Community Engineering Innovation Intern / fellow

High School Partnership Program – York County & Hampton Roads

  • Position opened: June 23, 2026

  • Position Type: Part-time academic-year internship (~5 hours per week on average, ~120 hours total per year, flexible schedule)

  • Location: Primarily remote/virtual with occasional in-person visits to high schools in the Yorktown / York County area (Hampton Roads region)

  • Compensation: $18 per hour

  • Start Date: Flexible — Fall 2026 (aligned with the school year; some flexibility possible)

  • Reports to: Dr. Rosa Diaz, Founder & CEO, Bridges Strong

About Bridges Strong

Bridges Strong is a Virginia-based nonprofit dedicated to delivering free, high-quality, practical engineering and science education to adults and students in underserved communities across the USA and Latin America. We help participants discover their innate engineering abilities, turn ideas into real solutions, and build skills that improve lives and strengthen communities. Our programs emphasize hands-on learning, bilingual resources (English/Spanish), and partnerships that spark innovation, invention, and collaboration.

This internship is a key part of our new year-long collaboration with York County School Division (YCSD) high schools. High school students will act as collaborators — learning the basics of how AI works, using AI tools responsibly (including comparing outputs, detecting bias, and validating findings), researching, and prioritizing real local community challenges that can be addressed through engineering solutions. They will also have the opportunity to use the researched information to develop simple prototypes that can be shared as examples in adult education programs.

College engineering students will collaborate with them to co-create practical online educational modules for adult learners in the community. The goal is to spark innovation, invention, and collaboration so communities can solve their own challenges.

The Role

As a Community Engineering Innovation Intern/Fellow, you will play a vital mentoring and co-creation role in this high school–to–adult education pipeline. You will help high school students:

  • Use AI tools thoughtfully (comparing outputs, detecting bias, validating findings) to research local community challenges solvable through engineering.

  • Prioritize opportunities based on community impact, economic potential (jobs, cost savings, entrepreneurship), inventive potential, and feasibility.

  • Identify relevant engineering disciplines and practical ways the community itself can lead solutions.

  • Collaborate to design and develop high-quality, practical online educational modules for adult learners that spark innovation, invention, and collaboration.

  • Participate in occasional in-person school visits or workshops in the Yorktown area (e.g., workshops, presentations, community engagement sessions) .

  • Contribute to professional documentation so so projects transfer seamlessly across school years, and contributing to broader Bridges Strong program goals.

This is a meaningful opportunity to apply your engineering and AI skills to real-world community needs while gaining hands-on experience in education, mentoring, curriculum development, and responsible technology use.

What You’ll Gain

  • Hands-on experience mentoring high school collaborators and co-developing real educational content. Helping students become community problem-solvers and help adults in underserved areas discover engineering’s power for local solutions — even without formal backgrounds.

  • Deepened skills in AI literacy, ethical tool use, mentoring/leadership, project management, community-engaged engineering, curriculum design, and community outreach.

  • Portfolio-building contributions to Documented contributions to community-engaged projects, educational content, and cross-generational partnerships that you can showcase for jobs, graduate school, or future opportunities.

  • Flexible schedule that aligns with your values and fits around your class schedule.

Qualifications

  • Currently enrolled college or university student in engineering (computer, electrical, mechanical, mechatronics, or related), computer science, AI/ML, or a closely related field at a Hampton Roads university (CNU, ODU, Hampton University, Norfolk State, or similar).

  • Interest or experience in AI/tools, responsible technology use, community engagement, or education/mentoring.

  • Strong communication skills and enthusiasm for making engineering accessible and impactful.

  • Reliable transportation for occasional in-person school visits in the Yorktown/York County area.

  • Passion for our mission: empowering individuals and communities through accessible engineering education, innovation, invention, and collaboration.

  • Dependability, professionalism, and a collaborative spirit.

Prior teaching, tutoring, or outreach experience is a plus but not required — we value eagerness to learn and contribute.

How to Apply

Please send the following to opportunities@bridges-strong.org with the subject line “Community Engineering Innovation Intern Application – [Your Name]”:

  1. Resume or CV.

  2. Brief cover letter or statement (1 page or less) explaining why this opportunity resonates with you and describing one local community challenge in the Hampton Roads area that you would be excited to help address through engineering education and solutions.

  3. Availability for the academic year and any questions you have.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage applications from students at all levels who share our commitment to accessible STEM and community impact. Selected candidates will be invited for an interview.