Protective Design Engineer Internship - Summer 2027

KPFF Consulting Engineers; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 47,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid overtime opportunities

Wide project exposure

Mentorship and training

Networking and career growth

Job summary

KPFF Consulting Engineers in San Francisco is offering a Protective Design Engineering Intern role. You will work with engineers on projects focused on safety, resilience, and security of the built environment, applying dynamics, materials, and constructability to demanding design challenges.

You will gain hands‑on experience in blast design, progressive collapse evaluation, and structural hardening, with mentorship and exposure to project coordination, site visits, and potential full‑time

Qualifications

• Pursuing a bachelor’s in Civil/Structural Eng. with 3+ years of coursework.
• Interest in resilience, safety, and security of structures.
• Experience with structural dynamics or concrete/steel design is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Support structural modeling, analysis, calculations and design for protective design projects.
• Learn evaluation of structures under blast loads and progressive collapse scenarios.
• Work with mentors on multidisciplinary, project‑based protection design tasks.
• Assist in project coordination, site visits and client communication when possible.

Skills

Structural design

Protective design

Teamwork

Excel

ETABS

Education

Bachelor's in Civil or Structural Engineering

Master's in Structural Engineering

Tools

ETABS

SAP2000

RISA

LS-DYNA

Job description

Company Description

At KPFF Consulting Engineers, we are more than just an engineering design firm. For 65 years, we have dedicated ourselves to innovative, sustainable engineering that shapes the built environment and tackles complex infrastructure challenges. Our team culture emphasizes balance, growth, and well‑being, supporting each member’s professional journey with flexibility, generous benefits, and a collaborative approach to work‑life integration. With over 1,500 professionals across 36 offices nationwide, KPFF’s decentralized structure allows each office the flexibility to pursue projects aligned with their regional strengths. Learn more at www.kpff.com. Our Protective Design team focuses on an area of structural engineering that most students do not encounter in a typical internship: designing buildings and critical infrastructure to better withstand extreme events and security‑related threats.

Job Description

As a Protective Design Engineering Intern, you will work alongside engineers in San Francisco on projects focused on the safety, resilience, and security of the built environment. You may contribute to projects involving blast analysis, progressive collapse evaluation, anti-ram design, structural hardening, and other specialized protective design strategies for federal, commercial, and infrastructure clients. This is an opportunity to apply what you are learning in school to engineering challenges that go beyond conventional building design. You will see how structural behavior, dynamic loading, materials, analysis, and constructability come together when the performance requirements are especially demanding.

Here’s What You Can Expect

• Hands‑on engineering: Support structural modeling, analysis, calculations, and design for active protective design projects.
• Specialized experience: Learn how engineers evaluate structures for blast loads, progressive collapse, and other extreme conditions.
• Mentorship: Work alongside engineers who specialize in both structural and protective design.
• Project exposure: Gain insight into project coordination, construction administration, and site visits when opportunities allow.
• Collaboration: Work with multidisciplinary teams, clients, and project partners to solve complex engineering challenges.
• Career development: Build technical skills and explore a specialized career path within structural engineering.

Qualifications

• A strong passion for pursuing a career in structural or protective design engineering, ideally with interest in resilience, safety, and security of structures.
• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s program in Civil or Structural Engineering (junior level or higher, with at least three years of completed coursework) or a Master’s program in structural engineering.
• Coursework or exposure to structural dynamics, steel design and/or concrete design is preferred.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Strong time management and organizational abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word; experience with structural analysis software (ETABS, SAP2000, RISA, or LS‑DYNA) is a plus.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work on a computer for extended periods of time.
• Comfort with conducting site visits and navigating construction sites, including climbing ladders and walking on uneven terrain.
• Ability to lift up to 15 pounds of equipment or materials.

Compensation

KPFF is committed to recognizing the valuable contributions of our interns by offering compensation that reflects market standards and aligns with the local cost of living. This role offers a competitive hourly rate ranging from $34.00 to $37.00, based on experience and qualifications.

In addition to hourly pay, interns at KPFF benefit from:

• Paid overtime opportunities when project needs require additional hours.
• Exposure to a wide variety of projects that add real value to your academic and professional development.
• Mentorship and training that are part of KPFF’s investment in future engineers.
• Networking and career growth opportunities, including the potential for full-time employment after graduation.

Culture

At KPFF, interns are valued as key contributors to our success. We cultivate a collaborative, innovative, and supportive work environment that empowers individuals to take ownership of their projects. Interns at KPFF experience a dynamic workplace where autonomy and creativity are encouraged. Our team takes pride in mentoring interns and sharing professional insights to help shape the next generation of engineers.

KPFF Consulting Engineers participates in E‑Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

KPFF Consulting Engineers is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, religion, marital status, sex/gender (including sexual orientation or gender identity), pregnancy, veteran status, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, or any other protected basis.