Entry Level Forensic Engineer Jobs in California

The Internship Opportunity

Degenkolb is again offering a summer internship program for future structural engineers. The program is designed to complement your academic training with an inside look at how a structural engineering practice operates and to give you meaningful, hands-on experience with active project work. Many former interns return to Degenkolb as full-time employees after completing their studies.

Turn classroom knowledge into meaningful project experience with trusted mentors and a team invested in your future.

Internships are available in Los Angeles, Oakland, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, California, Seattle, Washington, and Detroit and Grand Rapids, Michigan. You may indicate interest in multiple locations on a single application; candidates are considered for one location at a time based on ranked preferences and office availability.

You are an upper-level civil or structural engineering student whose education will continue through at least the Fall 2027 semester. You are curious, collaborative, and eager to connect classroom concepts with real-world structural engineering. You may be especially interested in seismic analysis for our West Coast offices or steel design for our Michigan offices. You want an internship where you can ask thoughtful questions, contribute to meaningful work, learn from experienced engineers, and better understand how technical decisions serve clients and communities. You are ready to take ownership of your learning while being supported by a culture of excellence.

Who We Are

Founded in 1940 and headquartered in San Francisco, Degenkolb Engineers helps make complex, high-stakes projects real. We bring deep technical expertise, disciplined creativity, and a practical understanding of construction to every challenge; building strong relationships early, making complexity easier to navigate, and keeping the success of projects central to our work.

Our teams deliver customized structural solutions across healthcare, education, science and technology, forensics, construction engineering, federal buildings, and other complex markets. Whether a project calls for navigating stringent codes, balancing budget and schedule, solving an unusual technical problem, or creating a landmark structural system, we connect the right people and ideas to develop solutions that serve our clients and communities.

What You'll Experience

Academic coursework provides the foundation. Hands-on experience is where engineering comes to life. As a Structural Engineering Intern, you will work alongside experienced engineers on active projects, applying classroom concepts while developing practical skills and professional confidence.

• Meaningful Project Work: Contribute to active structural engineering projects and see how project teams turn technical knowledge into practical solutions for clients.
• Technical Learning: Build skills in structural analysis and design, project delivery, and site observation while gaining exposure to real-world engineering challenges.
• Mentorship & Feedback: Learn directly from experienced engineers who will provide context, answer questions, share candid feedback, and help you understand the purpose behind the work.
• Firmwide Perspectives: Participate in a summer presentation series featuring engineers and firm leaders from across Degenkolb. Past topics have included sustainability, LEANSTEEL®, construction administration, earthquake reconnaissance, practice-area overviews, leadership conversations, and career development.
• Connection & Collaboration: Work with multidisciplinary project teams and build meaningful relationships with professionals across offices and practice areas.
• Career Exploration: Expand your professional network, strengthen your engineering judgment, and gain insight into career paths within structural engineering and at Degenkolb.

Minimum Requirements

• Academic Status: Must be a continuing student enrolled through at least the Fall 2027 semester. This includes:

•  A current full-time Civil Engineering Senior (Juniors who meet the other requirements may be considered) planning to transition directly into a Structural Engineering graduate program in Fall 2027.

• A current, first-year Graduate student in multi-year Structural Engineering master’s or Ph.D. program.

• Required Coursework: The following courses must be completed by the internship start date:

• Structural Analysis

• Steel Design

• Reinforced Concrete Design

• Academic Performance: Strong performance in upper-division civil or structural engineering coursework, with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.40. Strong academic performance in graduate coursework is expected, where applicable.
• Technical Focus: Demonstrated passion for structural engineering, with a preferred interest in seismic analysis for West Coast offices or steel design for Michigan offices.
• Leadership & Involvement: Leadership roles or active participation in extracurricular activities, engineering societies such as ASCE or SEI, or other pursuits.
• Work Authorization: Current authorization to work in the United States for any employer.