NASA Internship 

Programs

NASA Vision

“To discover and expand knowledge 

for the benefit of humanity”
To the Moon: Take the 

Next Giant Leap with Us 

With Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman 

and the first person of color on the Moon, using 

innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar 

surface than ever before. We will collaborate with 

commercial and international partners and establish the 

first long-term presence on the Moon. 

Then, we will use what we learn on and around the Moon 

to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to 

Mars. 
Meet the Rocket: Space 

Launch System (SLS) 

Combining power and capability, NASA’s Space Launch 

System (SLS) rocket is part of NASA’s backbone for 

deep space exploration and Artemis. With its 

unprecedented capabilities, SLS is the only rocket that 

can send Orion, astronauts, and cargo directly to the 

Moon in a single launch. 

In 2022, SLS launched from Florida, making history as 

the most powerful rocket NASA has ever launched. Now, 

we prepare for future crewed missions. 
Humanity on Earth:

Monitoring Sea Level Rise

NASA’s Operation IceBridge is yielding an 

unprecedented three-dimensional view of Arctic and 

Antarctic ice sheets, ice shelves and sea ice. These 

flights provide a yearly look at the behavior of the rapidly 

changing features of the Greenland and Antarctic ice. 

IceBridge collects critical data used to predict the 

response of Earth’s polar ice to climate change and 

resulting sea-level rise.
Humanity off Earth: 

Detecting Cancer

Image-Analysis Software Sees Cancer in 3D

Using the filters and algorithms created to study the 

shape of astronauts’ eyes in space, researchers found 

they could could also identify the three-dimensional 

shape of a tumor within an image series.
NASA Internships

Pathways and STEM Engagement Programs
Two Internship Programs:

Pathways and STEM Engagement

Pathways OSTEM Intern

Overview May lead to a career at NASA (Pathways 

Intern, Recent Graduate, Presidential 

Management Fellowship) 

Work on projects that fit your interests along 

with some of the best mentors. 

Employment Status Civil Servant Non-civil servant 

Application System usajobs.gov/studentsandgrads https://stemgateway.nasa.gov/public/s/exploreopportunities

Website www.nasa.gov/careers/pathways Intern.nasa.gov 

Majors STEM and Non-STEM 

(currently 70/30)

Focused on STEM 

(limited opportunities for other majors) 

Degree Levels College sophomores through Post Graduate High school through Post Graduate 

Start Dates Spring/Fall Spring/Summer/Fall
NASA Locations 
Pathways Program 

Minimum Qualifications

Overall Eligibility

• Be a U.S. Citizen

• At least 16 years of age on start date

Program Eligibility

• Pursuing a degree or certificate in an accredited program

• Enrolled at least half- to full-time in school

• Have and maintain a GPA of 2.9 or higher on a 4.0 scale

• Can work a MINIMUM of 640 hours BEFORE graduation

• Can begin work on the date specified by the 

announcement

* Veterans Preference does apply to all Pathway opportunities
STEM Engagement 

Requirements 

1. U.S. citizenship

2. A minimum of 16 years of age at the time of application

3. Currently enrolled in (or accepted for enrollment to) an 

accredited college or university as full time or a part-time 

college-level student enrolled in a minimum of 6 semester 

hours: 

Engineering programs: http://www.abet.org/ 

All programs: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

4. Currently have and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or 

higher (on a 4.0 scale)
Preferred Fields of Study 

STEM Majors

Technology: Airborne Science Research, Balloons & Sounding 

Rockets, Computer Science, Electronics, Nanotechnology, 

Software Engineering, Systems Engineering/Design 

Engineering: Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, 

Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, 

Detector Systems, Environmental Engineering, Instrumentation 

Engineering, Materials Engineering, Composites Applications, 

Mechanical Engineering, Microelectronics & Signal Processing, 

Optical Engineering, Robotics, Thermal Engineering, Welding 

Engineering

Science: Applied Optics, Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science 

*Just a sample, not limited to listed majors 

Non-Technical: Business, Administrative, Accounting, 

Economics, Finance, Logistics, Management Information 

Systems, Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, 

Management, Human Resources, Education

*Please note, Engineering Technology degrees do not qualify for 

Pathways engineering positions. Each position will list preferred 

or required majors, please see vacancy for specific educations 

requirements.

Business and Related 

Majors 
NASA Internship Value

• Both NASA internships are paid and engage 

students with real-world experiences while 

contributing to the advancement of NASA’s 

missions. 

• Meaningful work that truly makes an impact on 

the world.

• A culture that values teamwork, diversity, and 

inclusion. 

• Networking opportunities with managers, 

mentors, NASA employees and other interns 

• Opportunities to participate in Employee 

Resource Groups (ERGs) that connect interns 

across the agency 

STEM Engagement Internships 

• Short term work on specific project 

• Flexibility of selecting specific majors (Ex. 

