Every year, students are given the opportunity to meet with industry representatives visiting our campus to learn about local job and internship opportunities.
Internship & Job Resources
Students should use GoldPASS as their primary resource for job and internship listings. It allows employers to search for applicants and resumes while also connecting students with companies of interest.
UMD's Career & Internship Services offers a lot of great resources including interview and resume help. We recommend checking out the Job Resource Center, too.
Here is a list of companies that typically hire Chemical Engineering graduates.
E-Fest, the UMD engineering job fair in September, is a time when many companies interview on campus for internship and co-op positions.
We also email alerts to all Chemical Engineering majors when information about new co-op positions becomes available.
Recommended Experience
Outside work experiences like internships (typically 2-3 months) and co-ops (longer than 3 months) are a great way to gain necessary skills and put what you’ve learned in the classroom to practical use.
There is no formal requirement to participate in an internship or co-op in the chemical engineering program, but we encourage it if you are interested.
The best time to pursue this option is between your junior and senior year.
Students who intern without enrolling for any credit do not need to meet any special departmental requirements or standards. If you would like to earn credit for an internship, enroll in ChE 3196 or 3296. These courses are open to sophomores, juniors, or seniors who have been admitted to the chemical engineering program and who are in good standing in the department. Transfer students must complete ChE 2111 before enrolling in ChE 3196 or 3296.
Internships are generally completed during the summer months whereas a co-op requires time off during the regular academic year.
There are many things to consider like tuition, scheduling, level of experience and the necessary reports and paperwork, so be sure to talk to your advisor if you’re interested and they can share more details.
Several companies have offered co-op and internship opportunities to UMD chemical engineering students, for example: Cargill, ADM, 3M, Domtar, SAPPI, IBM, US Steel, Verso, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota and Wisconsin Pollution Control Agencies, and Barr Engineering.
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
Each summer, universities around the country offer paid internships in their research facilities as part of the REU program. REU programs are funded by the National Science Foundation and last ten weeks from June through August. REU programs give students research experience to prepare them for a possible research career that starts with training in a graduate program. The department sends email notices of these opportunities every spring. Applications are usually due in January, February, or March.
What's in it for you?
- You will get paid a stipend for a 10-week research experience. Housing is provided, and you may apply for some travel assistance.
- Build up your resume with technical experience instead of working a summer job that is not related to chemical engineering
- Find out if graduate school and research are a right fit for you and your personal goals
- Network with a graduate school for future admission
- Meet other like-minded students from around the country
- Work on some fantastic research
- Gain skills that will help you when you come back to school in the fall
What's in it for the REU program?
- Funding for grad students
- Help with their research
- Potential recruitment of future grad students
- Increase the diversity of women and under-represented groups in research programs
Please consider applying if any of these reasons appeal to you. You can always see your advisor for more general information about REUs.