Summer Student Internship

Summary

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's summer internship program provides college and university students with the opportunity to gain valuable, hands-on experience while earning a competitive salary and exploring a career in the nuclear field. Before applying, we encourage you to read the entire vacancy announcement carefully to understand the position, qualifications, requirements, and application process.

Duties

The NRC views summer interns as part of our future workforce. Internships offer professional-level work in a supportive learning environment. Work assignments are based on the functions and tasks of the host office and will be ideally aligned with your academic background and career goals. The majority of internship opportunities are located at NRC Headquarters located in Rockville, MD. There are limited engineering and science-oriented opportunities available at the following NRC regional offices: Region I - King of Prussia, PA Region II - Atlanta, GA Region III - Naperville, IL Region IV - Arlington, TX Technical Training Center (TTC) - Chattanooga, TN Available Career Areas Internship opportunities will be available in the following positions and career fields: Accountant (Internal Controls and Systems) Civil Rights Specialist Contract Specialist Data Scientist Digital I&C Engineer Disability Program Assistant Electrical Engineer (Electronics and Control Engineer) Emergency Preparedness Specialist Environmental Project Manager Environmental Scientist Financial Management Specialist General Engineer Geology Geotechnical Engineering Health Physicist Human Resources Hydrology Instructional Systems Designer/Leadership Development Program Manager Management Analyst/Program Assistant Meteorology Physical Security Specialist Policy Analyst Project Engineer (RIDP) Project Manager Reactor Engineer (Systems) Reactor Inspector Reliability and Risk Analyst Risk Analyst Rulemaking Project Management Seismology Space Management Specialist Staff Engineer Technical Reviewer Note: This position may be non-competitively converted to a Cooperative Education Program (Co-Op) position; however, conversion is neither mandatory nor guaranteed. For more information on the Co-Op program please visit Frequently Asked Questions About the Co-Op Education Program.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen. Must complete and pass a background investigation. Must pass a drug test. Must be enrolled or accepted enrollment at an accredited institution. Must have and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.85 or higher.

Qualifications and evaluation

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in the requirements section, your responses to the vacancy questions as well as the information provided in your resume. Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager in ranked order based on veteran preference status, as follows: Veterans eligible for preference with a compensable, service-connected disability of 10 percent or more. All other candidates eligible for 10-point veteran preference. Candidates eligible for 5-point veteran preference. Candidates not eligible for veteran preference. Selections are expected to be made by February 2027. Note: You will not be considered for the position if any part of your application or supporting documentation is incomplete. Falsifying your background and/or experience is grounds for rejection of your application or may result in adverse action after hiring.

Education

This is an excepted service summer appointment and it is not to exceed 89 days. This announcement is only open to applicants who meet the definition of a student and are in good academic standing. You MUST currently be a degree-seeking student, enrolled at least half-time at an accredited educational institution, as defined by the U.S. Department of Education and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.85 or higher. Student Definition An individual who has been accepted for enrollment or is currently enrolled in a qualifying educational institution and is pursuing at least a four-year degree on a full-time or part-time basis, as defined by the institution in which they are enrolled. Foreign Education Education completed outside of the United States must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign education credentials or by an accredited U.S. educational institution. The evaluation must establish the education's equivalency to a degree earned at an accredited college or university in the United States. A copy of the credential evaluation must be submitted with your application. Foreign education will not be considered without the required evaluation.

Benefits

As a temporary employee, you will accrue sick leave and receive pay for Federal holidays that occur during your regularly scheduled tour of duty. No additional benefits will be provided for the duration of your internship.

How to apply

To be considered for this position, you must submit a complete application, including all required supporting documentation, no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date listed in the vacancy announcement. Applications or required documentation submitted after the closing date will not be accepted. Listed below are the steps on how to apply for the announcement. Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at USAJOBS. Create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Ensure that your resume demonstrates your education, experience, training, and accomplishments as it relates to the qualifications for this position and substantiates your responses to the occupational questionnaire. Upload ALL required documents into your USAJOBS account (must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats; GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX)). Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire and attached ALL required documents. Verify that the uploaded documents from USAJOBS were fully transferred into the agency's hiring system. You will have the opportunity to upload any additional required documents in the agency's hiring system. Click "Finish" to submit your application. Note: You may update your application at any time while the announcement is open, by logging into your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status", next, position title, finally, "Update Application". Paper applications will not be accepted unless you have a hardship circumstance, that can be demonstrated. If applying online poses hardship for you, please contact the human resource specialist listed on this announcement. You must contact the specialist BEFORE the closing date for assistance with online application submission. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Reasonable Accommodation - The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please notify the coordinator at (301) 287-0739 or TDD (240) 482-3217. Determinations for a reasonable accommodation request will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Required documents

