Building Enclosure Engineering Intern/Co-op - Summer '27 - U.S.
RDH Building Science•Los Angeles, California, United States | Oakland, California, United States | Boston, Massachusetts, United States | Portland, Oregon, United States | Seattle, Washington, United States
The intern will assist senior staff with field reviews, on-site performance testing, and forensic investigations of building enclosures. They will also contribute to building asset management programs and conduct research on new technologies to improve building durability and energy efficiency.
Requirements overview
Applicants must be engineering students with foundational training in building science, civil, structural, or mechanical engineering, or architecture. Candidates should possess a passion for the field, innovative thinking, and experience with hands-on construction work.
Key skills
Building scienceCivil engineeringStructural engineeringMechanical engineeringArchitectureConstruction managementField reviewPerformance testingAir leakage testingWater testingForensic investigationBuilding asset managementEngineering problem solvingQuality assuranceTechnical research
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RDH is a multidisciplinary consulting firm specializing in building performance, durability, and resilience. Founded in 1997, the firm brings together engineers, architects, building scientists, technologists, and technical specialists to solve complex challenges across the built environment. RDH is recognized for its expertise in Building Enclosure Consulting, Facade Engineering, Structural Engineering, Existing Buildings, and Energy & Climate Services.
With offices across the United States and Canada, RDH supports projects across healthcare, higher education, civic, commercial, residential, hospitality, and mixed-use sectors. The firm works through all stages of a building’s lifecycle, from planning and design through construction, investigation, rehabilitation, and long-term asset management.
RDH’s work combines technical consulting, field investigation, testing, modeling, and construction support to address enclosure performance, constructability, durability, energy use, occupant comfort, and climate resilience. Services include enclosure consulting, facade engineering, field testing, commissioning, repair and renewal design, seismic retrofits, energy modeling, and deep energy retrofit strategy development.
Through applied research, technical publications, and industry collaboration, RDH continues to advance building science and high-performance building practices across North America.
We are currently accepting applicants for our Summer 2027 Intern/Co-ops in the
following offices: Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Oakland, CA; Los Angeles, CA; and
Boston, MA. Please specify which location(s) you're interested in in the
appropriate field on your application.
Note - these are full-time, in-person Internships/Co-ops and are not available
for part-time or remote work.
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Do you have a passion for Making Buildings Better? If so, we want to hear from
you!
RDH is an employee-owned consulting firm with 300+ employees in 10 offices
across North America. Our core area of business is the integration of building
science engineering, architecture, and construction management to optimize the
performance of the building enclosure (walls, windows and roofs). Since our
beginnings in 1997, we have become industry leaders in North America and
continue to grow as we focus on technical excellence and delivering high-quality
projects. We approach projects with a multi-faceted and distinctly advanced
understanding of building enclosures. We are grounded by our core values: 1)
commit to excellence, 2) act with integrity, 3) work as a team 4) do what it
takes, and 5) always learn.
Our areas of work include collaborating with design teams for new building
construction projects, forensic investigation and renewal of existing buildings,
building asset management to assist building owners with the long-term upkeep
and efficient use of their facilities, and building science research to identify
ways of improving building stock.
We hire enthusiastic engineering students who have basic training in building
science engineering (building science, civil engineering, structural
engineering, mechanical engineering, or architecture), along with exposure to
hands-on experience in construction. We value innovative thinking, a passion for
the field, and a strong sense of teamwork.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
As an engineering co-op student at RDH, you will work directly with senior staff
on a variety of projects. Tasks and responsibilities will include:
* Field review of building enclosure components for new construction and
renewal projects.
* On-site performance testing of building enclosure assemblies, including air
leakage and window water testing.
* Investigation of existing buildings, including visual review of as built
conditions, documenting conditions via field notes, sketches, and photos, and
providing recommendations for repair, renewal or rehabilitation.
* Design and implementation of building asset management programs.
* Research and testing in our in-house lab for new technologies and strategies
for reducing energy consumption, optimizing resources, and improving
durability of buildings.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING:
During your work term, you will be mentored by a variety of staff from senior to
junior, many of whom are industry leaders in building science engineering,
architecture, and project management.
We strive to develop students to become leading engineers in the building
science space. We offer regular in-house continuing education seminars on a
variety of technical topics, such as through our Building Science Live webinar
series and regional Lunch and Learns. You may also attend external professional
development events. By the end of the work term, we expect you will:
* Develop skills in building enclosure investigation, field review and design.
* Develop engineering problem solving skills related to building science.
* Learn how to perform field quality assurance that conforms to ASTM standards,
including water testing of windows.
* Learn to assess water ingress and other building performance related
problems.
* Learn about construction material performance characteristics using various
software programs and confirmation in the field.
COMPENSATION & PERKS
The base salary range for this position is $46,000-$64,000 annualized for a
full-time role. Salary is dependent various factors, including qualifications,
skills, competencies, experience, and location. You may also be eligible for
relocation allowance, transportation expense coverage, paid vacation and paid
sick leave.
RDH will assist students with travel expenses and can provide information on
housing options. Through our green transportation policy, we assist all
employees with public transportation expenses.