Civil/Construction Materials Intern - Cedar Rapids
State of Iowa
FreshPosted Jan 21
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Posted: January 21, 2026 (1 day ago)
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Construction Engineer Intern
State of Iowa
645 Iowa Department of Transportation
Location
Iowa, 50319
Salary
$19.76 - $19.76
per hour
Type
Internship
More Construction jobs →Closes
February 23, 2026More State jobs →
Job Description
Summary
This internship involves helping inspect highway construction projects in Iowa, such as paving roads, building bridges, and maintaining pavements, by checking materials, measuring work, and ensuring everything follows state guidelines.
Interns will learn testing procedures and assist with reports and surveys under experienced engineers.
It's a great fit for engineering students in their third year or later who want hands-on experience in construction and transportation over the summer.
Key Requirements
- Completion of at least two years in an engineering major (e.g., chemical, civil, construction, environmental, materials, mechanics, structural, transportation, or engineering management)
- Enrollment in an accredited four-year college or university with eligibility for junior status upon return to school
- Interest in conducting inspections on highway construction projects like grading, paving, bridges, and culverts
- Ability to perform materials sampling, testing, and documentation for quality control
- Willingness to work 40 hours per week from May to August 2026, with possible overtime and variable schedule
- Locations primarily in Manchester, with some positions in Coralville and Dubuque, Iowa
- Eligibility to work in the United States (verified through E-Verify)
Full Job Description
The Iowa Department of Transportation is seeking to hire 3 Construction Office Interns that will conduct inspection duties on highway construction projects.
This includes measurement and documentation of quantities, sampling and testing of materials and ensuring construction work is done in accordance with Iowa DOT plans, specifications and standards.
Types of construction may include grading, asphalt and concrete paving, bridges and culverts or pavement maintenance projects.
Interns will be trained and certified by the Iowa DOT in materials testing procedures.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Inspects small to moderately complex construction projects such as grading and paving, bridge culverts, erosion control, fencing, guardrail, and/or weatherization projects for compliance which includes reviewing field construction reports and material certifications, verifying quantities and materials, ensuring compliance with specifications and the use of certified materials, and preparing authorizations for vouchers and progress reports.
- Documents construction progress and activities in computerized record keeping programs by maintaining detailed project records and preparing periodic reports on project progress and expenditures including item progress, materials used, and test results; performs technical duties in a resident construction office such as compiling and analyzing project reports and assisting the resident construction engineer.
- Monitors ready mix and Portland cement concrete paving plants to verify material testing and check record keeping progress and plant compliance; performs a variety of standard tests to ensure quality control such air and slump tests on concrete and density and thickness on asphalt; records test results.
- Reviews traffic control set-ups on highway construction projects in low traffic areas (i.e., rural rather than urban) for safety and compliance.
- Assists with surveying of highway construction projects including survey work for bridges and asphalt work.
Work is done under the direction of Manchester RCE Office with some positions available in Coralville and Dubuque.
Duration: May-August 2026
40 hours/week; schedule and overtime may vary
The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov
Qualifications
Eligible majors: Engineering
Other Requirements: Completion of at least two years in chemical, civil, construction, environmental, materials, mechanics, structural, or transportation engineering, or in an engineering management curriculum at an accredited four-year college or university with eligibility for junior status upon return to school.
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