Internship Opportunities
Real Projects. Real Mentorship. Real Experience.
At Palmer Engineering, interns work alongside experienced engineers, contribute to real infrastructure projects, and build skills that help launch their careers.
Whether you're interested in structural design, transportation engineering, site development, or water resources, our internships provide the opportunity to learn, grow, and make an impact.
Why Intern at Palmer
A Day in the Life of a Palmer Intern
Every internship experience is different, but students often spend their time:
• Assisting with design and drafting work
• Creating concept plans and project layouts
• Collaborating with engineers and project teams
• Visiting project sites and observing field work
• Learning how projects move from concept to construction
This variety helps interns develop both technical skills and a real-world engineering perspective.
Hear From a Palmer Intern
Natalie Willett first connected with Palmer Engineering at a University of Kentucky Career Fair. She was especially interested in Palmer’s commitment to helping biosystems engineering students gain real-world experience.
During her internship, Natalie had the opportunity to build her CAD skills, particularly in Civil 3D, while also gaining hands-on field experience through soil sampling and site visits. The mix of office work and time in the field helped her see how engineering projects develop from early concepts to real construction.
One of Natalie’s favorite parts of the internship has been creating concept plans for different projects.
“I love creating concept plans because I get to be creative on a wide range of projects, and I feel like they’ve helped me learn a lot.”
Throughout her internship, Natalie worked closely with mentors Stephanie Blain, PE and Chris Mischel, PE who helped guide her and answer questions along the way.
From Intern to Engineer
Josh Coburn’s interest in engineering started with his love of math and science in school. After a recommendation from a school advisor, he began exploring engineering as a career and eventually chose civil engineering. His interest in highway design grew even stronger during his internship at Palmer Engineering, where he discovered how much he enjoyed the work and the projects he was involved in.
Josh was initially drawn to Palmer because of its proximity to his hometown of Winchester. After receiving an internship offer, he also heard positive feedback from friends in the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet scholarship program, who spoke highly of the firm.
What ultimately convinced him to stay was the people and welcoming culture at Palmer.
Today, Josh works as a traffic engineer, and one of the most rewarding parts of the profession for him is seeing projects move from design to construction.
One of Josh’s proudest accomplishments since joining Palmer was earning his Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (PTOE) certification. Another highlight was seeing a project he designed constructed in his hometown, making the work especially meaningful.
Josh’s story is a great example of how a Palmer internship can grow into a full-time career, giving young engineers the opportunity to build their skills and contribute to projects that make a real impact.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Engineers
At Palmer Engineering, we believe developing future engineers starts long before graduation.
Our Lexington office hosted Building the Path Forward, an event held in celebration of the 2026 Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day and National Engineers Week. The event welcomed local students for a hands-on experience designed to spark interest in engineering careers. Our young female engineers shared their experiences, talked about their paths into engineering, and helped lead activities that gave students a glimpse into the field.
Events like this reflect Palmer’s commitment to mentorship, learning, and encouraging the next generation of engineers to explore the possibilities of the profession.