10 Internships for High School Students in Oregon
Oregon has several internship programs that give high schoolers like you work experience before you head to college. From tech giants in Portland's Silicon Forest to healthcare facilities across the state, these opportunities help you explore potential careers while building important professional skills.
Participating in an internship in high school can also help you stand out when you apply to colleges. Internships show admissions officers your commitment to learning outside the classroom, and skills like teamwork and time management are critical for college students.
Here, we list 10 internship opportunities for high school students in Oregon! Whether you're interested in engineering, healthcare, environmental science, or business, you'll find opportunities that can shape your future career path.
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form.
The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Location: OHSU Knight Cancer Research Building, Portland, OR
Stipend: $11/hour and a bus pass for the duration of the internship
Application Deadline: Applications are usually due in December
Internship Dates: June 23 – August 15
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who excel academically and come from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds are eligible
The 8-week experience offers students interested in healthcare and biomedical science the chance to explore potential career paths through direct involvement in research. Working within a research institution, you will conduct laboratory investigations while learning from established researchers and healthcare experts. You will develop essential research competencies and analytical skills through participation in advanced scientific studies.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,490
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Open to high school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program
The AI Internship Program by Veritas AI is founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Through the 8-week internship, students have the opportunity to work with VC-backed startups on real-world AI/ML projects. Students work directly with mentors from Harvard, Wharton, Google, Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, and more.
This program is a great opportunity for students who have prior experience with AI/ML and are looking to gain real-world exposure to a career in the field. Students get a chance to network with industry professionals, work closely with company leadership, and receive a letter of completion from the company at the end of the internship. You can learn more about the program here and apply here.
Location: 110 internship positions across Portland-Metro, Albany, Corvallis, and Eugene areas
Fee: $35 non-refundable application fee
Stipend: $1,100
Application Deadline: TBA
Internship Dates: 8-week internship from June to late August
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to apply
This selective program combines practical experience with professional development opportunities, allowing you to explore various STEM disciplines. Working under the guidance of experienced mentors, you will contribute to research projects spanning biology to computer science. Through hands-on involvement in scientific investigations and engineering projects, you will develop technical expertise and gain perspective on STEM careers.
Location: Portland, OR
Cost/Stipend: $200 Tuition fee (tuition assistance is available); The base stipend is $450 per week for participation, plus a possible $50 per week in bonuses, equaling a total benefit of up to $2,500.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Internship Dates:
Session I: June 23 – July 25
Session II: July 22 – August 22
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 15 and 18
The Youth Community Program offers students hands-on experience in local conservation through a structured day program. You will work alongside field experts on environmental projects while earning a stipend and potential school credit. You will dedicate most of your day to active service work supplemented by educational components. You will work on projects such as maintaining trails, restoring natural habitats, and improving urban green spaces. This experience combines practical conservation work with leadership development, helping you build environmental awareness and community engagement skills while working in a team.
Location: University of Portland, Portland, OR
Stipend: None
Application Deadline: TBA
Internship Dates: June 24 – 28
Eligibility: Current high school students who will be 16 years of age by the first day of Nurse Camp
The University of Portland School of Nursing's High School Nurse Camp delivers a week-long introduction to healthcare careers. Through this summer program, you will explore nursing fundamentals while gaining practical experience in a professional healthcare environment. You will participate in simulated medical scenarios, learn essential patient care techniques, and discover various nursing specialties through interactive workshops. This program helps aspiring healthcare professionals understand the demands and opportunities within nursing. It provides practical insights into educational and career pathways in the medical field.
Location: Portland, OR
Stipend: Interns are paid an hourly wage
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis as and when positions open up
Internship Dates: Varies based on internship; you can check for openings here
Eligibility: Current high school students with a 2.5 GPA or higher
The Port of Portland internship program runs for 12 months, combining full-time summer work with part-time positions during school terms. You will work on projects across business, engineering, environmental planning, and technology departments. Each intern works with an experienced mentor who provides guidance and feedback throughout the program. Open to students with a 2.5 GPA or higher, the program accepts applications in spring for summer start dates, offering hands-on experience in transportation and port operations.
Location: Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR + Virtual component
Cost: No cost
Application Deadline: December 8
Program Dates:
January 15 – May 28: Didactics course (Wednesdays, 6–8 PM PT, virtually)
June – August: Internship at OHSU (minimum of 250 hours)
Mid-August: Poster symposium
Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Students must be 16 years old by June 1 to participate in the optional summer research component.
The Partnership for Scientific Inquiry Program allows high school students to take a unique path into scientific research and methodology. Through this 16-week program, you will work with personal mentors, attend lectures, and develop research skills. Each student will complete a research proposal and scientific article presentation, gaining experience in academic writing and public speaking. Students who meet age requirements can join an optional paid summer internship at research institutions like OHSU, working with scientific mentors. The program ends with a conference where you will present your work through talks and poster presentations. Additionally, you will earn high school credit upon completion.
Location: Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR
Stipend: This information has not been specified
Application Deadline: March 15
Internship Dates: June 24 – July 12
Eligibility: Current high school students
This program introduces high school students to cardiac research and bioengineering. Over three weeks, you will work in research labs studying heart development and blood flow dynamics. The program combines hands-on lab work with computational methods, exposing you to biological and engineering approaches. You will work on projects that explore congenital heart disease, developmental biology, and advanced engineering techniques. The program ends with student-led research presentations to the University of California, Irvine, and the Oregon Health and Science University communities.
Location: Galbraith Lab, Portland, OR
Stipend: This information has not been specified
Application Deadline: March 15
Internship Dates: 8 weeks starting in June
Eligibility: Current high school students
The Galbraith Lab at OHSU offers a research internship in Quantitative Biology and Biophysics for high schoolers. In summer 2024, interns worked on the A-Mazing Cell Races project, using nano-lithography to create microscopic mazes, track cell movement, and develop machine-learning applications. As an intern, you will work alongside researchers while maintaining detailed lab records and presenting your findings weekly. The internship ends with a presentation at the PacNoW meeting, a regional consortium of leading research institutions. The internship includes exposure to scientific literature and online learning resources. While primarily aimed at college STEM students, motivated high school students with strong quantitative interests are encouraged to apply.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.