Apply to as many internships as you can! You never know who might accept you.
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Research Intern
June - August 2018 • Irvine, CA
What I liked
What I wish was different
Advice
Definitely take initiative on projects and communicate with your team!
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Cryogenics Engineer
January 2016 - July 2018 • Titusville, FL
What I liked
Real world R&D engineering experience.
Product testing and development.
I was second author on a research publication.
One of my research project led to a pending patent.
What I wish was different
I wish that the group I worked for was in New Mexico. I made long lasting friends and colleges that will continue to be important figures in my career and personal life.
Advice
The most important take away from my experience with the team at the Cryogenic Test Laboratory at NASA Kennedy Space Center is that being able to physically make things is very important in one's understanding of the design process and ability to produce a viable product. The product could be a test plan or apparatus, or a functioning prototype but having experience in making things goes a long way and is highly desired in the group I worked with.
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Team Lead
October 2017 • Evanston, IL
What I liked
I loved the responsibility I was given with the project. Starting off in the position as a sophomore I was worried I was underqualified, but the team made me comfortable and confident in my ability to do the job.
What I wish was different
I wish the project could have concluded in the fall near my departure, unfortunately the project was delayed to 2020 when it will be launched.
Advice
Be aware of how much time it takes, always ask for help if needed.
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Research Analyst
September 2017 • Huntsville, AL
What I liked
Working at NASA of course! I work with some of the most important people who work at NASA: Mission Control cadre for Payload Operations on the International Space Station.
What I wish was different
I wish that I was challenged a bit more in the Applied Physics realm of tasking.
Advice
Networking is the easiest and most efficient way of finding your dream job. Never stop searching.
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Student Researcher
June - August 2018 • Hampton, VA
What I liked
The people and general atmosphere of the base
What I wish was different
Difference between the days
Advice
Shoot your shot. Even if you think you’re just wasting time
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Liquid Rocket Propulsion Systems Intern
May - August 2018 • Huntsville, AL
What I liked
Working with people who are the brightest in their respective subjects.
Getting to know the other interns and spending time hanging out with them.
What I wish was different
Spent more time networking with various full-time employees.
Advice
Make sure to network when you have the opportunity to do so.
Go out and have fun with other interns.
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Aerospace Engineering Intern
January - August 2018 • Huntsville, AL
What I liked
Very good work culture / people, laid back
What I wish was different
Wish I was pushed harder to achieve goals. Didn’t see the drive to succeed like you see in private sector companies.
Advice
Take the time to talk to everyone, they have so much knowledge and you get the most out of the internship when you learn more than just your own project
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Intern for OCFO Office
June - August 2018 • Hampton, VA
What I liked
Mentor helped me better understand business enviroment
What I wish was different
I wish I would’ve tried extracurricular activities
Advice
Never miss opportunities to network
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NASA Summer Intern
June - August 2018 • Mountain View, CA
What I liked
Real world engineering experience. Met a lot of talented people who are passionate about science and space. Numerous opportunities to get involved with work besides just the summer project I was assigned. Learned a lot about how to make a project successful and how important proper communication is with success.
What I wish was different
That my project had gotten totally completed before I left, unfortunately due to manufacturing troubles we could not get a fully built final model ready in time by the end of the summer.
Advice
Try to do a little of everything, don't get bogged down at your desk all day. When you hit a road block go to one of your mentors for help they've been doing this for awhile and their advice can go along way.
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Software Developer Intern
May - July 2018 • Hampton, VA
What I liked
The project, the people, the culture
What I wish was different
Not much.
Advice
Doing side projects outside of class helped me get the internship
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Summer Intern
June - August 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I enjoyed getting to know the employees and working with others on their projects.
What I wish was different
I wish that the hourly rate was greater and that I could have been on one more project.
Advice
I would advise people to remember that they are interns and they are there to absorb and learn as much as they can from their intern experience.
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Spaceport Command and Control Launch Systems Developer
January - August 2018 • Merritt Island, FL
What I liked
I loved working with a great and passionate team to develop software for the soaceflight hardware. I learned so much and everyone was so willing to help me advance my skills and career as well as see all the great things at NASA. The weather and beaches made my time learning and acquiring experiences all the more fulfilling. I made so many great friends and memories and I’m glad I deferred my graduation to take this amazing opportunity.
What I wish was different
I wish I could have done more to show my appreciation to all those who helped and supported me during my time there.
Advice
Always do your best to make an impression. During internships at anyplace, make sure you stand out. Go above and beyond what is expected, show your passion and drive and you’ll at least have references to apply for positions in the future and in most cases you can graduate and have a position lined up due to the impression you left during your internship.
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Chemistry Research Intern
June - August 2018 • Irvine, CA
What I liked
Housing is free! Doing research on planes is super fun! Loved the social structure living with other interns. Learned a lot and worked pretty hard.
What I wish was different
Advice
Apply! It's fun
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Research Intern
June - August 2018 • Cleveland, OH
What I liked
Got to experiment and learn more about axial flux electric motors and their usage in electric aircraft. Got to learn how to use an nScrypt 3Dn and Hyrel Hydra printer to print with silver conductive pastes.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Electrical Engineer
June - August 2018 • Greenbelt, MD
What I liked
Working with devote intellectuals who were passionate about their field, open communication structure, and the collaborative environment dedicated to projects that might not be taking place anywhere else in the world
What I wish was different
More access to tools and proprietary information
Advice
Spend your time during the day learning everything you can from the full-time NASA employees, ask well-thought-out questions with genuine curiosity, spend some extra hours on your research project at night to ensure good progress that is of interest to main team, be personable, bring fourth interesting ideas - support it with data, be creative, take initiative, be personable/connect with people
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Research Associate
May - August 2018 • Huntsville, AL
What I liked
I liked that I was able to demonstrate my skills to two microgravity solidification experiments that will be launched up to the International Space Station soon. I enjoyed doing research on solidification that worked with space casting and soldering to conduct more research in the behaviors of manufacturing with limited gravity. I also gained a lot of hands-on experience with the design, analysis, fabrication, and experimentation of the two projects I worked on.
What I wish was different
I wish I had more time to continue research and give NASA more data on one of the experiments. They were assembled and made, but the group and I had only three days to test solidification.
Advice
Never give up, no matter how many iterations that you have to go through. In the end, all the hard work pays off.
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NASA intern
May - August 2018 • Huntsville, AL
What I liked
Love the location and people in Huntsville and at NASA.
What I wish was different
I wish I could have had a more tech heavy internship.
Advice
If you get the chance to visit or live in Huntsville do it!
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Johnson Space Center Intern
June - August 2018 • Houston, TX
What I liked
I loved metting people from all over the world with similar interest and how much I learned during my experience with NASA. My internship inspired academic , personal and professional growth.
What I wish was different
I wish that I had more time off before going back to classes to ensure a smoother transition.
Advice
Communicate with your peers during challenging times because who never know who can relate to you.
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NASA GSFC Intern
June - August 2018 • Greenbelt, MD
What I liked
Very laid-back environment relative to the ground-breaking science that is being done every day. Everyone is doing something incredibly interesting and very open to talking about their work unless it happens to be sensitive information.
What I wish was different
Nothing. It was pretty much ideal for me.
Advice
Work hard but also do spend time getting to know your mentor's coworkers, friends, and other staff. You may be employed to participate in research of a project but you are there first and foremost for the learning experience, so go to colloquiums, presentations, and such. However, don't feel the need to also go to departmental meetings. They are mostly a formality thanks to government bureaucracy, so avoiding the non-mandatory ones would be in your best interest.
