Intern – Lighting Design at Salas O’Brien

Intern – Lighting Design

At Salas O’Brien we tell our clients that we’re engineered for impact. This passion for making a difference applies just as much to our team as it does to our projects. That’s why we’re committed to living our values every day: inspiring, achieving, and connecting as shared owners of our success with a focus on a sustainable future.

Building for the long-term means that all of our team members can expect to work on amazing projects with a people-first approach to problem solving. It also means that each member of our team has truly limitless potential to build a unique, meaningful, and high-impact career—and they’ll receive great total rewards along the way.

About Us: 

Founded in 1975, Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and professional services firm focused on achieving impact for our clients, our team, and the world. We know that tomorrow’s requirements are today’s opportunities, and we are here to design lasting solutions for pressing challenges.

We work across a variety of industries providing integrated engineering and consulting services. Our specialized experience includes design for hotels, theme parks, casinos, healthcare, science and technology, high-rise buildings, clean energy, education, and other building types as well as structural and building sciences, infrastructure asset management, advanced robotics, and more.

Our technical expertise is paired with a desire to use lighting to enhance the architecture and maximize the health and wellbeing of the lighting, both electric and natural.  Collaboration with the entire design team with a focus on integrations leads to successful and impactful projects.  

Job Summary:

The Intern role provides exposure to the lighting design industry while supporting project teams with daily tasks. This position is intended for students or early-career individuals seeking hands-on experience to complement their academic studies.

Responsibilities:

• Assist with drafting, design coordination, and mockups.
• Conduct research and prepare marketing materials.
• Perform quantitative analysis (e.g., illuminance calculations, product comparisons, document take-offs).
• Support the team with presentations, renderings, and client deliverables.
• General office and project support (e.g., filing, archiving).
• Attend local job site visits or mockup reviews for educational purposes.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Current enrollment in or recent graduate of a design, architecture, engineering, or related program.
• Strong presentation skills using Photshop, Indesign, etc.
• Proficiency with MS Office; including Excel, familiarity with AutoCAD or Revit preferred.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Familiarization with AGI/Dialux /Adobe Suite is preferred.
• Interest in lighting design, architecture, or related fields.

Location: Long Beach, CA

Travel: N/A

Compensation & Benefits:

The expected base salary for this role is $25.00 USD per hour. Actual compensation will be determined based on a number of factors including skills, experience, qualifications, and location.

This role is not eligible for any benefits, including PTO and holiday.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement

Salas O’Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O’Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.