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Prototype Engineer Intern Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Rhaeos

R&D Engineering Intern

Chicago, IL · On-site

$17.25 - $22.50/hr

400 N Aberdeen St, STE 575 R&D Engineering Chicago, IL 60642 Intern Contact: info@rhaeos.com ... prototypes. ● Conduct literature reviews and assist in clinical research related to new platform ...

Hendrickson USA, LLC

Engineering Intern

Woodridge, IL · On-site

$16.50 - $21.50/hr

The Engineering Intern role with the Advanced Technology Group (ATG) offers students an incredible ... Supporting with troubleshooting embedded systems and prototypes that fail or require adjustments ...

Cccis

Applied AI Engineering Intern

Chicago, IL · On-site

$20 - $43/hr

... prototype, and deliver AI-powered solutions that improve how teams work across CCC. Working closely with the AI Transformation Engineer, you will apply modern AI technologies-including large language ...

Winlandfoods

Product Development Intern

Oak Brook, IL · Hybrid

$27.50/hr

Product Development Intern Schedule: (Hybrid) Monday and Friday are remote, while Tuesday-Thursday ... Engineer after graduation. Examples of Projects: * New product development; concept/prototype work.

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Prototype Engineer Intern information

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How much do prototype engineer intern jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 3, 2026, the average hourly pay for prototype engineer intern in Chicago, IL is $17.55, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.86 and $19.81 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a prototype engineer intern do?

A Prototype Engineer Intern assists in designing, building, and testing early versions of products or components. They work closely with engineering teams to turn concepts into physical models, often using tools like 3D printers, CNC machines, and hand tools. Their role may involve troubleshooting, documenting results, and suggesting improvements based on testing. This internship provides hands-on experience in the product development process and helps interns develop practical engineering skills.

What types of projects and responsibilities can a prototype engineer intern expect during their internship?

As a Prototype Engineer Intern, you can expect to work on hands-on projects that may include designing, building, and testing prototypes for new products or features. You'll likely collaborate closely with engineers, designers, and sometimes manufacturing teams to bring concepts to life quickly. Typical responsibilities include CAD modeling, assembling physical prototypes, running experiments, and documenting results. This role often requires adaptability and problem-solving, as you'll need to iterate designs based on feedback and test outcomes. It's a great opportunity to gain experience with rapid prototyping tools and processes while working in a collaborative, innovative environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a prototype engineer intern, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Prototype Engineer Intern, you need a solid background in engineering fundamentals, hands-on fabrication skills, and experience with prototyping processes, typically supported by coursework in mechanical or electrical engineering. Familiarity with CAD software (such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD), 3D printing technology, and basic laboratory or workshop tools is often required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication help interns excel in collaborative and fast-paced development environments. These skills are crucial for efficiently transforming design concepts into functional prototypes that support innovation and product development.

What is the difference between Prototype Engineer Intern vs Mechanical Engineering Intern?

AspectPrototype Engineer InternMechanical Engineering Intern
Required CredentialsEnrolled in Mechanical, Electrical, or related engineering programsEnrolled in Mechanical Engineering or related programs
Work EnvironmentHands-on prototyping, product development labs, manufacturing settingsDesign, analysis, testing in labs or office settings
Industry UsageProduct design, hardware development, R&D teamsDesign, analysis, manufacturing, and testing teams

Prototype Engineer Interns focus on creating and testing physical prototypes, often working closely with hardware and manufacturing teams. Mechanical Engineering Interns typically engage in design, analysis, and testing of mechanical systems. While both roles require engineering knowledge and may overlap in industry settings, Prototype Engineer Interns are more hands-on with prototyping processes, whereas Mechanical Engineering Interns may have broader design responsibilities.

What are popular job titles related to Prototype Engineer Intern jobs in Chicago, IL?

For Prototype Engineer Intern jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Prototype Engineer Intern jobs in Chicago, IL look for?

The top searched job categories for Prototype Engineer Intern jobs in Chicago, IL are:

What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Prototype Engineer Intern jobs?

Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Prototype Engineer Intern job openings:

Prototype Engineer Intern jobs near you
Infographic showing various Prototype Engineer Intern job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Internship. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $36,504 per year, or $17.6 per hour.

