Geology Internships and Jobs

We encourage you to meet with your faculty advisor to discuss your career interests in geology. Ask them about internships and REUs in your area of interest! 

Internships are an excellent way to gain relevant experience working for an organization in the field of your interest. It’s also a way to assess if your field of interest is the right career path for you and to identify skills or areas of of focus you'd like to further develop. 

Many internships will assign tasks directly related to the company's products and projects. Some internships are paid, and some offer a pathway to become a permanent employee after you graduate or after you fulfill the internship term.

Internships are valuable experiences to highlight on your resume. Another benefit is coming away with a list of reliable references for your first job or for graduate school applications.  

Organization

Description 
Environment for the Americas

Environment for the Americas and its partners are committed to connecting racially and ethnically diverse students with careers in conservation, natural resources, history, and geology. Interns build skills through work with national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, and other sites.
Geothermal Resources Council Provides both scholarships and links to energy-related internships
URISE Summer Internship Program Paid internship program for students interested in geophysics and seismology
Juneau Icefield Program

The Juneau Icefield Program gives students a wide range of training in Earth sciences, wilderness survival, and mountaineering skills, and provide unique opportunities for team building and personal growth.

There are partial scholarships available for this program. Applications deadlines are on or around February 9th.
Los Alamos National Laboratory Undergraduate Student Program This year-round paid internship program provides students with relevant research experience while they pursue an undergraduate degree.
Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE)/University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) MATE/UNOLS offers at-sea and land-based marine technical internship opportunities for college students. 
Mosaics in Science (MIS) Diversity Internship Program MIS provides college students and recent graduates 18-35 years old that are under-represented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) career fields with on-the-ground, natural resource science-based, work experience in the National Park System.
NASA Pathway Internships The Pathways Internship Program prepares you for a career at NASA and offers a direct pipeline to full-time employment at NASA upon graduation.
NASA Internship Programs NASA internship programs beyond the Pathway Internships and fellowships for graduate students
NOAA Bill Lapenta Internship The NOAA Bill Lapenta Internship Program is a 10-week long opportunity open to U.S. citizens who are sophomore or junior undergraduates, or in a graduate program. Students are matched with NOAA mentors and study a breadth of work from modelling and programming, to new data analysis techniques, and the incorporation of social science to communicate science.
NOAA Ocean Exploration Explorer-in-Training Internship The Explorer-in-Training Program equips undergraduate and graduate students with skills to meet the current and future demands of the ocean exploration workforce.
Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS - via University Corporation for Atmospheric Research) SOARS is an undergraduate-to-graduate bridge program designed to broaden participation of historically underrepresented communities in the atmospheric and related sciences. SOARS Protégés can participate for up to four (4) summers conducting research in atmospheric and earth-system sciences. Financial support is available for research, conference travel and undergrad/grad school funding.
Student Conservation Association (SCA) SCA interns are placed individually with a partner agency. Internships range from 3 to 12 months.
Research Experiences in Solid Earth Sciences for Students (RESESS, hosted by UNAVCO) RESESS is a research-focused undergraduate summer internship and support program in the Earth Sciences based in Boulder, CO, dedicated to increasing diversity in the geosciences. Students are introduced to scientific research, receive mentoring support, and are prepared for graduate school and professional careers in Earth science.
UNAVCO Student Internship Program (USIP) The USIP internship offers real-world work experience for undergraduate and graduate students relative to their academic and career goals. Interns gain experience working in a non-profit organization that facilitates geoscience research and education.
Unidata- Data Services and Tools for Geoscience The Unidata Summer Internship program offers graduate students and upper-level undergraduates the opportunity to work closely with Unidata’s professional staff on projects. Interns learn about building skill with modern software development processes, learn about data-enabled geoscience, and gain experience working in a community-based organization supporting Earth Science research and education.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Pathways Program

The USGS Internship Program provides students opportunity to be paid to work in agencies and explore Federal Careers while still in school.

Find internship openings on USAJOBS
Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP) PEP is a 10-week mentored research internship for primarily juniors and seniors from underrepresented groups who are majoring in the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics or geosciences and earth system sciences). Students will gain practical experience in marine and environmental science.

Internships and REUs are terms used interchangeable at times; both are excellent experiences to add to your resume when applying to graduate programs or jobs. REUs focus on specific research projects and themes, are hosted by universities and institutions, and almost all REUs are paid.

Are you an undergraduate interested in going to grad school ? If your answer is yes, then REUs, