Chemical Engineering Internship Jobs in Virginia

What Does Steel Dynamics Do?

Steel Dynamics is a leading industrial metals solutions company that produces lower-carbon, high-quality steel products primarily from recycled scrap. Operating through a circular manufacturing model, the company manufactures a wide range of steel products including flat roll, structural, and long products for industries such as construction, automotive, energy, and manufacturing. In addition to steel production, Steel Dynamics operates metals recycling facilities, steel fabrication plants, and aluminum production operations, serving customers across North America with a focus on innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.

What Makes This Internship Different?

Steel Dynamics’ electrical engineering internships stand out from those at other companies because they offer a true balance of office-based engineering work and hands-on industrial experience. Interns are not limited to observing from a distance, they actively work alongside operators and maintenance teams on the production floor, applying engineering principles directly to equipment, systems, and processes. This approach allows interns to design solutions, test them in real-world conditions, and see the immediate impact of their work.

Internship Location

This internship is located at the Steel Dynamics Roanoke Bar Division located in Roanoke, VA, in the Engineering Department. This internship will take place during the Summer 2027 term.

Internship Benefits

• Furnished Housing Free of Cost
  • Provided for interns living more than 50 miles from their work site, including essential furnishings to ensure a comfortable stay during the internship.
• 401(k) & Company Match
  
  • Eligibility to participate in the company 401(k) plan with a 10–50% company match that vests immediately.
• Employee Discounts
  
  • Access to discounts on hotels, vehicles, and other goods and services through Steel Dynamics’ nationwide partner network.
• Employee Assistance Program
  
  • Up to five free visits per issue, per year for counseling, legal advice, financial guidance, and other daily living resources.
• Intern Extravaganza
  
  • A two-day event at company headquarters featuring facility tours, networking with company leaders, cultural immersion, and connecting with other interns from across the country.
• Competitive Pay
  
  • Competitive hourly wages for all internship positions, rewarding the value interns bring to the company.

What Are My Responsibilities as an Electrical Engineering Intern at Steel Dynamics?

• Assist with substation reliability and preventative maintenance through inspections, documentation, and spare parts planning.
• Support engineering teams on safety initiatives, including labeling, schematic review, and lockout/tagout procedures.
• Participate in upgrade and installation projects by reviewing diagrams, updating schematics, and supporting system documentation.
• Contribute to instrumentation and control projects by assisting with HMI programming, logic development, and monitoring systems.
• Assist in troubleshooting and repairing electrical systems, including sourcing replacement components and supporting system restoration.
• Perform inventory management tasks such as cataloging materials, preparing bills of materials, and assisting with procurement planning.
• Gain hands-on field experience by shadowing electricians during installations, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with contractors, vendors, and internal teams on electrical projects and process improvements.

What Qualifications Do I Need?

• Candidates should be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program in Electrical Engineering or Electrical Engineering Technology.
  • Degree program or experience should include one or more of the following: electrical machinery, power distribution, PLCs/automation systems, power electronics/drives.
• Preferred GPA of at least 2.7.

Examples of Projects Steel Dynamics Electrical Engineering Interns Have Completed

• Support substation reliability by inspecting and documenting current conditions of PTs (Potential Transformers) and CTs (Current Transformers), preparing inventories of available spares, and identifying components that require ordering for contingency planning.
• Assist with preventative maintenance of high-voltage substations, including reading equipment nameplates, assessing transformer health, and developing documentation based on OEM specifications and site safety standards.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to optimize safety practices by applying arc flash labels, observing lockout/tagout procedures, and reinforcing “trust but verify” principles when interpreting electrical schematics and prints.
• Participate in substation upgrade projects by tracing wire diagrams, creating custom wire labels, updating schematics, and loosely managing documentation for labeling systems across GE and TMEIC controls.
• Contribute to instrumentation and control design by programming HMIs such as C-more for real-time temperature displays and developing logic in Studio 5000 to automate screen changes for furnace monitoring systems.
• Assist in troubleshooting and rebuilding damaged electrical systems, including camera systems like UNILUX used for surface inspection, and sourcing replacement components for system restoration.
• Verify and correct electrical blueprints for major furnace systems (e.g., Round-Top-Melter, Tilter-Holder-Furnace), documenting any discrepancies and updating plans to improve installation accuracy and efficiency.
• Perform electrical inventory management by cataloging leftover materials from previous installations, preparing bill of materials for upcoming commissioning projects, and supporting procurement planning.
• Gain hands-on experience with field installations and maintenance tasks by shadowing electricians during troubleshooting, learning conduit work, motor disassembly, wiring practices, and electrical safety standards in live industrial environments.
• Support cross-functional communication by coordinating with contractors, vendors, and internal departments on projects involving trailer power feeds, radiation detector values, and cold mill upgrades, while learning foundational concepts in power distribution and teamwork.

Steel Dynamics, Inc., and all affiliated entities are equal opportunity employers.