Structural Engineering Intern

Structural Engineering Intern at Degenkolb Engineers — Research Report

Introduction

The Degenkolb Engineers internship offers engineering students a practical entry point into complex structural design, construction engineering, and project delivery. Rather than limiting interns to observation or routine drafting, the summer program is designed to complement academic training with exposure to active project work, technical development, and collaboration with experienced professionals.

The current listing identifies a deadline of October 10, 2026. Flexible summer start dates are available in Los Angeles, Oakland, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, and Grand Rapids, with applicants able to indicate interest in multiple offices on one application. For students pursuing structural engineering, the role can provide valuable evidence of applied design judgment, project teamwork, and familiarity with professional consulting practice.

Overview of Degenkolb Engineers

Founded in 1940 and headquartered in San Francisco, Degenkolb Engineers is a structural engineering firm working on technically demanding buildings and infrastructure-related challenges. Its practice includes healthcare, education, science and technology, forensics, construction engineering, federal buildings, and other complex markets.

The firm’s niche is not simply producing calculations or drawings. Degenkolb develops customized structural solutions that respond to building codes, construction schedules, budgets, seismic demands, existing conditions, and architectural goals. That positioning places it among specialized structural consultancies competing with large multidisciplinary engineering firms and respected regional practices.

Projects may involve new construction, renovation, seismic assessment, structural rehabilitation, construction administration, or forensic investigation. The firm’s work is especially relevant to students interested in complex buildings where structural decisions affect safety, constructability, resilience, and long-term value.

Degenkolb’s culture emphasizes technical rigor alongside human connection. The firm describes a flexible work environment, employee ownership, professional involvement, knowledge sharing, and respect for life outside work. Its internship program also includes professional development, cross-office relationships, and educational sessions covering subjects such as sustainability, construction administration, earthquake reconnaissance, and career development.

Structural Engineering Intern Role

Role Overview

A Structural Engineering Intern supports project teams while learning how a professional structural engineering practice operates. The work is likely to combine analysis, design assistance, drafting or modeling, document review, research, and communication with engineers and other disciplines.

The business impact is direct: interns help project teams organize information, test design options, develop accurate drawings, and complete deliverables. Strong interns do not need to arrive knowing every design standard. They do need to produce careful work, ask specific questions, respond well to feedback, and understand how their assignments connect to the larger project.

Detailed Responsibilities

• Assist engineers with structural analysis and preliminary design for building projects.
• Prepare or revise structural plans, details, schedules, and design documentation.
• Support steel, concrete, wood, and potentially seismic design tasks under supervision.
• Review drawings and models for coordination issues, inconsistencies, and constructability concerns.
• Research applicable building-code provisions, design criteria, and existing conditions.
• Participate in project meetings, internal design reviews, and multidisciplinary coordination.
• Help organize calculations, markups, photographs, field notes, and project records.
• Observe or support construction administration, site visits, and condition assessments when project needs allow.
• Present technical work or lessons learned during intern programming and team discussions.

Day-to-Day Workflow

A typical day may begin with a short project-team check-in covering deadlines, open questions, and priority tasks. An intern could then update a Revit model, review a framing plan, calculate member demands, or compare an existing structural condition with archived drawings and field observations.

Later in the day, the intern may meet with a project engineer to review assumptions and receive markups. The most useful learning often happens during this review: understanding why a load path matters, how a connection detail affects construction, or why a seemingly efficient design creates coordination problems elsewhere.

Interns should expect the workflow to change throughout the summer. One week may emphasize design production; another may involve a site visit, a seismic study, a construction issue, or an educational session with a practice leader.

Tools and Technologies

The exact software stack varies by office and project, but candidates should be prepared to encounter structural analysis, drafting, building-information-modeling, and document-review platforms. Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD are particularly relevant to structural modeling and drawing production, while tools such as Bluebeam Revu, Navisworks, Revizto, and Autodesk Construction Cloud may appear in coordination and construction workflows.

