When does Lockheed Martin post internships?

Summer internship postings start around August and September and keep arriving through fall and spring, because each site posts its own roles. There is no single campus deadline.

What is the Lockheed Martin ELDP?

The Engineering Leadership Development Program is a three-year rotational program for new grad engineers. Participants rotate through projects, and sometimes business areas, to build technical depth and leadership skills.

Do you need to be a U.S. citizen to intern at Lockheed Martin?

For many roles, yes. A large share of internship postings require U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain a security clearance. Check the basic qualifications on each posting.

All companies

Summer 2027 recruiting

Lockheed Martin internships: when they open and how to apply

The largest U.S. defense contractor is split into four business areas: Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, and Space. Internships post site by site, and new grads can also start in one of four three-year rotational Leadership Development Programs.

Get alerted when Lockheed Martin posts See the timeline

Internships and programs at Lockheed Martin

The early-career programs it runs for students and recent graduates, by the names it uses for them.

College Internships: Internships across software, systems, electrical, mechanical, and aerospace engineering, plus finance, contracts, and other business functions. Each posting belongs to one business area and site, such as embedded software roles in Orlando or Grand Prairie, Texas. Lockheed's line is that interns "don't shadow"; they get real program problems.
Engineering Leadership Development Program (ELDP): A three-year rotational program for engineers, moving through projects to build technical depth and leadership experience. Rotations can cross business areas.
Finance, HR, and Operations Leadership Development Programs (FLDP, HRLDP, OLDP): Three-year rotational programs for new grads in finance, human resources, and operations. Operations rotations cover manufacturing, supply chain, and production leadership.

When Lockheed Martin posts internships

There is no single campus deadline. Summer internship postings start appearing around August and September and keep arriving through the fall and into spring as individual sites open roles. For summer 2027, Missiles and Fire Control posted a wave of embedded software internships in mid-September.

A location you want may post months after another. Leadership Development Program roles are separate openings, so search for them by name during the fall of your senior year.

Who can apply

Internships are for students working toward a degree in the posted field; engineering roles ask for a bachelor's or graduate program in computer science, engineering, or a close discipline. Many postings require U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain a Department of Defense security clearance.

High school internships, community college programs, and apprenticeships run separately from college internships.

The interview process

The hiring team for each site runs its own interviews, mixing behavioral questions with technical questions about the skills in the posting, such as C++ and operating system concepts for embedded software roles. Expect a conversation more than a big tech coding loop.

For the leadership programs, Lockheed publishes a Leader Interview Guide focused on explaining your leadership experience clearly. Structured, specific examples work well in any of its interviews.

Tips for applying to Lockheed Martin

Search by business area and site, not only the company name. The same role title can post separately in several cities.
Make clearance eligibility, such as U.S. citizenship, visible on your resume. Many postings require it.
For a rotational start, look for ELDP or the other LDPs by name. They are distinct from regular new grad openings.

Lockheed Martin internship questions

When does Lockheed Martin post internships?: Summer internship postings start around August and September and keep arriving through fall and spring, because each site posts its own roles. There is no single campus deadline.
What is the Lockheed Martin ELDP?: The Engineering Leadership Development Program is a three-year rotational program for new grad engineers. Participants rotate through projects, and sometimes business areas, to build technical depth and leadership skills.
Do you need to be a U.S. citizen to intern at Lockheed Martin?: For many roles, yes. A large share of internship postings require U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain a security clearance. Check the basic qualifications on each posting.