Applicants are required to submit the following documentation before the vacancy closing date: Resume - Please limit your resume to two pages. Cover letters are optional and do not count toward the two-page resume limit. See below for additional resume information. Transcript - You must provide a copy of your unofficial transcript for the degree you are currently pursuing by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. The transcript must identify the college or university that you attend and your major and include course titles, completion dates, number of credits earned, grades, cumulative grade point average (GPA), and courses currently in progress. Official transcripts will be required for the Fall/Winter 2026 semester and again at the end of the Spring 2027 semester. To ensure your application can be reviews accurately, all application documents, including transcripts, must be provided in English. Note: If you attend a college or university that does not use a standard credit-hour system, it is important that you indicate the equivalent credit-hour value (e.g., 1 credit = 4 credit hours). Additional Resume Information Your resume is an important part of our evaluation of your qualifications and should clearly demonstrate your relevant skills, knowledge, abilities, education, and experience. Please limit your resume to two pages. If your resume exceeds two pages, only the first two pages will be reviewed. To ensure your resume includes all required information, it is recommended that you use the Resume Builder on the USAJOBS website. If you choose to submit your own resume, be sur that it contains ALL required information and is organized so that your qualifications can be clearly associated with each position or experience listed. Do not include personally identifiable information (PII) or other prohibited personal information on your resume. Including prohibited information may affect your eligibility or prevent your application from receiving further consideration. We will not access external webpages or links included in your resume or cover letter, including social media profiles such as LinkedIn, to obtain information or determine your qualifications. Veterans Preference If you are claiming veterans' preference, you MUST submit: Separated Members - Member 4 copy of your DD214. Current Active-Duty Members - A certification of expected discharge or release from active duty, honorable conditions dated within the last 120 days. 10-Point Preference - A copy of your SF-15 and ALL documents indicated on the form as proof of the specific preference. Service-Connected Disability - Documentation indicating the percentage of the disability. Military Spouses (Eligible under E.O. 134730) - Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, issued within the last two years, that lists you as authorized to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter), verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate), or verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e. a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage). Schedule A If you are applying under the Schedule A hiring authority for individuals with disabilities, you MUST submit documentation verifying your eligibility, Acceptable documentation may be provided by a licensed medical professional, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or a Federal, state, or local agency that issues or provides disability benefits. NRC Scholarship/Fellowship If you have received a scholarship or fellowship from the NRC, please submit a copy of the signed service obligation agreement with your application. It is important that you submit all required documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. You will NOT be contacted to provide missing documentation, and additional documentation will not be accepted after the announcement closes.

Additional information

Below is additional information pertaining to the internship. Salary - The salary will be determined based on the applicant's location of selection, degree program, semester hours completed, and grade point average (GPA). Relocation Expenses - You may be eligible for relocation expenses. To be deemed eligible for our Student Transportation and Lodging Program, your current and permanent residences must be 50 miles away from your official duty station. Telework - The NRC offers telework flexibility for most positions that are in accordance with agency policy. Drug Testing - The NRC has a zero-tolerance to illegal drug use. Suitability and Investigation - If selected for this position, you will be required to complete the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for federal employment and successfully complete a pre-appointment investigation/background check. You must be granted a waiver of the required clearance, referred to as a 145b Waiver. To be eligible for a 145b waiver, you must possess a favorable education verification, reference check, credit check and criminal history. If you have resided outside of the U.S. for an extended period of time, the agency may not be able to grant the 145b waiver where the required investigation cannot be completed in a timely manner. If you are unable to obtain a favorable 145b waiver, the offer will be rescinded. Selective Service Registration - If you are a male born after December 31, 1959, you MUST be registered with the Selective Service System or meet an exemption under applicable law. False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and can be subjected to disciplinary action.