Space architects, digital media, and optics 

engineering) 

Pathways Internships

• Long term work on multiple projects

• Focus on core majors (accounting and 

aerospace engineering) 

NASA is Consistently Voted the Best Place to Work in the Federal Government! 
Pathways Intern Benefits 

• Completion of the Pathways Program may lead to a 

NASA job offer. 

• Autonomy to define your own career trajectory. We’ll work 

with you to define assignments and training opportunities 

that will help you achieve YOUR career goals. 

• Pathways interns are paid every 2 weeks based on your 

GS level, including paid federal holidays. 

• Promotion eligibility while in the Pathways Program

• Health Insurance (can be carried over when student is 

back at school)

• Life Insurance

• Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) & Thrift 

Savings Plan (TSP) 

• Annual Leave / Sick Leave / Military Leave
STEM Engagement 

Benefits 

• Competitive Stipend

• Ability to chose new projects each semester and 

apply for internships across the agency

• Short term, fun projects offered by great 

mentors

• Be part of the NASA team and network across 

the globe

• Full-time, part-time and virtual internships are 

available

• Teachers are welcome to apply too
Resume Tips: The Basics

1. Include your contact information (City, State, Zip 

Code)

2. Use a professional email address

3. Create a professional message on your voicemail 

4. Check with your references before using their 

names

5. Check your spelling and grammar

6. Include all major education factors (GPA, graduation 

date, degree level, major, relevant coursework) 

7. Please make sure to read the entire vacancy. 
How to Apply: Pathways 

1. Create your USAJOBS profile at www.USAJobs.gov. 

• If you do NOT have an account, you MUST create one

2. Create an alert so that you receive an email when 

opportunities match your criteria

3. Look for announcements titled “Student Trainee.” Once you 

find an opportunity, follow the instructions in the “How to 

Apply” section of the announcement.

4. Upload your documents

• Allows up to 5 “Resumes” and storage of 10 “Other” 

documents

• Get your documents ready ahead of time and upload to 

USAJobs:

❖Resume (Required)

❖Transcript (Required)

❖Veteran’s Preference Documents (Accepted)

❖Required ONLY if claiming preference 

eligibility

❖Reasonable Accommodation Documents 

(Accepted)

❖Required ONLY for an accommodation to 

complete the Online Assessment

Give yourself plenty of time to complete the application process! 
How to Apply: STEM 

Engagement 

1. Go to intern.nasa.gov

2. Look for Learn More

3. Click Apply Here 
Resume Tips: The Basics

1. Include your contact information (City, State, Zip 

Code)

2. Use a professional email address

3. Create a professional message on your voicemail 

4. Check with your references before using their 

names

5. Check your spelling and grammar

6. Include all major education factors (GPA, graduation 

date, degree level, major, relevant coursework) 

7. Please make sure to read the entire vacancy. 
Resume Tips: Stand Out

1. Work Experience (you are not limited to 1 page)

• Document all related jobs

• Use school projects if you lack job experience

• Describe unrelated jobs the right way 

2. Think like an employer (tailor your application to the 

position) 

3. Federal resumes can be longer and require more 

information than private sector/non-profit resumes. 

Important sections for STEM 

• Computer Skills: Describe your knowledge of any 

computer skills, software languages, hardware, or any 

specialized computer programs.

• Technical Skills: Include any knowledge or capabilities 

to perform specialized tasks. This may include 

laboratory experience, special tools machine shop, etc.

• Other Skills: List any other skills needed. This includes 

soft skills (communication, leadership, teamwork, etc.)

• Previous NASA Program Experience 

• List any NASA program experience – Space Grant
Resume Tips: Describing 

Your Experience

• Focus on the qualification requirements section of the 

vacancy announcement - your resume should describe 

how you meet the requirements

• Resume should be results driven - Use the S.A.R 

method: Describe the Situation, Action and Result.

• Use action words to describe work experience: managed, 

assisted, responded, planned, coordinated, met with, 

implemented, communicated with, tested, developed, 

spearheaded, etc.

• Include special skills like computer proficiency and 

language ability

• Plan ahead - Allow plenty of time to thoroughly proof read 

and complete your application 

• Apply by the deadline or better yet – early! 
NASA Research 

Opportunities 

Supporting research in science and technology is an 

important part of NASA's overall mission. NASA solicits 

this research through the release of various research 

announcements in a wide range of science and 

technology disciplines. 

NASA uses a peer review process to evaluate and select 

research proposals submitted in response to these 

research announcements. Researchers can help NASA 

achieve national research objectives by submitting 

research proposals and conducting awarded research.

nspires.nasaprs.com
NASA Opportunities for 

International Students

Participating countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, European 

Union, Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, 

Portugal, South Korea, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago and the 

United Arab Emirates 

• If you are a citizen of one of the countries listed above, and are 

interested in applying to one of the available research 

opportunities, please go to intern.nasa.gov to learn more. 

Additional Requirements Include:

•Currently pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in 

science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) in a 

topic relevant to NASA's mission priorities.

•Maintaining high academic standing.

•Demonstrating an active interest in the U.S. space program.

•Communicating Proficiently in English
Questions?