Sandia National Laboratories Student Internships and Co-ops: Eligibility & How to Apply

Who can apply?

• Applicants need full-time enrollment — typically 12 units for undergraduates — at an accredited college, university or high school, and must be at least 16.
• The minimum cumulative GPA, which Sandia does not round, is 3.0 for research and development, technical or business positions and 2.5 for clerical or laborer positions.
• U.S. citizenship is required for positions that need a security clearance or where the job posting states it.

Dates, pay & program timing

Summer internships typically run 10 to 12 weeks, generally from May to the last Thursday in August, at up to 40 hours a week. Year-round interns can work up to 25 hours a week during the academic term and up to 40 during breaks, and co-ops typically run three to eight months during the term at up to 40 hours a week. All interns are non-exempt temporary employees paid hourly according to their classification and degree level. At review, openings were listed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California.

These details reflect the sources at the review date. An overview is not a live job offer. Check the official page for today's application status and the selected opening's written terms.

How to apply to Sandia National Laboratories

1. Create an account in Sandia's careers tool.
2. Search the student openings and apply to each job separately; Sandia does not route one application to several roles.
3. Check each posting for citizenship or clearance requirements and make sure your unrounded GPA meets the minimum for that position type.

You leave FirstInternships to apply. We do not accept applications, offer referrals, or represent the employer.

Our editorial advice · not employer requirements

How to prepare a stronger application

Because every role is a separate application, tailor each one. Lead with the coursework or project closest to the posting's work — a circuits lab for an electrical role, a finite-element model for mechanical, a security project for cyber — rather than sending one general resume to many openings.

Year-round internships let you keep working part time during the semester. If you are near Albuquerque or Livermore, a summer role that continues into the school year can build much deeper experience than one summer; ask about it in interviews. This is our suggestion, not a Sandia rule.

Official sources & update notes

We reviewed these publisher pages on October 1, 2026. They establish the program facts above; our preparation suggestions are independent editorial guidance.

• Internships and co-ops page: eligibility, GPA rules, program types, hours, pay basis and locations

We do not infer deadlines, remote eligibility, or guaranteed offers from older recruiting cycles. Read our editorial process.