Initial Publication Date: April 13, 2015

Internship Opportunities

In addition to local and regional employers, you may also want to consider connecting to, or telling your students about, internship opportunities on the national level. Here are many possibilities, listed in alphabetical order by sponsoring organization.

American Geological Institute Geoscience and Public Policy Internships

Previous year's duties have included monitoring and analyzing geoscience-related legislation in Congress, attending House and Senate hearings, and answering information requests from other geological societies.

The American Meteorological Society

The AMS lists student internship opportunities from a variety of sources on its website.

Argonne National Laboratory

Argonne National Lab offers fall, spring, and summer internships for undergraduates, as well as internships for community college students.

The Association for Women Geoscientists

AWG sponsors Geologist in the Parks positions.

The Association for Women in Science

Internships available year-round at their National Office in Washington D.C., each lasting 2-4 months.

Caltech Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships

This program introduces students to research under the guidance of seasoned research mentors at Caltech and JPL. Students experience the process of research as a creative intellectual activity. It is open to all undergraduates, not just Caltech students.

Carnegie Institution of Science

The Geophysical Lab and the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism runs a summer intern program for college and university undergraduate science majors.

Center for Multiscale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes

CMMAP runs a summer internship program for undergraduate students interested in climate and weather.

The Council on Undergraduate Research

Summer fellowships for students interested in pursuing their research interests at primarily undergraduate institutions.

The Geological Society of America's GeoCorps America Program

Through GeoCorps America, the Geological Society of America strives to increase the presence of geoscientists on federal lands (national parks and forests), thereby increasing the permanent hiring of geoscientists, enhancing the transfer of geoscience knowledge to land managers and the public, and raising awareness of the geosciences.

Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS)

This program involves undergraduates in seismological research projects at the universities and research institutions that belong to the IRIS Consortium.

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

The Lamont Summer Intern Program for undergraduates from U.S. colleges and universities provides a summer research experience in Earth and ocean sciences. The program features a hands-on research project under the supervision of a Columbia-affiliated scientist, as well as special lectures, workshops and field trips.

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Student interns at Los Alamos have an opportunity to contribute to the Laboratory's mission while working with state-of-the-art equipment and instruments.

Lunar and Planetary Institute

Selected undergraduates actively participate in lunar and planetary research with scientists at LPI and the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC)

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Three month mentored internship program at the MBARI facilities at Moss Landing on the Monterey Bay. The focus of the MBARI internship is on the interns' professional development: learning research techniques and honing communication and collaboration skills.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

A plethora of internships related to space sciences.

National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Research Training Program

Work on a research project with mentoring Smithsonian professionals in the biological, geological, and anthropological disciplines. Helping students develop confidence and competence in the research process is the cornerstone of this program.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA offers several internship opportunities every year, for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students.

The National Park Service GeoScientists-in-the-Park program

Work with park staff to help them understand and manage park resources.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NREL offers several internship and research opportunities.

National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduate Students (REU)

This site provides listing of internship/research opportunities from all over the country.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Science Semester

These internships are for a fall semester of scientific research in the national laboratories at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. See also the DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

PIPES: Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science

The Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science (PIPES) is a university level project-based internship program housed within the Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

Resources for the Future Fellowship and Internship Programs

RFF is an independent nonprofit organization based in Washington DC specializing in research, policy analysis and public education on environmental, energy and natural resource issues.

SAGE (Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience)

Interns in geophysics and related fields get "hands on" experience in geophysical exploration and research. The program emphasizes both teaching of field methods and research related to a variety of basic and applied problems. Sponsored by the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

Sierra Club Internship Opportunities in Washington, D.C.

The Sierra Club Washington DC office offers several types of internships which are issue, political, field, or media oriented. Interns may conduct research, gather and analyze information, write summaries and factsheets for educational purposes, help prepare Congressional testimony, and accompany staff on visits to Congressional offices.

Student Conservation Association, Inc.

Environmental conservation-related internships all over the country.

UCAR's Significant Opportunities in AtmosphericResearch and Science Program

SOARS is a 4-year paid summer internship program. The mission of SOARS is to broaden participation in the atmospheric and related sciences by engaging students from groups historically underrepresented in science and preparing them to succeed in graduate school. These groups include Black or African-American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic or Latino, female, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities. SOARS welcomes lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students.

US Department of Energy Internships