summer 2027 RTX intern job descriptions read in full (Raytheon SWE, Fullerton; P&W Mechanical, Tucson):

• US citizenship: Required for nearly all US roles. JDs state "U.S. citizenship is required" (for clearance eligibility or program access), and software roles are tagged "No H1B Sponsorship." International students are generally not eligible.

• Enrollment: Actively pursuing a Bachelor's or advanced degree in an applicable discipline, enrolled through the completion of the internship. The P&W req requires at least 50 credit hours by the start date.

• Clearance: Most reqs need only the "ability to obtain" a clearance (which flows from citizenship). A minority (like the P&W Tucson role) require an active, transferable SECRET clearance before your start date.

• Onsite is the norm. Both live JDs are onsite; RTX may require in-person interview steps regardless of role type.

• GPA: Not printed on these two JDs; other RTX/Raytheon reqs list ~3.0 preferred (3.0 minimum to 3.5 preferred by posting). Class standing scales pay.

Do RTX Internships Require a Security Clearance?

It varies, and reading the specific req matters. The default is that you need only the "ability to obtain" a security clearance, which flows from being a US citizen, so most RTX engineering interns start without one and may begin the clearance process on the job. But a minority of reqs are stricter: the P&W Tucson Mechanical Engineering Intern posting, for example, requires an active, transferable SECRET clearance before the start date and an existing clearance on day one, which realistically targets returning interns, veterans, or already-cleared candidates. Always check the "Security Clearance Type" and "Security Clearance Status" fields on each posting. The non-negotiable across almost all US roles is US citizenship: RTX defense work is ITAR-controlled, so non-citizens are excluded from the vast majority of internships.

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

Two full Summer 2027 RTX job descriptions (a Raytheon Software Engineer Intern and a Pratt & Whitney Mechanical Engineering Intern) show a role-specialized picture: CAD and drafting standards (ASME Y14.5, GD&T) plus thermal/structural analysis on the mechanical side, and Python/Java/C plus Git, Agile, and DevSecOps on the software side, with AI/ML now explicitly named. Technical communication and project initiative are the one thing both JDs share. Because RTX runs so many function families, the common core is strong engineering or CS fundamentals plus the ability to work on cross-functional teams.

How Is Demand for Aerospace Engineering Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

And every skill in that chart maps to a remote Externship where you finish a real project before an RTX req closes.

How close is the overlap? The Wayfair project is agent-engineering work that yields the ship-real-software evidence RTX's software reqs value, and the Hydroficient project builds the IoT and hardware-security story that maps onto RTX's embedded and defense-systems work.

What Is the RTX Application and Interview Process Like?

RTX's intern loop is behavioral-heavy and, for interns, light on hard technical grilling. Synthesized from the live JDs plus community reports:

1. Find and submit. Search reqs at careers.rtx.com, filter Internship/Co-op, and apply with a resume (transcript often requested). Each req closes ~40 days after posting: apply early.

2. Recruiter screen. The recruiter checks basic qualifications: US citizenship, degree/discipline, GPA, and may send a follow-up form.

3. HireVue recorded video (many roles). An asynchronous recorded interview with behavioral and situational prompts (not a timed coding test).

4. Hiring-manager / team interview. A behavioral-heavy Zoom or in-person conversation (conflict, leadership, teamwork, working with large datasets) sometimes a panel, sometimes a single director.

5. Onsite (some roles) and offer. An in-person step may follow, and RTX may require in-person interview steps regardless of role type. Offers go to the strongest candidates; turnaround is typically 1–3 weeks.

Two things to note. First, there is no documented timed coding online assessment for RTX engineering interns: the recurring screen is the HireVue behavioral video. Second, the real gates are eligibility (US citizenship, clearance) and behavioral fit, so preparing crisp stories about teamwork, conflict, and a project you drove matters more than LeetCode.

What Students on Reddit Say

Several community threads describe RTX's intern hiring, all paraphrased.

How Do You Stand Out for an RTX Internship?

Three moves, all executable now. First, get in early and often: RTX reqs close on their own ~40-day clocks with no single deadline, so set alerts on careers.rtx.com, apply the day a matching role posts, and apply to more than one relevant req across Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, and Collins. Second, be honest with yourself about eligibility: nearly every US role requires US citizenship because the work is ITAR-controlled, and a minority require an active SECRET clearance on day one: read the clearance fields on each posting and target roles you actually qualify for. Third, prepare for a behavioral interview, not a coding gauntlet: RTX's loop is a HireVue recorded video plus a behavioral hiring-manager conversation, so have crisp stories ready about conflict, leadership, teamwork, and working with data, and pair them with a real project you drove. Returning-intern reqs are common, so a strong first RTX internship is often the fastest path to the next one.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

RTX sits alongside the other US aerospace and defense primes and major engine and systems makers. If you are building an aerospace/defense internship list, these are the natural neighbors:

Our engineering internships summer 2027 guide maps the whole landscape, timeline by timeline.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 RTX internship?

The Summer 2026 cycle has largely closed, but RTX is unusual: live Summer 2027 reqs are already posted (Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon roles went up in July 2026) and more open weekly through winter. Search careers.rtx.com and apply the moment a matching Summer 2027 role appears.

Does RTX offer internships in 2027–2028?

Yes, extensively. RTX (Raytheon Technologies) hires more than 1,000 interns and co-ops a year across Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, and RTX Corporate: engineering, software, digital/cyber, finance, supply chain, and program management. Live Summer 2027 reqs are already posted.

Do I need to be a US citizen for an RTX internship?

For nearly all US roles, yes. RTX defense work is ITAR-controlled, so JDs state "U.S. citizenship is required" and software roles are tagged "No H1B Sponsorship." Some roles even require an active SECRET clearance on day one. International students are generally not eligible.

How much do RTX interns get paid?

There is no single official hourly figure, but Levels.fyi self-reported data shows roughly $27–43/hour depending on business unit, role, location, and class standing: RTX SWE interns average about $41/hour, P&W mechanical interns about $33–34/hour, and sophomores less. Housing (~$500–1,333/mo or ~$4,000 lump sum) and relocation are common.

What is the difference between Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, and Collins?

They are RTX's three business segments. Pratt & Whitney builds aircraft engines (the F135 for the F-35, GTF commercial engines). Raytheon builds missiles, radars, and defense systems (SPY-6, Patriot, AMRAAM). Collins Aerospace builds avionics, interiors, and mission systems (covered on its own Extern page). Internships exist across all three.

What is the RTX interview like?

A recruiter screen, often a HireVue recorded video, then a behavioral hiring-manager or Zoom interview (sometimes a panel or a single director), a possible in-person step, and an offer. It is behavioral-heavy (conflict, leadership, teamwork, datasets) with no documented timed coding assessment. Turnaround is typically 1–3 weeks.

Will I get a return or full-time offer from RTX?

No official conversion rate is published. RTX says many positions offer the potential to convert to full-time after graduation, and community consensus is that strong interns often return or convert, though it is not guaranteed and depends on team headcount. Returning-intern reqs are common.

Do RTX internships require a security clearance?

It varies. Most reqs require only the "ability to obtain" a clearance, which flows from US citizenship. A minority require an active, transferable SECRET clearance before your start date: those effectively target returning interns or already-cleared candidates. Always read the security-clearance fields on the specific req.

RTX is one of the largest, most structured early-career pipelines in aerospace and defense, and it is already open for Summer 2027. If you are a US citizen, spend the runway building proof: a remote Externship turns interest in aerospace and defense engineering into a finished project you can point at the day a matching req posts.