CPS High School Engineering Internship

Posted:
1/6/2025, 1:50:00 AM

Location(s):
Chicago, Illinois, United States ⋅ Illinois, United States

Experience Level(s):
Internship

Field(s):
Mechanical Engineering

Workplace Type:
Hybrid

Simply Put, A Great Place to Work

Benesch is a growing, multi-disciplined planning, engineering, and professional services firm. We enhance infrastructure and communities across the country – creating spaces and providing connections in ways that make a difference.

We pride ourselves on being nimble enough to remain responsive to client needs yet large enough to offer exceptional bench strength. As a member of our team, you’ll have an opportunity to draw from those resources when you need them and, likewise, contribute your expertise when you have something to share.

At Benesch, we are looking for candidates with varied backgrounds and worldviews. Diverse ideas come from diverse people, and we are committed to offering an inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued and respected. Statistics show that women and underrepresented groups are less likely to apply for a position if they don’t meet 100% of the qualifications. If this statement resonates with you, don’t be so hard on yourself—apply for the job!


CPS High School Engineering Internship

Benesch’s Summer 2025 Internship is an exciting opportunity for a talented Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high school student to spend the summer alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry working on challenging and unique local transportation projects. The CPS high school student will train alongside experienced engineers and execute purposeful hands-on work assignments in an office setting. The student intern will gain broad knowledge of cross-functional teams and exposure to different engineering disciplines, all the while creating valuable career contacts. The student intern will be assigned an experienced manager who will oversee their training, work assignments, and development in addition to the delivery of continuous real-time performance feedback.

We are looking to begin conversation with current CPS high school students regarding part-time internship opportunity in our downtown Chicago, IL office for Summer 2025. This position may also work out of the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) office on occasion.

Location

This position will have a hybrid schedule, and when in the office, you will work in our Chicago, IL office. 

What We Offer
  • Opportunities to work on a variety of transportation projects including state and local transportation agencies
  • Real-world experience working in an engineering office with no expected fieldwork
  • Meaningful on-the-job training from experienced engineers
  • Hands-on work assignments and/or research for various client projects
The Impact You Will Have
  • Collect and assimilate data
  • Perform basic calculations, and computer aid design (CAD) drafting of project elements
  • Organize design files
  • Develop task deliverables in a complete and reviewable manner
  • Conduct research as necessary to projects
  • Perform clerical tasks as assigned
  • Work independently under the guidance of a Project Engineer 
Other important details
  • Application deadline is Friday, March 7, 2025
  • Interviews will be held from March 24, 2025 – March 28, 2025, virtually or, if possible, in-person at our downtown Chicago office, 35 W. Wacker Drive Suite #3300
  • Internship will begin late-June 2025 and end mid-August 2025 at our downtown Chicago office
  • Expected working hours per week is about 24-32 between 8 am – 5 pm
  • Hourly pay rate will be $18/hour. We will also provide reimbursement for CTA transportation if utilized to and from the office.
  • Must have reliable transportation to and from downtown Chicago, IL
  • Position may work out of the CDOT office occasionally located at 2 N. LaSalle Street, 8th Floor, Chicago, IL  60602
What You Will Need
  • Current CPS high school student (Jr. or Sr. status) interested in engineering
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale preferred
  • Ability to provide high school transcript (unofficial is acceptable)
  • Ability to provide the following letter(s) of recommendation: 
    • 1 Academic (school faculty)
    • 1 Personal (non-family member from your community, an extra-curricular activity, an employer, mentor, etc.)
  • Familiarity of Google platform and/or Microsoft Office products
  • Excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
  • Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills
  • Conscientious and cooperative team player

 Please email unofficial transcripts, and letters of recommendation to Anakaren Gutierrez directly at [email protected] 

Illinois Pay Range

$18 per hour USD

#LI-AG1


Explore the Benefits of Working at Benesch! 

At Benesch, we prioritize the health and wellness of our employees, understanding that their well-being is crucial for both personal and professional success. We offer a range of benefits for eligible employees, including insurance, retirement plans, and wellness programs. Our Total Rewards package is designed to support a healthy lifestyle and can be customized to meet the needs of our employees and their families. Click here to learn more about some of the benefits of working at Benesch! 

Professional Development 
  • Opportunities for management and leadership development at all levels, including executive coaching and leadership development for Team Leaders, Group Managers, Division Managers, and Executive Leaders
  • Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses
  • Ongoing professional development through resources like Red Vector, LinkedIn Learning, technical team meetings, knowledge-sharing training sessions 
  • Personalized training and career development plans with your manager
  • Funding for training, committee work, professional organization memberships, and licenses/certifications
  • Support for active participation in professional organizations to foster leadership and community engagement
Retirement Benefits 
  • Access to valuable retirement planning tools, education, and individual meetings with plan advisors at no charge
  • Potential for Benesch to contribute up to 9% of your gross compensation to your retirement plan (5% profit-sharing contribution to your 401(k) plan, regardless of your own contributions & 80% match on your contributions, up to a maximum company contribution of 4%)
Work/Life Balance 
  • Flexible work schedules and hours, including work-from-home options (dependent on the role)
  • Generous Paid Time Benefits (PTB) that increase with your career
  • Immediate use of annual PTB; no accrual needed with the ability to bundle time-off plans for extended vacations or life events
  • Ten days of paid parental leave for birth, adoption, or foster placement
Employee Engagement 
  • Opportunities to contribute beyond regular job duties
  • Work-Life Team: Implements programs to boost productivity and work-life balance
  • Rewards & Recognition Team: Cultivates a culture of appreciation
  • Corporate Social Responsibility Team: Manages matching gift programs, community service, student scholarships, and more
  • Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Team: Promotes positive change and supports a diverse workforce.

 

If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents linked here.

Benesch is an Equal Employment Opportunity/ Affirmative Action/ Disability/ Protected Veteran Employer. Qualified applicants are evaluated without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation or belief, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic. For more information about your EEO rights as an applicant under the law, please download the below documents:

Know your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal 

EEO Information

For more information about pay transparency, please download the below document:

Pay Transparency Policy Statement

We will be accepting applications on an ongoing basis until a candidate is found.

Benesch is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with a physical disability or other impairment.

If you are limited in your ability or are unable to access Benesch's Careers website due to a physical disability or other impairment, you may request a reasonable accommodation by emailing [email protected]. This option is only available to those in need of an accommodation due to a disability or other impairment. Please do not use this as an alternative method for general inquiries or status on applications, as you will not receive a response. Reasonable requests will be responded to as soon as possible on a case-by-case basis.

Recruiters or staffing agencies: Benesch is not obligated to compensate any external recruiter or search firm who presents a candidate, their resume, or profile to a Benesch employee without a recent, current, and fully executed agreement on file. Please direct all communications to the HR team at [email protected]