Students may also work with spreadsheets, calculation templates, Python or other scripting tools, and analysis software used for concrete, steel, seismic, or finite-element design. More important than listing every program is demonstrating sound modeling discipline: consistent naming, clear assumptions, organized files, and careful review before issuing work.

Skills and Requirements

Technical Skills

• Coursework in structural analysis, mechanics, reinforced concrete, steel design, and structural systems.
• Basic understanding of gravity and lateral load paths.
• Familiarity with engineering drawings, sections, details, and construction documents.
• Ability to read architectural plans and identify structural coordination issues.
• Exposure to Revit, AutoCAD, MATLAB, spreadsheets, or structural-analysis software.
• Understanding of units, engineering assumptions, load combinations, and calculation checking.
• Interest in seismic design, building performance, resilience, or existing-structure evaluation.

Software proficiency helps, but it will not compensate for weak fundamentals. A candidate who can explain a load path clearly and identify an unreasonable assumption is more compelling than someone who merely lists several software packages.

Soft Skills

Communication is central to consulting engineering. Interns must be comfortable explaining what they did, what they are unsure about, and what information they still need. Asking a precise question early is far better than silently developing an incorrect model or calculation for several hours.

• Careful attention to detail.
• Responsiveness to technical feedback.
• Clear written and verbal communication.
• Collaborative behavior on multidisciplinary teams.
• Curiosity about construction and real-world building performance.
• Organization across multiple assignments and deadlines.
• Professional judgment about when to escalate a problem.

Experience Expectations

The strongest applicants will usually be pursuing civil or structural engineering and have completed foundational design coursework. A high GPA can help, but a perfect academic record is not the only signal. Class projects, steel or concrete design assignments, undergraduate research, construction experience, student organizations, and relevant part-time work can all demonstrate readiness.

A portfolio is useful when it shows process rather than polished graphics alone. Include a concise calculation sample, a framing concept, a Revit screenshot, a structural model, or a design project that explains assumptions, alternatives, and lessons learned. Remove confidential information and keep the technical explanation understandable.

Salary and Benefits

The posted hourly pay range is $30.50 to $39.50 across Degenkolb’s offices. The exact offer may depend on location, academic standing, prior experience, and internal compensation practices. At a 40-hour workweek over 12 weeks, that range represents approximately $14,640 to $18,960 before taxes.

The internship includes more than project assignments. Listed programming includes focused professional development, collaboration across offices and practice areas, leadership conversations, and exposure to topics such as sustainability and earthquake reconnaissance. The firm also describes flexible work arrangements and a supportive, transparent environment.

Interns should ask whether a particular office uses hybrid scheduling, how site visits are handled, and whether relocation assistance, parking support, or other stipends apply. A successful internship may also strengthen a candidate’s prospects for a future full-time structural engineering position, although conversion should never be assumed.

Degenkolb Engineers Hiring Process

Step-by-Step Hiring Stages

1. Application: Submit a resume and indicate preferred locations, academic background, and relevant experience.
2. Screening: Recruiting or office personnel review qualifications, location preferences, coursework, and availability.
3. Technical review: Some candidates may be asked to discuss a class project, design exercise, or portfolio sample.
4. Interviews: Expect behavioral and technical conversations with recruiting staff, engineers, or office leaders.
5. Offer: Selected candidates receive details regarding office placement, pay, timing, and internship expectations.

Application Timeline

The listing opened September 9, 2026 and expires October 10, 2026. Applying early is sensible because office availability and ranked location preferences may affect consideration. Candidates should allow several days to tailor materials, check references, and prepare a concise explanation of their preferred office locations.

Interview scheduling can take one to several weeks depending on office workload and candidate volume. Students should remain responsive and specify their academic calendar, earliest start date, and any limits on relocation or hybrid work.

Screening Methods

Screeners will likely look for terms such as structural engineering, steel design, concrete design, seismic design, Revit, AutoCAD, structural analysis, construction documents, and project coordination. Use these terms only when they accurately describe your experience.

