Interstellar Experiences of NASA Interns

Remember: Applications for summer 2025 are due by Friday, Feb. 28 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

We’ve rounded up a collection of 100 summer internships with NASA that might have flown under your radar. From teaching the next generation about the future of flight as an Aeronautics Educator Intern, to modernizing the Arc Jet Complex where NASA tests spacecraft heatshields, to supporting NASA’s James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes in modeling atmospheres beyond our Solar System, NASA offers internships for a wide variety of interests. With less than a week left to apply for these summer 2025 NASA internships, make sure to get your applications in soon!

1. Head to stemgateway.nasa.gov and log in or create an account.
2. Copy and paste the six-digit unique ID number for a role from the list below into the search bar.
3. Review the specific details of the opportunity to see if you’d be a good fit.
4. If interested, click the large “apply” button in the top right of the position listing.
5. (You can apply to more than one opportunity!)

List of Opportunities:

It’s National Engineers Week! At NASA, we’re always seeking new talent to join us as engineers. Engineers solve problems and make great ideas become reality.

To help launch your career in engineering, we’ve assembled this list of current NASA internship openings that are recruiting engineers! Remember, these summer 2025 internships close Friday, Feb. 28.

1. Head to stemgateway.nasa.gov and log in or create an account.
2. Copy and paste the six-digit unique ID number for a role from the list below into the search bar.
3. Review the specific details of the opportunity to see if you’d be a good fit.
4. If interested, click the large “apply” button in the top right of the position listing.
5. (You can apply to more than one opportunity!)

Additional Resources:

Not sure which engineering fields you’d be interested in? Check out our feature breaking down What Type of Engineering is Right for You. Plus, check out NASA STEM for resources fit for all ages to help prepare you for a career in the STEM workforce.

The first words spoken by Tara Roanhorse at her NASA internship were in Navajo: “Yá’át’ééh shík’éí dóó shídiné’é, shí ei Tara Roanhorse dashijiní. Bítsiigha’ Łichí’í Diné’é Bilagáaná níshłǫ́ǫ, Tsi’naajinii  báshíshchíín. Áádóó índá Bítsiigha’ Łichí’í Diné’é Bilagáaná  eí dashicheii, áádóó Tó Dích’íi’nii dashínálí. Ákót’éego Diné níshłį́į dóó Kimberling City, Missouri hóólyéédę́ę́’ naashá. Ákót’éego nihich’į’ ádééhósiszįįd dooleeł dííshjį́. Ahéhee’!” A traditional greeting, “Hello my friends and my relations, my name is Tara Roanhorse. I am of Irish heritage, born for the black streak wooded people. My maternal grandfather is of Irish heritage and my paternal grandfather is of the bitter water people. I am from Kimberling City, Missouri. In this way, I am a Navajo woman. Thank you!”

As an intern in NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, Tara is responsible for helping to reach audiences via social media to get NASA STEM resources into as many hands as possible and ensure potential interns know there is space for them at NASA. Since the beginning, she’s been led by her Native heritage; as a Diné woman, she’s familiar with what it means to feel like an outsider. “Indigenous people and women aren’t very represented in STEM spaces, so it felt like a long shot when I applied,” said Roanhorse. “Aside from my time at my Tribal University, I’m often the only Indigenous person in the room.”

As a STEM Communications intern, Tara shares that her work “includes writing blogs about current and former interns, creating content for the Internships social media accounts and providing support for the NASA STEM social media accounts, and supporting wherever I can with helping to create engaging and informative content across my team. I really enjoy being able to create things that help put STEM in people’s hands in a way that they can understand.There are so many great resources out there for kids, adults, tribes, and schools that haven’t traditionally been so accessible, so my personal goal is to help everyone be able to access the work that’s being done.”

Although now a familiar face at NASA, Tara had her doubts: “Growing up I was always interested in science and technology but wasn’t always the best at practicing it, but I was good at explaining things to people! That’s why, when I returned to get my college education in my early twenties, I knew STEM communications was something that I wanted to do,” said Roanhorse.

NASA’s missions are strengthened by the diversity of worldviews of its workforce. According to Tara, “my heritage and culture have provided a different lens through which to see the work that’s being done. My tribe has a holistic and ordered worldview; everything is interrelated and enfolded into the whole.”