GTG Intern - Software Engineer

Grainger Businesses

Chicago, IL • On-site

$36/hr

Internship

Posted 18 days ago

Grainger rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 182 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

36th of 366 rated logistics

Job description

Work Location Type: Hybrid
Req Number 332747
About Grainger:
W.W. Grainger, Inc., is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products and solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. Known for its commitment to service and award-winning culture, the Company had 2024 revenue of $17.2 billion across its two business models. In the High-Touch Solutions segment, Grainger offers approximately 2 million maintenances, repair and operating (MRO) products and services, including technical support and inventory management. In the Endless Assortment segment, Zoro.com offers customers access to more than 14 million products, and MonotaRO.com offers more than 24 million products. For more information, visit www.grainger.com.
Compensation:
This position is hourly, and the starting pay rate is $36/hour
The rate of pay provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The rate reflects the expected base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position.
Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.
Internship Overview
The Grainger Technology Group (GTG) internship is a 10-week, paid program based in our downtown Chicago office where interns work across teams such as Product Engineering, Cybersecurity, Applied Machine Learning, User Experience, Digital Experience Analytics, and more to help build the technology that keeps Grainger and its customers moving. As a GTG intern, you will be treated as a member of the team and contribute to meaningful work tied to real customer and business outcomes, not a separate side project. You will gain hands-on exposure to modern technology stacks, digital platforms, AI-enabled workflows, and enterprise systems while learning from experienced team members. Throughout the summer, you will also participate in networking, social, and professional development events and present the work you accomplished to senior leadership.
Position Details
As a Software Engineer Intern, you will help design, build, test, and deliver software that supports Grainger's customers, team members, suppliers, and internal operations. You'll gain an understanding of the tradeoffs involved in building software that is scalable, reliable, secure, and useful to real users.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys solving problems, learning new technologies, collaborating with others, and thinking beyond the code to understand what to build and why. You may work across areas such as digital commerce, platforms, automation, data products, internal tools, cloud services, or enterprise systems.
You Will
  • Contribute to the design, development, testing, and delivery of software that supports customer experiences, internal operations, or enterprise technology platforms.
  • Work with your assigned team to build features, improve existing functionality, fix defects, and participate in code reviews with guidance from experienced engineers.
  • Gain hands-on experience with modern engineering practices such as Agile delivery, version control, automated testing, CI/CD, observability, and secure-by-design thinking.
  • Partner with product managers, designers, engineers, and business stakeholders to understand user needs, business context, and the purpose behind the work.
  • Explore appropriate use of AI-enabled tools to prototype, learn, debug, or increase delivery speed while validating outputs and understanding tradeoffs.
  • Communicate progress clearly, document technical work, ask thoughtful questions, and collaborate in ways that help the broader team move efficiently.
  • Build new learning foundations by working across unfamiliar code, tools, systems, and business contexts with curiosity and ownership.
  • Present your work, impact, and key learnings to technology leaders at the end of the internship.

You Have
  • Expected graduation with a bachelor's degree between December 2027 and June 2028.
  • Pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Systems, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
  • Experience with at least one programming language and the ability to explain how you approach learning new languages, frameworks, or tools.
  • Evidence of curiosity and self-directed learning such as previous internships, class or personal projects, GitHub contributions, hackathons, open-source work, technical clubs, work experience, or other hands-on experimentation.
  • Interest in product-minded engineering: understanding user or customer needs, framing problems, comparing options, and building practical solutions.
  • Thoughtful AI tool literacy, including the ability to describe how you use technical tools, compare tradeoffs, and validate generated output rather than simply relying on it.
  • Strong collaboration, communication, adaptability, and ownership in environments where priorities and technology continue to evolve.
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • Does not require sponsorship.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.
We are also committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one's employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.

What Grainger employees say

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About Grainger

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Grainger is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. We achieve our purpose, We Keep the World Working®, by serving more than 4.5 million customers with a wide range of products that keep their operations running and their people safe. Grainger also delivers services and solutions, such as technical support and inventory management, to save customers time and money. We're looking for passionate people who can move our company forward. As one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, we have a welcoming workplace where you can build a career for yourself while fulfilling our purpose to keep the world working. We embrace new ways of thinking and recognize everyone is an individual. Find your way with Grainger today.

Industry

Office administration and facilities support services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Lake Forest, IL, US

Year founded

1927

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