A readable one-page resume should place education, relevant coursework, software, projects, and work experience where reviewers can find them quickly. Quantify contributions where possible, such as the number of teammates, the size of a model, the time saved through a spreadsheet, or the scope of a design assignment.

Interview Preparation

Example Interview Questions

• Walk us through a structural design project and explain how you selected the structural system.
• How would you check whether a simple framing model has a reasonable load path?
• Tell us about a time feedback changed your technical approach.
• Why are you interested in Degenkolb Engineers and which practice areas interest you?

How to Answer

Use the STAR structure for behavioral questions: describe the situation, explain the task, identify the actions you took, and finish with the result or lesson. For technical questions, state assumptions before calculating. If you do not know an answer, explain how you would find the governing code provision, consult a senior engineer, or verify the model.

For project discussions, focus on decisions rather than only outcomes. Explain the alternatives considered, the constraints involved, how work was checked, and what you would improve today. This demonstrates engineering judgment without pretending to have professional experience you do not yet possess.

What Recruiters Evaluate

• Fundamental understanding of structural behavior.
• Evidence of careful, reviewable work.
• Ability to learn unfamiliar tools and standards.
• Interest in complex buildings and practical construction.
• Professional communication and teamwork.
• Availability that aligns with the summer program.
• Genuine interest in the selected office or offices.

How to Get Selected

Practical Tips

• Apply before the October 10 deadline rather than waiting until the final day.
• Rank locations thoughtfully and explain your flexibility without appearing unfocused.
• Tailor the resume to structural consulting instead of submitting a general engineering resume.
• Lead with one strong project that demonstrates analysis, design, modeling, or construction awareness.
• Review basic steel, concrete, seismic, and load-path concepts before interviewing.
• Prepare two questions about mentorship, project assignments, site exposure, and professional development.
• Proofread technical notation, units, filenames, and contact information.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Listing software without describing what was actually built or analyzed.
• Submitting a portfolio full of attractive images but no assumptions or technical reasoning.
• Confusing theoretical calculations with completed professional design responsibility.
• Giving vague answers about teamwork or claiming credit for group work.
• Ignoring construction, coordination, and communication in favor of calculations alone.
• Applying to every location without understanding the ranked-preference process.
• Failing to ask for clarification when discussing an unfamiliar technical problem.

How To Stand Out

Create a compact project sheet showing a structural system, a simplified load path, one representative calculation, and a short reflection on design tradeoffs. Pair it with a resume that makes your role explicit. If a project involved collaboration, identify exactly what you modeled, calculated, documented, or presented.

Networking can help when it is specific and respectful. Connect with alumni, professors, or engineers familiar with Degenkolb and ask informed questions about practice areas rather than directly requesting a referral. A thoughtful follow-up note after an interview can reinforce your interest in the firm’s complex building work and learning culture.

Final Thoughts

The Degenkolb Engineers Structural Engineering Intern position is a strong opportunity for students who want more than a generic summer placement. Its combination of active project exposure, professional development, multidisciplinary collaboration, and work across several specialized markets can help an aspiring engineer understand how design decisions become real buildings.

To improve your chances, submit a tailored application early, demonstrate sound structural fundamentals, and show how you learn from review. The best candidates will present themselves as curious, careful teammates who are ready to contribute while still asking the questions necessary to grow.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Salary?

The listed hourly range is $30.50 to $39.50, depending on office and candidate factors. At full-time summer hours, that can represent approximately $14,640 to $18,960 over 12 weeks before taxes.

How Competitive Is Hiring?

The role is likely competitive because it offers meaningful project exposure, multiple office options, and a clear professional-development component. Candidates improve their position by applying early, selecting realistic location preferences, and showing technical work rather than relying only on coursework.

Which Skills Matter Most?

The most important skills are structural fundamentals, careful technical work, communication, teamwork, and willingness to learn. Familiarity with Revit, AutoCAD, spreadsheets, and structural-analysis tools strengthens an application, but sound judgment and reviewability matter more than an unusually long software list.