9 Reasons You Should Intern at AT&T Labs

Students are heading back to school, ready to reconnect with their roommates, friends and peers to share all their summer adventures. And, we’re confident our former interns at AT&T Labs will have plenty of exciting stories to share.

Over the course of our 10-week summer program, our Labs interns play a pivotal role in advancing our research and ideation. Not only are they able to work on real projects with real data, they’re also empowered to provide critical insight into projects that make a difference in the industry.

Earning a spot at AT&T is competitive, but it’s worth the hard work it takes to get here.

The diverse, fresh-thinking they bring to the table breathes new life into our work each summer – and we value it greatly. So what exactly does our AT&T Labs internship program offer?

We sat down with some of the young minds who spent the summer with us to gather some inside information. Here’s what they had to say.

1.  AT&T Labs is dedicated to providing interns with opportunities to learn from the best. A weekly speaker series offers a chance to learn about the latest research in the industry outside of projects you directly work on. The in-depth, intimate talks give you a more well-rounded understanding of how research and innovation works in the company and industry-wide.

2.  Your experience will be diversified – from coworkers and teammates to ideas and perspectives. It’s amazing to learn in an environment that prioritizes diversity and inclusion, working daily with individuals from different backgrounds and research fields. Because of this, our interns felt encouraged to share thoughts and ask questions.

3.  Say hello to collaboration. You work closely with a mentor and team, providing an experience unlike the rest. When starting out in your career, it’s important for you to work closely with other team members to get a range of experience and knowledge. At AT&T, you get to work closely with the technical staff that provides personalized guidance and feedback to help you succeed in your career. This even brought one intern back for a second summer. How cool is that?

4.  Exciting projects tailored to your personal interests. Interns are given the opportunity to dig into research in a multitude of areas, including wireless, video processing, machine learning, data science and information visualization. For example, one of our interns worked closely with DIRECTV data and uncovered that when people watch the fan-favorite Game of Thrones back-to-back, they won’t fast forward or change the channel between episodes. The FOMO is real.

5.  Working for a Fortune 10 company provides huge opportunities to learn. You’ll connect to a network of peers as equally motivated as you. AT&T people make it a great place to work. One intern said some of the best advice she got was “talk to as many people as you can.” Everyone has their own diverse experiences and can help bring different perspectives to projects.

6. The perks: 3 cafes, multiple gyms, a hiking trail and more. There are several convenient coffee bars for a brainstorm session or a quick pick-me-up, plus a variety of cuisines to choose from that change daily. Gyms are located at both campuses and are open 24/7 for those trying to hit their 10,000-daily step goal. And, don’t be surprised to be gifted with branded memorabilia. Did someone say #brandlove?

7. Fun outings including a trip to New York City! Interns look forward to events including an exclusive tour of AT&T’s Archives, a behind the scenes look at our Global Networking Operations Center and a visit to AT&T’s Manhattan office.

8. Beyond fun trips, the memories are real. Don’t worry if you’re new to the area. Our interns are a tight-knit group, so you can always expect to have plans on the weekends. Whether it’s taking a hike on one of the campus trails, a soccer game, visiting the gym or even white-water rafting over the weekend, the other interns will become some of your best buds.

9.  And yes, there is room for advancement, too! AT&T puts an emphasis on helping interns grow into working professionals. So, if it’s the right fit, there may just be a career opportunity waiting. Many current interns will be continuing their research with us after the program ends.

Interested in joining our Labs intern team? Applications for next summer’s internship program are open from December through May. And, because our Labs span from coast to coast and across the globe – be sure to check out some of the opportunities we offer in San Ramon, Calif., Redmond, Wash., Austin and Israel too. All applicants must be enrolled in an undergrad, graduate or Ph.D. program and must have research, publication or graduate research assistant experience. Visit careers at AT&T for more information.

So, what are you waiting for? Time to join the #LifeAtATT bandwagon.