Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP) (Volunteer)

Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP) (Volunteer)

Department: Department of Commerce

Location(s): Boulder, Colorado, Gaithersburg, Maryland

Salary Range: $0 - $0 Without Compensation

Job Summary: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks current high school juniors and seniors for the Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP). This vacancy announcement is for in-person fellowships in Gaithersburg, MD, and Boulder, CO. Learn more at https://www.nist.gov/iaao/academic-affairs-office/high-school-students-ship.

Major Duties:

• The SHIP program provides research opportunities for students to work with internationally known NIST scientists and engineers, to expose them to cutting-edge research and explore research careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). SHIP gives students an opportunity to: Gain substantive experience related to academic interests Learn about a career in public service Build professional relationships, contacts, and networks Observe the daily operations and working environment of a premier federal laboratory Imagine Yourself in the NIST Laboratories NIST welcomes students with interest in a broad range of STEM disciplines, including but not limited to biochemistry, biology, biophysics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron research, physics, and statistics. Students work under the guidance of a research mentor in one of the participating laboratories. The following laboratories participate in SHIP: Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL) Engineering Laboratory (EL) Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) As part of the application process, all applicants must select a first-choice host laboratory for placement consideration. Applicants should carefully choose host laboratories because the completed application is considered primarily by the first-choice host laboratory. Descriptions of the types of research going on at NIST can be found at www.nist.gov/careers/summer-high-school-intern-program-research. Due to the multidisciplinary nature of NIST's research, we encourage students to look through the different laboratory websites to discover interesting project areas. All students must work in person at the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, MD, or Boulder, CO, for the entire appointment. While duties and responsibilities may vary by laboratory, all students must: Work with their mentor on a designated research project Compose and submit an abstract halfway through the program summarizing their research project Create and present a poster during the final week of the program SHIP participants are invited and strongly encouraged to Attend a technical seminar series Participate in professional development and other group activities

Qualifications: We are looking for students interested in gaining valuable, hands-on experience working with cutting-edge technology in one of the world’s leading research organizations. Additional preference will be given to students who possess the following qualities: A high level of motivation and a positive inquisitive workplace demeanor Interest in conducting technical research in a federal laboratory in Gaithersburg, MD, or Boulder, CO Ability to commit to eleven (7) continuous weeks (Monday through Friday) during the summer

How to Apply: To apply for this position, complete the online application and submit the documents specified in the Required Documents section of the announcement no later than the announcement closing date. To begin, click the application link from the NIST SHIP webpage (https://www.nist.gov/iaao/academic-affairs-office/high-school-students-ship) Click Apply Online to access the online application. Follow the prompts. This vacancy does not accept resumes or uploaded documents from USAJOBS. As expected, USAJOBS will notify you that this announcement does not accept USAJOBS resumes or documents. Prompts will direct you to upload documents directly into the application system. All documents are required and must be submitted for consideration. PDF is the preferred format for all documents. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. Upon clicking submit at the end of the application process, you will receive an on-screen notification that you have successfully submitted your application. Select Return to USAJOBS to verify your updated status in the USAJOBS Applications section. To verify the status of your application, log in to your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, and select Track this application. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. In the status information, you can also see the status of your letters of recommendation. For example, if one letter has been received you will see “1 of 2 references received”. References have up to 4 days after the announcement closing date to submit their letters. If you notice a letter missing and it is close to the deadline, you may want to give your reference a friendly reminder. The system will also send an automated reminder to references 2 days before the final due date. To return to your saved application while the announcement is open, log in to your USAJOBS account at https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login and click Applications. Click on the position title, then select Edit my application. You may update your application at any time before the closing of the announcement. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit the online application and supporting documents well before the announcement closing date. Problems Completing Your Application: If you have problems completing your online application, including problems submitting your supporting documents, please email ship@nist.gov. You must complete this application and submit all required documents by 11:59PM EST on the announcement closing date. Note: Paper applications will not be accepted.

Application Deadline: 2026-01-26