Vehicle Engineering Intern - Summer, 2026

This is a paid internship, range of $22/hr - $39/hr (depending on role and qualifications) for those currently pursuing undergraduate degrees and higher rates for those currently pursuing graduate level degrees. 

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including: 

• Health Benefits: We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner. 
• Employee Assistance Program. 
• Paid Time Off: An accrual of up to 4 hours per pay period. Up to 2 floating holidays. 
• Full-time interns will receive an ORCA card at no cost. This card can be used on buses, trains, water taxis in the Puget Sound region, along with the Monorail and Seattle Streetcar. 
• In addition to compensation and benefits, you’ll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues. 

Tentative 2026 Internship Dates:

• Semester students: May 18th to July 24th    
• Quarter students:  June 15th to August 21st

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

Sound Transit’s Vehicle Engineering department oversees all Sound Transit rail vehicle engineering (Link Light rail, Tacoma Link and Sounder) throughout the Puget Sound region. The Vehicle Engineering intern will have an opportunity to be a part of the team that oversees our rail services and learn how a large regional transit system is managed.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

JOB DUTIES:

• Assist in the design, development, and implementation of engineering solutions for vehicle systems and projects.
• Analyze, process and automate data from various sources to support vehicle maintenance and reliability.
• Learn from/collaborate with cross-functional teams on various projects.
• Approach hard engineering problems with the lens of vehicle accessibility, equity, and passenger experience.
• Provide innovative ideas and fresh perspectives to address complex vehicle engineering challenges.
• Document and communicate technical findings and recommendations effectively to key personnel.

POTENTIAL PROJECTS:

• Automating the analysis of vehicle diagnostic data to improve maintenance communication and enable fleetwide diagnostics.
• Creating PowerBI dashboards to visualize and analyze vehicle performance/reliability metrics.
• Refining onboard Passenger Information and Experience systems to enhance accessibility and equity.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Technical 

Applicants must be a current college student in good academic standing, enrolled in an accredited associate, bachelor's or graduate degree program in Electrical/Computer Engineering, Computer Science/Software Engineering, Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering. or other technical discipline or relevant two-year certificate. 

ADDITIONAL SKILLS:

• Basic ability to analyze large datasets and extract actionable insights.
• Ability to understand and read technical drawings/wiring diagrams.
• Understanding of instrumentation.
• Strong technical communication/writing skills.
• Strong task management/organization skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Basic understanding of SQL.
• Basic understanding of transit system operations.
• Basic understanding of the principles of vehicle maintenance.
• Interest in accessibility and transportation equity.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/ WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Work is performed in a standard office environment.
• Subject to standing, walking, bending, reaching, stooping, and lifting of objects up to 25 pounds; may occasionally be exposed to dangerous machinery when visiting job sites during construction and when working in the field.
• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or other protected class.