Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program - Gaithersburg, MD (STEM and Related Fields)

Summary

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks undergraduate students for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program. This vacancy announcement is for in-person fellowships in Gaithersburg, MD. An additional vacancy announcement is open for in-person fellowships in Boulder, CO (vacancy #SURF-2027-0002). Applicants may apply to both vacancies and use the same documents for all applications. Learn more at https://www.nist.gov/surf.

Duties

The SURF program provides research opportunities for students to work with internationally known NIST scientists and engineers, to expose them to cutting-edge research and promote the pursuit of advanced degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). SURF gives students an opportunity to: Gain substantive career experience related to academic interests Acquire lifelong leadership, management, and analytical skills 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 from 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 or program offices. The following laboratories and offices participate in the SURF Gaithersburg program: Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL) Engineering Laboratory (EL) Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) in partnership with the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) Other offices occasionally host SURF participants: Office of Advanced Manufacturing (OAM), Communications and Outreach Office (COO), Research Data and Computing Office (RDCO), Technology Partnerships Office (TPO), Standards Coordination Office (SCO) As part of the application process, all applicants must identify and select first and second-choice host laboratories/offices for placement consideration. Applicants should carefully choose host laboratories/offices because the completed application is considered primarily by the first-choice host laboratory. Due to the multidisciplinary nature of NIST's research, we encourage students to look through the different laboratory websites to discover interesting project areas. For example, a computer science student may find project opportunities in CTL, PML, and EL in addition to the logical choice of ITL. Similar opportunities exist for those in other disciplines. For a detailed description of SURF projects in each NIST laboratory and prior acceptance rates, students are encouraged to review laboratory descriptions and acceptance rates at https://www.nist.gov/surf/surf-gaithersburg/research-programs. All students must work at the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, MD for the entire appointment. While duties and responsibilities may vary by laboratory, all students must: Attend Orientation Work with their mentor on a designated research project Attend the SURF seminar series Compose and submit an abstract halfway through the program summarizing research accomplishments Deliver an oral presentation during the final week of the program

Requirements

Applicants must meet all the following requirements to be eligible for a fellowship: Provide proof that they are a U.S. citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident Birth certificate, current passport or unexpired green card is required Driver's license or state identification is NOT acceptable for this requirement Provide proof of health insurance At least 18 years of age by June 2, 2027 Able to pass a background check Receive payments by direct deposit

Qualifications and evaluation

Once the announcement has closed, your questionnaire responses and supporting documents will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed in this announcement. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your questionnaire responses and supporting documents will be forwarded to your first and second-choice laboratories/offices for additional review. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Note: The number of offers to participate in the program is contingent upon the availability of funds and projects. Your qualifications will also be evaluated on the following criteria: Fit of the undergraduate student's stated interest and commitment to priorities and objectives of NIST and the SURF program Fit of the undergraduate student's interests and abilities to the available NIST research projects and when appropriate, to the research priorities of NIST scientists and engineers in the specified laboratory program Relevance of the student's course of study to the program objectives of the specified NIST laboratory in which that SURF program resides Evaluation of academic accomplishments. Note: A cumulative minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is recommended for all completed courses taken as an undergraduate student at the current institution and at any institutions attended as an undergraduate student during the 5 years preceding the start of the most recent enrollment (This does not include college or university courses taken while solely a high school student.) Quality of accomplishments to date Assessment of whether the laboratory experience is an opportunity for the student which may encourage future postgraduate training, especially if the applicant has not had a similar opportunity previously You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Education

Currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate (first-year, sophomore, junior, or senior) degree-seeking student at an accredited 2-year or 4-year college or university in the U.S. or U.S. territories Strongly preferred to be an undergraduate majoring in a STEM discipline including but not limited to biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering (including nuclear), materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, or physics with rigorous academic coursework relevant to grade level (first-year, sophomore, junior, senior) Good academic standing (3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale preferred) You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated, unofficial transcripts that display current enrollment status are acceptable Submit all materials by the closing date of the announcement

Benefits

SURF participants do not earn benefits.

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.gov/surf webpage. 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 fellowship 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. Completing this step and step 5 ensures your application status displays accurately whenever you check back. 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 3 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 surf@nist.gov. You must complete this application and submit all required documents by 11:59 PM EST on the announcement closing date. Note: Paper applications will not be accepted.

Required documents

Your application must include (NOTE: Items 3-7 must be uploaded through the documents selection section. PDF is the preferred format for all submitted documents.): 1. Responses to the online questions. 2. Two (2) letters of recommendation from references, preferably professors, department heads, previous internship mentors, or academic advisers familiar with the applicant's education, training, experience, aptitude, and promise relevant to the SURF Program. We recommend entering references' personal email addresses into the application portal to avoid firewall issues. Note: It is the responsibility of the applicant to notify their references through the online application system. References will receive instructions on the content of their letters and they must upload their letters via the online application module no later than 3 days after the vacancy closes. 3. Resume that includes professional and research experience. Uploaded pdf is the preferred format. 4. Undergraduate transcript. You must submit college transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable) showing your name, the name of your university(s), all courses completed, and cumulative GPA. Additionally, the transcript must verify proof of your enrollment. Submitted transcripts must have all Social Security numbers and/or dates of birth removed (blanked out, blackened out, made illegible, etc.) before uploading into the application system. 5. Proof of U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency. Acceptable forms of proof of U.S. Citizenship include a Certified Birth Certificate, U.S. Passport, U.S. Passport Card, Naturalization Certificate, Certificate of Citizenship, Consular Report of Birth (of U.S. citizen) Abroad, or Certification of Birth; Acceptable form of U.S. permanent residency is an unexpired green card. Note: Social security cards and driver's licenses do NOT meet the requirements for proof of U.S. citizenship. Submitted proof of U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency must have all Social Security numbers and/or dates of birth removed (blanked out, blackened out, made illegible, etc.) before uploading into the application system. 6. Proof of health insurance coverage by including a copy of a valid insurance card. 7. Personal statement: The personal statement is the opportunity for NIST staff to learn more about the student and why they should be selected for a fellowship in the SURF Program. Students are encouraged to compose a personal statement that includes the following: Commitment to participate in the program and work in a laboratory environment Description of relevant coursework and/or research experience Description of prioritized research interests Expectation of personal benefit from participating in the program Career goals Students must submit all required documentation no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement to be considered for review. PDF is the preferred format for all submitted documents. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review in the SURF program. It is highly recommended you preview the online questions for this announcement before starting the application process.

Additional information

If selected, you are required to complete a background investigation suitability check Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/)