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Intern Civil Engineer Jobs in Portland, OR (NOW HIRING)

Field Engineer

Vancouver, WA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Degree in Civil Engineering/Construction Science or related discipline or equivalent work experience is required. Prior hands-on work experience in the marine construction industry as a Summer Intern ...

Field Engineer

Vancouver, WA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Degree in Civil Engineering/Construction Science or related discipline or equivalent work experience is required. Prior hands-on work experience in the marine construction industry as a Summer Intern ...

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Showing results 1-20

Intern Civil Engineer information

See Portland, OR salary details

$14

$21

$28

How much do intern civil engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average hourly pay for intern civil engineer in Portland, OR is $21.05, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.84 and $23.22 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an intern civil engineer do?

An Intern Civil Engineer assists professional engineers in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and water supply systems. Their responsibilities often include drafting blueprints, conducting site visits, collecting and analyzing data, and preparing reports. They work under the supervision of licensed engineers, gaining practical experience and applying their academic knowledge to real-world projects. This internship helps them develop essential technical and communication skills needed for a successful engineering career.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an intern civil engineer?

To thrive as an Intern Civil Engineer, you need a solid understanding of engineering fundamentals, mathematics, and basic design principles, often supported by ongoing or completed coursework in civil engineering. Familiarity with AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and other relevant design or modeling software is typically required, along with knowledge of industry standards. Strong communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities are essential soft skills for collaborating with senior engineers and addressing project challenges. These skills and qualifications ensure effective contribution to engineering projects, foster professional growth, and support the safe, efficient delivery of infrastructure solutions.

What types of projects and tasks can an intern civil engineer expect to work on during their internship?

As an Intern Civil Engineer, you can expect to be involved in a variety of hands-on and support tasks related to ongoing infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, water systems, or buildings. Typical responsibilities may include assisting with site inspections, drafting technical drawings using software like AutoCAD, collecting and analyzing data, and preparing reports or documentation for senior engineers. Interns often work closely with both field and office teams, gaining exposure to project management, design processes, and regulatory compliance. This collaborative environment offers valuable learning experiences and lays a strong foundation for future career growth in civil engineering.

What is the difference between Intern Civil Engineer vs Civil Engineering Technician?

AspectIntern Civil EngineerCivil Engineering Technician
Required CredentialsTypically pursuing or recently completed a bachelor's degree in civil engineeringAssociate degree or diploma in civil engineering technology
Work EnvironmentOn-site project sites, engineering offices, assisting senior engineersFieldwork and office work, supporting engineers with technical tasks
Employer & Industry UsageInternships in engineering firms, construction companies, government agenciesConstruction firms, consulting firms, government departments

Intern Civil Engineers are usually students or recent graduates gaining practical experience, while Civil Engineering Technicians support engineering projects with technical tasks. Both roles work closely in the civil engineering industry but differ mainly in education level and responsibilities.

What do you do as a civil engineer intern?

A civil engineer intern assists with project planning, design, and analysis by supporting senior engineers. They may conduct site inspections, prepare reports, and use tools like AutoCAD or Civil 3D to help develop construction plans. The role provides practical experience in engineering principles and project management within a construction or infrastructure environment.

What are the most commonly searched types of Civil Engineer jobs in Portland, OR?

The most popular types of Civil Engineer jobs in Portland, OR are:

What cities near Portland, OR are hiring for Intern Civil Engineer jobs?

Cities near Portland, OR with the most Intern Civil Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Intern Civil Engineer job openings in Portland, OR as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $43,787 per year, or $21.1 per hour.

Civil Engineer (Area Engineer)

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Beavercreek, OR • On-site, Remote

$89K - $116K/yr

Full-time

Posted 21 days ago


Natural Resources Conservation Service rating

8.5

Company rating: 8.5 out of 10

Based on 16 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

219th of 846 rated public administrative organizations


Job description

Summary
This position is located in a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service state, area, or field office within Oregon. The incumbent is responsible for providing technical guidance and leadership in the overall planning, design, installation, and maintenance of the engineering phases of soil and water conservation practices as well as watershed flood protection programs.
There is one vacancy, which may be filled at any of the following duty locations: Beavercreek, OR; Hillsboro, OR; or Salem, OR
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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  • Coordinates the planning, design and construction of engineering practices such as water management, animal waste management, erosion control, flood control, and other conservation practices needing engineering guidance.
  • Plans and conducts pre-bid site showing, approves construction schedules, monitors work for compliance with plans and specification and contract requirements.
  • Interprets plans and specifications for contractors, solving problems at the local level that involve proper interpretation of specifications.
  • Coordinates and conducts necessary quality assurance reviews of planned, designed, and constructed engineering projects in the assigned area or state.
  • Develops workload analysis, priorities, and scheduling recommendations identified by the strategic plan for the geographical location assigned.

Requirements
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Conditions of employment
  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected, you may be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are unable to reimburse for any fees incurred.
  • Probationary and Trial Period - Successful completion of a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period unless previous federal service is creditable. Refer to Next Steps for more information.
  • Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov.
  • This will require the operation of a motor vehicle operator on public and private roads during daylight and after dark if needed to perform the duties of the position, must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license

Qualifications
In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.
Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts.
Basic Education Requirement:
Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree be in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) http://main.abet.org/aps/accreditedprogramsearch.aspx; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics; OR
Combination of Education and Experience: college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:
  1. Professional registration or licensureCurrent registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Boards eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
  2. Written Test-Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination, or any other written test required for professional registration, which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
  3. Specified academic courses-Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described above.
  4. Related curriculum-Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had a least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of relate curricula are not all-inclusive.)

In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered:
Specialized Experience to qualify for GS-12: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as:
  • Providing technical guidance and leadership in the overall planning, design, installation, and maintenance of the engineering phrases of soil and water conservation practices; Coordinating and conducting engineering quality assurance checks through site investigations and feasibility studies.

Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-12 level.
For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
College Transcript: If qualifying based on education, you must submit a copy of your college transcript with course number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g., special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college to ensure proper evaluation.
Your education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited toward qualifications. You may verify accreditation by visiting the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs website. We will verify your education accordingly.
Foreign Education: You must submit verification that education completed in a foreign institution, was recognized by an accreditation body accepted by the U.S. Department of Education. You must include a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. Your transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
You may submit an unofficial copy of your transcript at the initial phase of the application process. However, if selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Please refer to the "How to Apply" section for instructions on submitting transcripts.
Additional information
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
Locality Pay: The salary for each location may vary depending on geographically defined locality pay areas. Locality tables may be found at Office of Personnel Management Salaries and Wages.
Physical Demands: Field work requires physical exertion such as long periods of standing, traversing steep slopes and rough construction sites, wading in streams and rivers, crossing fences and gates, recurring bending and stooping, jumping across shallow ditches, walking in soft, muddy, and slippery conditions, and lifting and carrying equipment and samples that weigh up to 50 pounds.
Work Environment: Work performed in an office setting Is in a properly lighted, ventilated, and climate controlled area. During field work, the employee is frequently exposed to adverse weather conditions. Protective gear and clothing such as a hard hat, boots, and gloves may be necessary during field visits and in the area of moving machinery. Exposure to noise levels common to construction sites with large earthmoving equipment can be expected. There will be exposure to disease carrying Insects and Irritating plants. Field work Is performed on a regular and recurring basis.
Telework: This position is eligible for telework as determined by the agency policy.
Incentives: Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.
Bargaining Unit: This is a non-bargaining unit position.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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