Now having led campaigns that have reached audiences in the tens of millions, and supported collaborations with the likes of Megan Thee Stallion, Roanhorse shares some of her advice for others: “Be willing to try something new and scary. Every day, I get the chance to do something different, expanding my knowledge in the best possible ways. And while imposter syndrome is so real, you were meant for great things–you are your ancestor’s wildest dreams come true. No one else has the experiences, outlook, or ideas as you. You are unique, and you have something to contribute to the world and to NASA’s missions.”

If you’re interested in carving your own path like Tara, consider applying for NASA’s internship program at intern.nasa.gov.

Evan T. Flatt/NASA Headquarters

As a summer intern at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, Nora Lowe played a role in supporting NASA’s upcoming flagship mission, the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope. This project is a NASA observatory designed to investigate inquiries about dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics. Lowe was tasked with assisting in the reporting and publicizing of the telescope’s developmental milestones. Her responsibilities included copywriting stories, social media writing, and editing.

“I was lucky enough to stumble upon NASA Goddard’s Science Journalism, Multimedia, and Social Media Internships through the NASA STEM Gateway website,” Lowe recalled. “The role description explained that interns will gain on-the-job experience with a leading team of writers and multimedia producers to create and share content from NASA’s science missions. It was perfectly suited to my career goals.”

Lowe’s internship was not her first experience with NASA. As a high school sophomore, Lowe applied to a NASA-sponsored competition to name the Mars rover later named Perseverance. She named her submission after an animal known for its resilience and ability to survive environmental extremes, which she felt was fitting for a Mars Rover. While her submission was not chosen, she was grateful for the chance to interact with the agency at a young age.

“It progressed past some rounds of review, but was not selected, which I’m ultimately grateful for, because it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. The engineers ultimately etched the 155 semifinalist essays onto silicon chips to launch up with the rover, so my words ended up on the Red Planet nonetheless! That was my first interaction with NASA, and it was so formative that I vowed it wouldn’t be my last.”

Navigating the complexities of interviewing subject matter experts proved to be a challenge for Lowe, especially within the NASA environment. Lowe turned to her mentors, Science Writer Ashley Balzer and Social Media Lead Courtney Lee, for help. Their expert guidance played a crucial role in easing Lowe’s nerves and enhancing her ability to engage effectively with NASA’s scientific elite.

“Having one-on-one conversations with acclaimed scientists was honestly intimidating,” Lowe said. “It took careful practice, such as conducting several mock interviews with my mentors to feel more at ease when doing the real thing.”

Benefiting from her practice with her mentors, Lowe reflects on some of her favorite pieces. She produced a piece for “Conversations with Goddard” focused on Melissa Harris, a propulsion engineer working on the Roman telescope. Additionally, she authored several articles highlighting the science within NASA.

“I am especially proud of my article on the handheld spectrometer because of the sheer number of logistics I orchestrated,” she said. “Drafting that article felt like completing a 1,000-piece puzzle. I conducted interviews with seven subjects, the most I’ve done for a single story to date.”

Lowe’s internship served as a pivotal moment for her professional journey. She reflects on the wealth of skills she acquired during her session that paved the way for her to grow as a science writer and a young professional.

“I adopted the concept of ‘familiar novelty,’ as cohort guest speakers and authors Howard Mansfield and Sy Montgomery put it. It’s a delicate balance emphasizing the new and exciting parts of a story while using techniques like analogies to make it understandable or familiar to the reader.”

At NASA, Lowe uncovered a new direction for her future, sparking a passion for government and public work in science communication. Her time at the agency proved transformative, solidifying her career ambitions, and illustrating the profound impact of bridging scientific knowledge with the public.

“This opportunity was a powerful way to solidify my ambitions and aspirations, as well as to demonstrate how working in this field benefits society,” Lowe said. “Everyone deserves to be empowered with an understanding of how the world works, and I admire NASA’s fantastic science writers, who act as vital liaisons between scientists and the general public, for helping make that possible.”

