Student opportunities database

The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The Fellowship matches highly qualified graduate students with "hosts" in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one year paid fellowship. Applications open in fall.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Internship Program (GRIP) provides NSF graduate fellows and graduate students supported by grants funded by NSF's Geosciences Directorate with internship opportunities at federal facilities. Here at NOAA, GRIP interns can grow professionally and build their network with a rewarding research experience. Applications are due in December and May each year.

Eligibility: Recipients of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) U.S. graduate students supported on active research grants funded by NSF's Directorate for Geosciences.

The National Weather Service (part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) offers endless opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Use this map to find out more about opportunities across the country!

Ocean Guardian Programs are designed to encourage children to explore their natural surroundings to form a sense of personal connection to the ocean and/or watersheds in which they live. Find out more about the program, an activity book, kids club and more.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and WHOI Sea Grant (WHOI SG) are excited to collaborate with Sea Education Association on the Ocean STEAM Powered Women (O-STEAM) Fellowship, a competitive, week-long, FREE, residential fellowship in Woods Hole for a cohort of young women from Massachusetts currently in their sophomore or junior year of high school.

During their week, fellows work with WHOI and WHOI SG staff to investigate marine mammal bioacoustics (sounds) while also meeting other female science, technology, engineering, arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) professionals and learning from their collective expertise. The immersive experience includes building and testing their own underwater microphone (or hydrophone), analyzing data of dolphin vocalizations to aid in conservation efforts, and capturing the underwater sounds of whales and dolphins vocalizing during a whale watch expedition. Fellows will learn from communications specialists about how to share their research and experiences with their community.

We are committed to assembling diverse groups of fellows. This fellowship encourages applicants from groups historically underrepresented in the ocean sciences – especially with respect to gender identity/expression, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. We welcome students who are interested in being in a female-identified space. 

The PIFSC Young Scientist Opportunity (PYSO) is a collaborative program between PIFSC and the Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (JIMAR) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. This program offers qualified participants a paid summer internship (8–12 weeks) that combines on-the-job training, mentoring, and scientific research experience. Must reside in Hawaiʻi.

The Federal Government has taken steps to help students and recent graduates join the Federal service. These paid internship opportunities will appear on USAJOBS.gov as agencies post them. To find NOAA Pathways opportunities, visit USAJOBS.gov and search for "NOAA pathways." You could also search "NOAA" to view all open federal NOAA positions and select the "students" and/or "recent graduates" filter.

The Cooperative Institute for Severe and High Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO) is a research organization that promotes collaborative research between scientists at NOAA and a consortium of universities led by the University of Oklahoma on problems of mutual interest. Terms of appointment for this post-doctoral fellowship are for one year, renewable for a second year subject to satisfactory performance. An annual salary of $61,000 and research budget of $5,000 per year is included in the award, along with a modest relocation stipend. Successful applicants must have obtained a Ph.D. within the last five years.

Graduate opportunity focused on multi-disciplinary projects developed collaboratively between University of Hawaiʻi and Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. The PIFSC library is a government library. It is a fisheries and marine science library with special emphasis on the US-associated Pacific Islands. This internship is suited for students who are interested in these kinds of libraries, as well as those who are interested in solo librarianship. Possible internship tracks include (but are not limited to): Archives and/or digital archives, scholarly communication, and solo librarianship.

Bearing the Presidential moniker, the PMF Program is the Federal Government's flagship leadership development program for advanced degree holders across all academic disciplines. Eligible individuals apply to be selected as Finalists. Finalists then have 12 months to secure an appointment as a Fellow, which is a two-year, full-time, paid fellowship at a federal agency.