- June 27, 2025
- Kimley-Horn Corner
Exploring Unique Career Pathways: Internships and Growth Opportunities at Kimley-Horn
We’re committed to supporting career growth opportunities at all levels—and that includes our interns. Internships serve as more than just a stepping stone; they’re launching pads for success. Interns are vital to our firm as they contribute to real, client-facing projects—and after last summer, more than 85% of our interns receive full-time offers to join Kimley-Horn after graduation. Our intern success stories come from different career experiences, and hundreds of today’s employees are returning interns, including our current president!
Different Paths, One Purpose
Our Summer Internship Program runs 10-12 weeks to maximize skills and offer new areas of expertise for the next generation of leaders. We hire interns—1,100 this year—to be part of our team from day one because we firmly believe that with the right mentorship, learning opportunities, and support, we can help interns envision a realistic career at Kimley-Horn. Outside of traditional summer internships, we also support students from unique backgrounds—whether that’s graduate, part-time, or mid-career students, our investment in our people ditches a “one-size-fits-all” approach and embraces exceptional and diverse pathways.
Melissa Dominguez
“I saw how much effort went into bringing in people from diverse backgrounds—not just in identity, but in thought and life experience. As a mom and a nontraditional intern, I was welcomed with open arms. Instead of being seen as different, I was valued for the unique perspective I bring.”
From accepting undergraduate and graduate students to crafting skills in business and technical practice disciplines, we offer an extensive range of opportunities to advance in a tailored field. We also offer committed students the chance to extend their internships beyond the traditional summer term if they attend school near a local office that has part-time work opportunities available during the semester. . Additionally, we host students in opportunities that align with various degree requirements through programs like Cooperative Education Programs (Co-Ops). These extended internships allow students to get in-depth and extensive experience in their field and take on more leadership roles over time.
“I had a longer than usual internship lasting eight months as I was in a Co-Op program at the University of Cincinnati where I was required to complete five internships to graduate. This was my fourth and final Co-Op completed back-to-back. I then returned to the [Kimley-Horn] team full-time after graduating in May of 2024.”
Diego Pena, EIT
The Kimley-Horn Way
What sets Kimley-Horn internships and career growth opportunities apart from other companies is the hands-on experience students get to produce transformative initiatives and high-impact projects. Interns spend more than 80% of their time serving external clients. This direct contribution to real-world projects sets up interns for success in future full-time roles, allows them to see the tangible impact they make to communities, and helps them develop transferable skills essential for building client relationships and navigating professional environments.
Will Deal, EIT
“[Kimley-Horn] trusts and leans on its interns to learn the ropes of the company and complete work that is used by clients nationwide. For myself, I have continuously felt pushed and supported to learn new skills and go out of my comfort zone to become a better consultant.”
From day one, interns dive right into the program through practical tasks such as designing projects in CAD, joining on site visits, and completing technical training in AutoCAD, MicroStation, and other relevant programs. This exposure to professional development ensures that interns learn through observing and collaborating with partners.
“My most memorable moment of my internship was when someone asked me to teach them how to use ICPR, a hydrologic and hydraulic modeling software commonly used for projects in Florida. It felt great to help, but more importantly, it reflected how much I learned from my team. I began my internship not knowing anything about ICPR, and by the end, I was confident enough to teach others.”
Diego Pena, EIT
Career growth opportunities don’t just stop at technical expertise—we want interns to find valuable connections and a sense of belonging within our teams. Both personally and professionally, interns have access to mentorship with employees from all levels across the firm. Kimley-Horn prioritizes building strong relationships within the internship program through programmed events like the following:
Intern Day—a dedicated day for summer interns to hear and learn from mentors and young professionals.
Office meetings and site visits
Summer series calls—calls hosted by leaders across the firm that focus on different subjects like culture and benefits.
VP of Fun events—opportunities to connect with other employees and engage in team building outside of work.
In addition, interns are given lunch coupons to take out leaders from their office and learn more about their career journey.
Karissa Hiegel, EI
“Kimley-Horn is unique in how it's structured internally. The company puts an emphasis on its employees’ growth and well-being like no other company I’ve seen. The way I, as a brand-new intern, have had lunches with upper-management and shareholders is something I know you can’t find at many other places.”
Interns have a special place at Kimley-Horn. We celebrate what each intern brings to the team by embracing their unique career growth paths, providing them a chance to make a difference through real-world experience, and offering the tools they need for a long and fulfilling career.
Visit our Interns page and discover how an internship with us can launch your professional growth.