** The pre-application process for the 2023 High School Summer Internship Program in now closed. Please check back in December 2023 for the upcoming pre-application cycle. **
Georgia high school students who are at least 16 years old may be eligible to apply for five-week paid summer internships hosted in GTRI labs. Interns work on projects in GTRI laboratories and the GTRI Warner Robins field office with the goal of providing students with real-world experiences in science and engineering research. GTRI researchers mentor students by working with them on projects to engage them in first-hand STEM experience, with the goals of helping bridge the gap in Georgia’s STEM workforce by creating awareness of STEM career opportunities.
Internship projects focus on topics ranging from piezoelectric systems to rapid prototyping, from robots and drones to the physics of radar emissions. Students may build educational kiosks that provide educational information on night vision or help build piezoelectric tiles to create energy for the NASA visitors center.
In select cases, teachers from local school systems work alongside students and GTRI researchers to develop a finished research project, as well as a curriculum that will incorporate those learning concepts back their the classrooms.
Student interns have the opportunity to learn more about working in a STEM field by attending a workplace orientation, participating in lab tours in throughout Georgia Tech, attending trainings on topics such as soldering and circuit board design, and interacting on a regular basis with GTRI researchers as well as Georgia Tech graduate or undergraduate students.
Interns and their teams present the results of their work in an end of the summer final presentation.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the STEM@GTRI team, Therese Boston and Dr. Erick Maxwell, at stem.gtri@lists.gatech.edu.
Pre-Application
** The pre-application for the Summer 2023 internship program is closed. **
The purpose of the student profile and pre-application is to match high school students with a GTRI job opportunity. Once a student completes and submits the pre-application, the information will be visible to GTRI faculty/staff who have internship opportunities. Once the GTRI faculty/staff member identifies a student as a potential intern, he/she will contact the student by email and/or phone for an interview. It is not unusual for multiple applicants to interview for a single position. As a result, interviews can take several weeks. Completion of the pre-application does not guarantee employment.
Prospective Intern Requirements for 2023
To be eligible for the STEM@GTRI summer internship program, students must:
- Complete and submit the pre-application.
- Show proof of citizenship, permanent residency, or H-1B visa as it applies (GTRI does not sponsor H-1B visas).
- Be a Georgia resident attending a high school or home school in Georgia.
- Be at least 16 years old by April 3, 2023.
- Be in the high school graduating class of 2023, 2024, or 2025.
- Have reliable transportation to assigned work location (housing is not provided).
- Work from June 12, 2023, through July 21, 2023, during regular business hours (M-F, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.). Note: Students are not permitted to work on weekends or after hours.
- Attend an all-day STEM@GTRI orientation on June 12, 2023.
- Attend and participate in an all-day final presentation on July 21, 2023.
- Be available to work up to 24 hours/week for five weeks (more than 24-hr/wk will not be approved).
- Attend any lab-specific safety training (if it applies to their activity/location [e.g. wet-lab training or machine shop training]).
Frequently Asked Questions for 2023
General Info
What are the start and end dates for the program?
Interns must be able to work from June 12, 2023, through July 21, 2023.
June 19, 2023 as well as July 3, 2023 through July 7, 2023 corresponds with Institute Holidays, and students will not be permitted to work during those days. This means that this is a 5-week paid internship that is performed over a 6-week period.
How long does the internship last? How many hours do I work per week?
This is a five-week internship program. Interns must be available to work up to 24 hours a week during the approved work hours of Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Can I work more than 24 hours a week?
No, students are only approved to work 24 hours a week.
How many intern positions are open for the internship program?
On average, we place 50-60 students each year.
Is this a paid internship?
Yes, this is a paid internship program.
Is housing provided?
STEM@GTRI does not provide housing for summer interns.
Eligibility
I graduated from high school May 2022. Am I eligible to participate?
No. Students must be in the high school graduating class of 2023, 2024, or 2025.
My 16th birthday occurs after the deadline specified. Should I apply?
No. Students must turn 16 years old on or before April 3, 2023.
I reside outside the state of Georgia. Can I apply?
No. Georgia-based STEM@GTRI positions conduct research using funding from the State of Georgia and by contract are required to be Georgia residents who attend high school in Georgia. Therefore, all GTRI summer interns are required to be Georgia residents who attend a high school or home school in Georgia.
I will be visiting Georgia in the summer of 2023 and will live with a relative. Am I eligible to participate?
No. Students must be a Georgia resident who attends a school in Georgia or is homeschooled in the Georgia.
Pre-application
Will I need to submit a resume?
Yes, you will be required to upload a resume in PDF format for the pre-application.
After Applying
When will I hear if I am NOT selected?
All candidate(s) who do not receive and/or accept an informal offer of employment, will be sent an email acknowledgement by Friday, March 15, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
What is the selection process?
The selection process is a multistep process, involving reviews of the pre-application, interviews with the GTRI mentor, and then completion of final application.
The purpose of the student profile and pre-application is to match high school students with a GTRI job opportunity. Once a student completes and submits the pre-application, the information will be visible to GTRI faculty/staff who have internship opportunities. Once the GTRI faculty/staff member identifies a student as a potential intern, he/she will contact the student by email and/or phone for an interview. It is not unusual for multiple applicants to interview for a single position. As a result, interviews can take several weeks. Completion of the pre-application does not guarantee of employment.
If an candidate receives and accepts an informal offer, the internship program directors(s) will initiate the Georgia Tech Tech Temp Hiring process, through which a formal offer of employment will be made.
There are nine (9) different GT/GTRI departments and offices involved in the GT hiring process and most will communicate with candidates through email. It is critical that candidates are timely in their response to all e-mails received from GT/GTRI. As such, employment offers (both informal and formal) are conditional. Offers are based on candidates successfully completing all the requirements of the hiring process in a timely manner.
Other Opportunities
If I’m not selected, are there other opportunities offered by STEM@GTRI, GTRI, or Georgia Tech?
Please visit the STEM@GTRI or CEISMC website for updates or consider applying again next year if you are eligible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the STEM@GTRI team, Therese Boston and Dr. Erick Maxwell, at stem.gtri@lists.gatech.edu.
STEM@GTRI: 
