Call for Internship Project Proposals
LGO partners receive a Call for Internship Project Proposals in mid-August each year, detailing the backgrounds and interests of the new class and asking for the expected number of funded projects for the Feb-start and June-start cycles.
September 13, 2024: deadline for LGO Class of 2026 expected # of hosted internships, submit here.
Class internship interest profiles
Every August, following the summer partner introduction series, the student Internship Committee surveys their class on interests and preferences for an internship, including questions about each partner company. The committee prepares a customized report for each partner, which is distributed in mid-August within the annual Call for Internship Proposals.
Company internship profiles
LGO Partners are encouraged to maintain a company profile and list of internship focus areas on the Virtual Community LGO Partner Company Internship Profile. Content can be updated via “My Company” within the left menu bar by selecting the “Internship Profile” tab. We ask that you designate one representative from your company to maintain the profile. The students will review partner internship profiles to understand potential partner opportunities and prepare for their internship interviews.
Guidelines for project proposal content
Engineering and Technical Content
Project topics must have sufficient engineering and technical content to form the basis of a Masters of Science thesis in one or more engineering departments at MIT. Technical content is also important in attracting the students and the necessary faculty advisors from both engineering and management. Guidelines for engineering department content expectations are included here.
The LGO staff reviews all proposals to determine sufficiency of engineering content and to identify which engineering departments would be eligible for the project. The program office may provide feedback to the company if a project is too narrow in its appeal. A student can only interview for a project if their engineering department has been selected. We request that proposals detail the engineering skills and technical content to assist in this review for departmental eligibility. Please note projects should NOT involve trade secret materials.
Multiple Project Options
To appeal to a broader range of students and faculty, we suggest generating multiple projects with different content and disciplinary focus, even when only a subset will be funded. If your company plans to provide more project options than funded internships, contact lgo-internships@mit.edu to discuss the details.
Project Location
Project descriptions must clearly specify the project location, including whether travel to other sites will be required. The program expects that internships will be conducted at a company site, with frequent team and facility interactions. Any remote options are an exception and require prior consultation with the LGO program staff before informing the students. Remote arrangements cannot be negotiated between the student and their supervisor.
Project Restrictions
Any restrictions on student eligibility for an internship should be clearly identified in the restrictions section. Examples could include ineligibility for sponsored students (i.e. not available for hire) or a minimum work experience requirement.
Main Proposal Contact
The Proposal Contact manages the proposal process and provides additional information about the project. Please include full contact information. The Proposal Contact may be the same as the ‘Company Supervisor’ and/or ‘Project Champion’.
Project Champion
The Project Champion is a senior-level stakeholder supporting the project. This individual may serve as a mentor, remove roadblocks, and obtain additional resources. The Project Champion may be the same as the ‘Proposal Contact’ and/or ‘Company Supervisor’.
Company Supervisor
The Company Supervisor directly oversees the student during the internship, making their role critical to the success of a project. They should have sufficient authority to support the internship, have a vested interest its success, and understand the LGO program and its goals. For Company Supervisors who are new to the LGO program, we are happy to work with them to align expectations. The Company Supervisor may be the same as the ‘Proposal Contact’ and/or ‘Project Champion’.
Faculty Preference
Preferences for the research expertise of the project’s faculty advisors can be identified in the proposal. This information will be used to identify the most suitable faculty advisor after the project is matched. Specific faculty can also be proposed in the project description, although their involvement cannot be guaranteed. Recommendations are often based on previous LGO projects or other research engagements at your company.
Open and Closed-Market projects
Open-market internships are available to all students as long as they meet the eligibility requirements of a given project (i.e. engineering discipline). This category is the default process for matching LGO students to partner projects.
To ensure that all students have viable projects, a parallel “closed-market” process has been developed for engineering departments with more narrow technical content requirements: AeroAstro, Chemical Engineering, and Nuclear Science and Engineering. Partners that participate in the closed-market process reserve a funded project for one or more students from the closed-market departments. Topics can be developed in advance and shared with all students from a department, or through conversations with specific students that show high potential as a good fit. If closed-market projects are not matched to specific students, they may be released to the open market.