Gracie Glover/NASA Headquarters

You’ve probably interacted with a pop-up virtual agent while shopping online, making reservations, or navigating customer service. These virtual assistants are also a key resource for the over 18,000 civil servants, contractors, and interns at NASA who have human resource questions every day.

That’s where Johnpaul Lopez comes in. Lopez, a computer science and IT student, is interning for NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., as a virtual agent content management intern for the Office of the Chief Human Capitol Officer (OCHCO). His work is integral in embracing and safely integrating AI (Artificial Intelligence) as a platform to serve employees’ needs.

Lopez’s team created a chatbot named NOVA (NASA OCHCO Virtual Agent) designed to help NASA employees get answers to their HR-related questions. It can answer over 60 HR topics, with more to come soon. Every day, Lopez is developing new conversational pathways, revising dialogue flows, conducting AI research, and testing NOVA to make sure its responses are accurate and helpful. Lopez contributes daily to NASA’s goal of incorporating advanced AI-responsive features in the chatbot’s next iteration.

“Joining NASA allows me to be part of the ARTEMIS generation, fostering healthy and exciting relations with fellow interns and mentors I always dreamt to be a part of. Our contributions and mentors pave the path for us to lead the next generation of learners and dreamers,” Lopez shared.

Lopez was born in Humacao, Puerto Rico, a small town on the eastern coast of the island. As a child, he competed in school science competitions, built with Legos, and watched documentaries. When he was a baby, his parents made the decision to move their family to Florida, leaving everyone and everything they knew behind to provide Lopez with more opportunities. Throughout his life, Lopez has held a passion for technology and public service. Now, as a first-generation college student, he aims to be part of something bigger than himself and help others.

“My family came from Puerto Rico to give me the best educational opportunities and life I can have here in Central Florida. Everything that I am and do is because of them! I’m a culmination of their hopes, dreams, sacrifices, and perseverance through it all, and I strive to bring my dreams to life by delivering the best work I can,” said Lopez.

After his internship, Lopez hopes to continue working in a software role and continue advancing in his career while working on his personal side projects. He aims to stay in the STEM community and help others like him know they can intern for NASA too. Lopez wants future interns to know that the work is hard, but it’s worth it, and while everyone’s journeys are different, if you have the right balance of hope, faith, and trust in the process, you can make it, too.

“NASA is more than just rocket science; it’s a collective of individuals from all fields coming together to tell a story reminding society of our spirit of hope and unity,” said Lopez.

Tara Roanhorse/NASA Headquarters

This HBCU Week, Sept. 16-20, NASA is celebrating the contributions of its workforce who attended Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). We’ve put together this social media toolkit to help celebrate our past, present, and future #HBCU interns!

HBCUs have played a crucial role throughout NASA’s history, educating and empowering many talented members of our workforce. Historic figures such as Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary W. Jackson, and Charles “Charlie” Bolden earned their degrees from HBCUs. Show your HBCU pride with the below graphics and hashtags.

Use #NASAInterns or #ArtemisGeneration for a chance to be amplified from the @NASAInternsaccounts.

The provided alt text (alternative text) in posts makes the graphics more accessible to persons with disabilities.

HBCU Week Social Media Graphics

1. Earth’s Auroras – Download Here

2. Cityscapes at Night – Download Here

3. Earth Zoom Out – Download Here

More Ways to Celebrate HBCU Week With NASA

Check out some of these NASA resources and opportunities this HBCU Week:

The Color of Space: This ongoing NASA+ original series highlights and celebrates the incredible lives and accomplishments of Black NASA astronauts, including astronaut Charles Bolden, who was also the 12^th NASA Administrator and an HBCU alumnus.

NASA Internships HBCU Blog: Read the stories of current HBCU interns at NASA. Learn about their contributions to the agency and how their alma maters have supported them to get to where they are today.

HBCU Week Q&A: Join the live Q&A session on the @NASAInternships Instagram account on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. ET. Have your questions answered live by the NASA Internships team!

MITTIC Opportunities: Apply for MITTIC, NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Innovation and Tech Transfer Idea Competition. This Shark Tank-style competition offers students an opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills and a chance to win money while developing technology to benefit all of humanity.

Evan T. Flatt/NASA Headquarters