How To Become A Research And Development Internship: What It Is and Career Path

Q: How long does it take to become a Research And Development Internship?

It takes one year or less to become a research and development internship. That is the time it takes to learn specific research and development internship skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 4 to 6 years years to become a research and development internship.

Q: Do business interns get paid?

Yes, the majority of business interns get paid for the duration of their internship. Compensation often depends on the company and duties associated with the internship and can come in several forms.

Q: Do research interns get paid?

Yes, research interns generally get paid. However, whether a research intern is paid or not largely depends on the specific company and internship. In a research internship, a person will undertake research work for a company to work on. In most research work, the intern will work under a professor independently or in the R&D department of the company.

Q: How do I start a career in research and development?

To start a career in research and development, it's important to have a passion for science, a formal education, and hands-on experience. There are two main types of research and development positions; those in industry and those in academia.

Q: How old do you have to be to be a research intern?

You have to be at least 18 years old to be a research intern. Typically companies hire research interns that are going into their junior and senior years of college. These students typically have the career knowledge and soft skill sets needed to explore their career options through internships.

Q: Is a research internship good for a resume?

Yes, a research internship is good for a resume. In fact, an internship is an excellent way to gain hands-on experience, learn about a potential field, and network - all of which can greatly improve the chances of landing your dream research position.

Q: What does an R&D intern do?

An R&D intern works alongside career professionals to assist in the research and development of something specifically related to what that field creates or produces. In other words, a research and design intern can work in many industries or in academia at universities running research labs.

Q: What is a good salary for an internship?

A good salary for an internship is around $31,000 a year (about $2,607 per month or $15 per hour). That's the average for a typical internship, but, as most internships go, factors like location, industry and company can determine whether you receive compensation.

What is a research and development internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Yenumula Reddy

Before you throw yourself out into the "real" world or settle into a career, it's a good idea to take a step back and really see if you enjoy it. That's where an internship comes into play.

Through a research and development internship, you can take a set amount of time to really dive into the career and find out if it's a good fit for you. Generally, students in college find themselves in an internship over the course of a semester. The best internships reward college credit and maybe even a paycheck.

While taking some time to discover more about research and development, you'll learn how a company is able to maintain in line with (or ahead of) their competition. Your internship will provide a unique experience where you'll learn how to watch for developing trends and stay ahead of the competition. There's nothing employers love more than experience.

What's a day at work look like for a Research And Development Internship?

Yenumula Reddy

IEEE Senior Member, ACM Senior Member, IARIA Fellow, Grambling State University

It is entirely new world and lot of enthusiasm and many new faces. Try to adjust and socialize and try to have new friends. But, for a student had internship first day work may not much difference.
My students share their experience and I saw this difference between the student had internship and the one entered without.
But it is an unforgettable day.

ScoreResearch And Development InternshipUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,489

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.2

Growth Rate 16%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.60%

Asian 18.81%

Black or African American 4.18%

Hispanic or Latino 6.87%

Unknown 5.37%

White 64.18%

Gender

female 49.09%

male 50.91%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress Level

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.6

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a research and development internship

Explore research and development internship education requirements

Most common research and development internship degrees

Bachelor's

76.3 %

Master's

14.0 %

Associate

5.8 %

Start to develop specific research and development internship skills

Skills	Percentages
Python	8.88%
C++	6.70%
Java	5.88%
PowerPoint	3.92%
HTML	3.82%

Complete relevant research and development internship training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New research and development interns learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a research and development internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real research and development internship resumes.

Research research and development internship duties and responsibilities

Develop multiple python programs to automate data analysis of device battery readings, piston/valve friction data, and bolus accuracy data.
Improve the user experience of the website by designing interactive contents with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP.
Develop a file viewer program using PERL, HTML and JavaScript.
Develop pop-up preview for each product implement by JavaScript, PHP, JQUERY and SQL.

Prepare your research and development internship resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your research and development internship resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a research and development internship resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Research And Development Internship Resume templates

Build a professional Research And Development Internship resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Research And Development Internship resume.

Apply for research and development internship jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a research and development internship job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average research and development internship salary

The average Research And Development Internship salary in the United States is $38,489 per year or $19 per hour. Research and development internship salaries range between $31,000 and $47,000 per year.

Average Research And Development Internship Salary

$38,489 Yearly

$18.50 hourly

Research And Development Internship FAQs

What is a research and development internship and how to become one

What's a day at work look like for a Research And Development Internship?

Research And Development Internship career paths

Key steps to become a research and development internship

Explore research and development internship education requirements

Most common research and development internship degrees

Start to develop specific research and development internship skills

Complete relevant research and development internship training and internships

Research research and development internship duties and responsibilities

Prepare your research and development internship resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Research And Development Internship Resume templates

Apply for research and development internship jobs

How Did You Land Your First Research And Development Internship Job

Average research and development internship salary

How do research and development interns rate their job?

Research And Development Internship FAQs

How long does it take to become a Research And Development Internship?

Do business interns get paid?

Do research interns get paid?

How do I start a career in research and development?

How old do you have to be to be a research intern?

Is a research internship good for a resume?

What does an R&D intern do?

What is a good salary for an internship?

Search for research and development internship jobs

Research And Development Internship jobs by state