2027 Summer Intern, AI Engineer (Reston, VA)

Monmouth University; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 32,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

ICF’s HPHS Technology Office is seeking a 2027 Summer Intern in AI Engineering for the HPHS Technology Office, based in Reston, VA. This 10-week, full-time internship begins early June 2027 and is hybrid (2 days per week in Reston).

You will work on rapid prototype development with AI tools, build lightweight front ends and back ends, and ensure responsible LLM usage with grounding to client data. You will collaborate with senior engineers to demonstrate capabilities in real workflows and may

Qualifications

• Minimum of 30 completed college credit hours toward a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a relevant discipline.
• U.S. Citizenship is required for this internship.
• Foundation in programming and interest in GenAI tooling and AI-driven software development.

Responsibilities

• Support rapid prototype development using AI tools and AI frameworks.
• Build lightweight front ends and back ends for stakeholder interactions.
• Navigate responsible LLM usage and prompt design with grounding patterns.
• Collaborate with senior engineers to integrate and demonstrate capabilities.

Skills

GenAI tools

AI coding assistants

Git

Cloud platforms

Team collaboration

Learning agility

Education

30+ credits toward CS degree

Tools

GitHub Copilot

OpenAI API

Anthropic tools

Vector databases

Job description

ICF’s Health, People, & Human Services (HPHS) operating group delivers solutions that improve health outcomes, strengthen public systems, and support communities, from global health surveys and environmental science to child welfare, public safety, and federal regulatory modernization. The HPHS Technology Office provides advisory support and innovation services across the operating group. We partner with our domain experts to identify where technology can accelerate mission delivery, unlock new capabilities, and help our teams deliver improved outcomes for clients. From rapid proofs of concept that validate an idea in days to production-ready platforms, we work hands-on alongside delivery teams to solve real-world challenges.

Who Are We Looking For?

We are seeking a motivated intern with a foundation in programming and a passion for solving real problems using modern AI-enabled technology. The ideal candidate is eager to collaborate, comfortable learning quickly, and interested in applying GenAI tools (e.g., LLMs and prompt techniques) alongside core software and data engineering practices.

This is a full-time, 10-week internship beginning early June 2027. The position ishybrid from Reston, VA (2x per week).At this time, we are unable to provide relocation or housing assistance for this internship. Pay is expected to be $27/hour.

Key Responsibilities

As a 2027 Summer Intern, AI Engineering for the HPHS Technology Office, you will:

• Support rapid prototype development using AI tools and AI frameworks
• Hands-on experience building lightweight front ends and back ends that allow stakeholders to interact with our prototypes
• Navigate responsible LLM usage, prompt design, and practical grounding patterns (such as grounding responses in authoritative client data)
• Collaborate with senior engineers and technology partners to integrate, test, and demonstrate capabilities in real workflows

A key objective of this internship is to create a win-win engagement where you obtain a fresh perspective, new ways of thinking, and emerging AI skills to solve real challenges. The goal is to deliver work with measurable impact, and the intern may have the opportunity to present learning or deliverables to leadership before the internship concludes.

Minimum Qualifications

• A minimum of 30 completed college credit hours toward a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a relevant discipline
• Due to contract requirements, U.S. Citizenship is required

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated interest, knowledge or early experience in using AI coding assistants (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, ChatGPT) for software development tasks
• Familiarity with GenAI/LLM tooling — prompt frameworks, vector databases, modern LLM APIs (Anthropic, OpenAI), or Model Context Protocol (MCP)
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git)
• Exposure to cloud platforms (such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with an interest in data and systems thinking
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
• Enthusiasm for learning new technologies and applying them to real-world challenges