Landing the Ideal Seattle Internship
Internships are an invaluable way to learn from the best, apply your skills, and explore a vibrant new city
7 Min Read
7 Min ReadSeattle is home to quite a few Fortune 500 companies who open their coveted doors every year to summer interns (as well as other internships throughout). Although they aren’t the only businesses offering internships, they are a great place to start looking as they often have robust and organized programs for qualified applicants.
Working in Seattle for the summer or part of the year is a great opportunity to discover for yourself why the city is consistently ranked as one of the country’s most liveable. The match between CV-boosting internship opportunities, a dynamic young-spirited city and limitless outdoors is what wins over many interns and turns them into permanent Seattle residents.
Microsoft
This multinational tech company is synonymous with the Seattle area. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington and offers three types of internships to students, the majority of which take place during the summer months. The benefits of each internship include competitive pay, relocation, training, and transportation.
Explore Microsoft
Explore Microsoft is a 12-week internship for first and second-year university students who are aspiring software developers studying technical fields such as computer science, electrical engineering, or computer engineering. Applicants must be enrolled in a Bachelor’s program in either the U.S., Canada or Mexico in order to qualify.
University Internship
Open to students in Bachelor’s, Master’s, MBA, and PhD programs, the University Internship offers more focused project-based positions. There are roles in engineering, hardware engineering, UX design, supply chain, data, and applied science, as well as IT operations, finance, marketing, services and sales.
PhD Internships
Candidates enrolled in PhD programs are eligible for roles in either Microsoft Research or Microsoft Product teams, which are made up of PhD candidates with applied research & engineering backgrounds. Microsoft Research internships can be year-round but are typically offered in the summer. Microsoft Product Team internships run for 12 weeks. Summer internship recruitment begins early August-December, and fall internship recruitment starts March-June.
Find open positions by searching the Microsoft careers web page. Summer internships typically recruit in September and begin in June.
Amazon
Interested in delving behind the scenes to figure out how the silk eye mask you just ordered via Prime ended up on your doorstep in less than 24 hours? Amazon is a corporate powerhouse of e-commerce, digital streaming, high-end groceries, and even artificial intelligence, making its internship opportunities plenty and diverse. The majority of their internships occur during the summer for 12 to 16 weeks and are in the areas of technical & engineering, research, and business. Qualifications differ and reflect the specifics of each available position. 
Boeing
Have an eye for the sky? Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace engineering company, offering three types of competitive, comprehensive internships for students, lasting between 10 and 12 weeks. Candidates must be enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s program and must have applied online in the fall semester prior to the summer internship.
Business internships
Focused on many areas including finance, supply chain management, business operations, HR, sales and marketing.
Engineering internships
For students majoring in aerospace, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, materials, mechanical/structural or software engineering, computer science, and physics.
Information Technology & Data Analytics internships
This specialty allows candidates to grow their skills in application development, cybersecurity, data science, business analytics, information protection, network design, project management, systems analysis, systems architecture and systems integration. Getting a big name like Boeing on your CV is sure to help with opening doors to work in Seattle and elsewhere after graduation.
Internship applications are accepted on a rolling basis, so early applications are strongly suggested. Most opportunities are posted in late August or early September and close in November. Notably, all Boeing internships are paid, and relocation benefits may be available if eligible.
Nordstrom
For those with a creative flair, the mega-retailer Nordstrom has corporate offices in Seattle and offers summer internships in three focus areas. All internships are paid, and about 10 weeks long. Subsidized housing and commuter benefits are offered to eligible candidates.
- Finance Internship: Open to college juniors majoring in finance or accounting with a minimum GPA of 3.2
- Buying & Planning Internship: For active college students enrolled in applicable degree programs with an interest in the business of fashion and a minimum 3.2 GPA
- Technology Internship: For college students pursuing a technology-focused degree, internships exist in software engineering, for those who have experience with object-oriented programming (C#, C++, Java, Python), or information security, where experience with security tools and/or programming/scripting languages (Node.js, Python, Powershell, etc.) are a must.
Internship openings are listed on the Nordstrom career board in October or November and usually are closed to applications by December or January.
Expedia
Travel meets tech at Expedia. This online travel booking giant offers plenty of interesting internship opportunities in analytics, data science, finance, MBA, market associate, product management, and software development.
The internship programs run from May through mid-September, with recruitment from late September to March. Qualifications for each position vary depending on the role. Open positions can be found on their early talent page under each profile area of interest.
Finding housing during your internship
Make sure you’re clear on what your internship offers in terms of housing before you accept a position and make the move. Some internships will offer corporate housing, some offer stipends, and some leave the costs completely up to you.
Since most internships happen during the summer months, finding a student sublet through platforms such as ULoop or Rotatingroom are excellent options. Another great option is going with a company that specializes in furnished rentals, such as those offered by Blueground. Blueground offers smart, conveniently located and fully-furnished apartments in the most desirable neighborhoods of Seattle, including South Lake Union and Denny Triangle.
The app makes your living experience easy to manage– saving time and energy from cleaning and maintenance so that you can focus on getting the best experience out of your internship. Their flexible leases start at one month and can be renewed if you decide to stay put for longer. By reserving a furnished apartment in Seattle in advance before your first day, all you need to do is rock up with your suitcase and you’re ready to go.
Interns looking to make the most of their housing stipend may choose to rent with a roommate. Blueground’s two-bedroom units are found in condo-style buildings complete with premium furnishings and utilities up and running from day one.
Making the most of Seattle
Just because you’re in Seattle to gain work experience at your internship doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also take the opportunity to explore and have some fun. Seattle always has plenty going on, especially in the summer months. Fortunately, the city caters to a wide variety of interests, from good food and music to the great outdoors.
Spend a free day breathing fresh air at Golden Gardens Park in Ballard, or rent a bike and cruise down the boardwalk at Alki Beach and get a taste of the old Seattle while enjoying the breeze off the Sound.
Seattle is one of the top cities for breweries in the entire country. Relax on an outdoor patio with a fresh brew (or participate in a pub crawl) at some of the city’s favorites, like Fremont Brewing, Seapine, and Holy Mountain. There’s even one for you gluten-free folks! Check out Ghostfish Brewing in SoDo.
What makes Seattle so special is its proximity to not one but two incredible mountain ranges, the Cascades and the Olympics. Find trail information via the Washington Trails Association website, where you’ll get details on trail length, elevation, rating, and recent trail reports. Make sure you’ve got the proper equipment before you set out on your adventure–check out the trail smarts tab on the WTA site for more details.
This city offers incredible opportunities to gain experience and build connections with top companies in your field. In addition, there’s a seemingly never-ending supply of good food, tasty beverages, and breathtaking vistas. Looks like your time in Seattle is sure to be just the right amount of both educational and recreational.
