COLUMBIA Electrical Systems - 2026 Engineering Summer Internship

Overview

General Dynamics Electric Boat provides an unparalleled learning experience for college students, offering practical exposure in the defense industry alongside expert engineers, shaping the future of submarine innovation.

Engineers at Electric Boat work collaboratively across departments and with our customer to develop innovative solutions for the United States Navy's nuclear submarines. As an Intern, you'll be exposed to various engineering activities with the support of our senior staff. This program grants our trainees the opportunity to develop valuable skills and dive into cutting-edge projects such as leading the Columbia Class design and enhancing Virginia Class submarines. Every intern will be exposed to a wealth of knowledge in order to excel in the engineering domain.

This program requires a minimum commitment of 8-12 weeks during the Summer 2026 Season.

Participation in this program requires medical screening, passing a drug test, and potential DOD Investigation

This is not a remote opportunity.

All applicants have the potential to be placed at any of the following locations: Groton CT, New London CT, North Kingstown RI, Newport RI, North Stonington CT.

COLUMBIA Electrical Systems - Summer Internship

Job Description:

The COLUMBIA Electrical Systems Directorate's mission is to be the electrical system and component organization for the development and delivery of COLUMBIA Class. The COLUMBIA Class is our nation's newest strategic weapons platform and the NAVY entrusts the COLUMBIA Electrical Systems Directorate to ensure that COLUMBIA Class's electrical systems and components meet the rigorous performance requirements that the NAVY's mission requirements demand. The COLUMBIA Electrical Systems Directorate seeks to embody the following core values in order to fulfill its mission:

• Value Each Other
• Behave with Integrity and Purpose
• Commit to Excellence

The COLUMBIA Electrical Systems Directorate is responsible for the engineering and design of the COLUMBIA Class electrical systems and components and ensuring that they operate as intended through supporting construction and a rigorous test program. The COLUMBIA Electrical Systems Directorate is also responsible vendor oversight of Electric Boat suppliers, power distribution system analysis, cableways design, test procedure development, test equipment drawing development, and technical manual development.

COLUMBIA Electrical Systems Directorate Summer Interns may be responsible for the following tasks:

• Review electrical system drawings to ensure technical adequacy.
• Troubleshoot electrical systems that are under construction and/or undergoing system testing to ensure compliance with operational requirements.
• Provide oversight to component vendors to ensure compliance with procurement and military specification requirements.
• Evaluate power distribution systems to ensure technical adequacy.
• Evaluate cableways design to ensure technical adequacy, including performing calculations to ensure survivability in the submarine's operating environment.
• Review test procedures and develop associated test equipment drawings.
• Develop and review technical manuals to ensure that our customer can fully utilize the COLUMBIA Class electrical systems and components.
• The intern would gain experience in construction support. They would experience the rare opportunity of building the first of a new submarine class.

Please note: Due to the high volume of applications received, our current process does not involve interviews. Rest assured that even though you will not be contacted for an interview, your time and effort are greatly appreciated. Each application is diligently reviewed for consideration. Thank you for your understanding and interest!

Qualifications

To be qualified for this position:

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• ship is required.
• Must be able to successfully pass a medically supervised drug screen and background check.
• Must be enrolled full-time at a college or university
• At minimum students must have completed their Freshman year prior to the start of the internship.
• Must be available to work 40 hours per week for a minimum eight (8) consecutive weeks between May 2026 to September 2026.
• Selected candidates will be responsible for establishing housing and reliable transportation for the duration of their intern assignment.
• Pursuing a Bachelor or Masters of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Power Systems Engineering

Skills

• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to effectively work both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to learn new skills and apply them
• Ability to solve problems in a constructive manner
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Proficient with MS Office suite (Word, Excel, Office)