In partnership with colleges across the state, Intel will hire a minimum of 70 new paid interns as it updates its manufacturing facility in Rio Rancho.
The total included 50 undergraduate and graduate engineering interns and another 20 technician interns for either 12-week or year-round stints at the semiconductor giant. Currently, the company has facilities technician, process engineering and system administrator internship openings posted on its website.
Local colleges and universities including New Mexico State University, the University of New Mexico, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Central New Mexico Community College and San Juan College are working with Intel on the internship initiative.
“NMSU is excited to partner with Intel as they expand employment opportunities in New Mexico. Our engineering graduates are in high demand and we are particularly pleased to work with NM-based businesses like Intel to retain this great talent in-state,” said Patricia Sullivan, NMSU associate dean for engineering, in a statement.
The initiative comes as Intel scales up operations in Rio Rancho with the addition of at least 700 new employees. The company announced the expansion earlier this year, along with a $550 million retrofit to its Rio Rancho facility to allow for the development of new technologies. In total, the company says the project will cost $3.5 billion.
“Through this program, our aim is to not only provide learning experiences for New Mexico students but also to develop them so they are ready to enter the workforce at graduation," said Erika Edgerly, public affairs director for Intel New Mexico, in a statement.
The program, called the Student Work Program, may also expand in the future, according to a release from the semiconductor company.
Intel has more than 1,800 employees in New Mexico with average annual total compensation standing at more than $145,000 as of the end of 2020, including salary, benefits and bonuses, according to the company.
Intel is also boosting operations in the Phoenix area, recently announcing plans for two new semiconductor factories in Chandler, Arizona. The $20 billion investment is expected to create 3,000 high-tech jobs, according to Intel. New Mexico serves as an "innovation hub" for the company, whereas Phoenix is its "U.S. manufacturing powerhouse," Qian previously told Business First.
