Love looking at the stars? The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA for short, looks for full-time interns of all ages to help advance their missions.
Do you dream about what life would be like on Mars and want to sneak into the Ames Research Center? Or have a Hubble Telescope picture of some distant galaxy as your wallpaper? I talked to previous NASA interns and scoured forums for advice on what it takes to get an internship at NASA.
I got my dream NASA Internship – HERE’S HOW
Interviews for Top Jobs at NASA
Intern Interview
I interviewed at NASA
Interview
Very easy and straightforward. They were very respectful. Note that they’re looking for super specific experiences for these internships/jobs, so don’t be diss appointed if you don’t get any the first time you apply. Try again!! Good luck
- Tell me a little about yourself
Intern Interview
I interviewed at NASA
Interview
Casual interview, around 30 mins. My interviewer was my eventual supervisor and he was very empathetic. It was a virtual interview and he asked me about eight questions before asking me if I had any questions about the position.
- What is your greatest strength?
When the day came, I ironed my button up shirt and slacks and straightened out my blazer. I fixed my hair and applied a bit of makeup. Of course, I had to accessorize with my Voyager Golden Record earrings for good luck. Not pictured: my solar system bracelet and socks. At 11:00 exactly, we were on our way to NASA!
I applied to a lot of internship positions at NASA online a couple months ago via https://intern.nasa.gov/. The government had just shut down when I applied, so it took a month or so before I was called for an interview.
My interview was scheduled for noon, but we pulled into the IV&V parking lot at 11:30am. This gave me a few minutes to take pictures at the front (duh) before walking into the building to check-in with security and get a temporary badge. After about five minutes, Isaac met me and brought me up to his office area so we could talk while waiting for my interviewers (who were also my potential mentors for the summer).
When I was contacted for the interview, I was in between classes at school. Isaac, the gentleman who called me was a previous intern and current employee at IV&V. He scheduled me for a phone interview during my spring break the next week. Not too long after getting off the phone, he asked me if would be interested in visiting for an in-person interview, unaware I lived 7-8 hours away. Despite the distance, I was immediately interested because I really wanted to make a better impression than just a faceless voice over the phone.
And here are some specific interview questions that I can remember and how I answered a few of them:
The Inside Scoop on the NASA Internship Program
NASA interns are placed directly onto active teams, working on impactful projects for the company. NASA focuses on giving interns real career experience, as well as a strong foundation in research. Although it seems high pressure, interns dont go in alone: each intern is paired with a mentor involved in their specific research or mission project, who will be their main touchpoint throughout their NASA internship. A former NASA intern I talked to said they really connected with their mentor, who they saw often through daily-standups. At the end of the program, interns present what theyve learned and discuss how they have furthered NASA’s mission.
Professional growth is a huge focus of this program. NASA wants their interns to continue developing as leaders and career professionals outside of their internship project. To guide that development, individual NASA facilities provide networking opportunities, lectures, and career advice. Some previous interns learned about laser propulsion and planet imaging. NASA’s JPL outlines their approach, which I’ve found to be representative of most NASA internships, especially interns who are current high school or undergraduate students.
In short, NASA internships are filled with educational opportunities. You’ll be directly working on current missions and projects, and have access to extra learning opportunities if you have the time to attend!
NASA offers internship opportunities for high school students, undergraduates, and graduate students. High school students and undergraduates can apply for traditional internships, which run during the fall, spring, and summer. While it varies by NASA center, NASA lists its internships about six to nine months in advance. For example, summer internships begin popping up in September or October the year before.
In all, around 75% of NASA internships are technical. However, there are internship opportunities for non-engineers as well, which are primarily business or humanities focused. NASA is looking for interns that can help with communications, education, and legal work. There is also demand for other science domains. This former intern used her skills in biology during her internship.
Some Extra Advice: NASA formerly used a website called OSSI, but this has now turned it into intern.nasa.gov. Always use this site for the most up to date information about available internships.
Fellowships are a whole ‘nother class of work-experience at NASA. NASA’s fellowships are focused on graduate students pursuing unique NASA-related research. NASA fellowships are also more likely to result in a full-time offer, given the relationship graduate students form with their research and degree-related tasks. For more information, check out NASA’s specific page for fellowship and scholarship information here.
International students, you can apply! You also dont need to be a U.S. Citizen to work for NASA. NASA centers collaborate with different agencies and countries around the world, including countries like Canada, Australia, the UAE, among others. For an updated list, refer to NASAs website. It is encouraged that you attend an accredited college, but this is unnecessary if you have equivalent experience.
Preparing the Perfect NASA Application
There are a lot of eligibility requirements listed in the application. You’ll need to have your GPA and academic transcript ready for upload, and have a letter of recommendation on hand before you can even see what internships are available.
Once you submit your application and get an interview, expect a similar structure to what exists at other high-tech companies. Various NASA career professionals will conduct an initial behavioral phone screen first, followed by a more technical interview with a project manager if you make the second round.
FAQ
What do NASA internships look for?
- Research the job description. …
- Bring a copy of your resume. …
- Dress accordingly (business casual or formal suit) …
- Review common interview questions.
How difficult is it to get an internship at NASA?
What are the questions asked in interview for internship?
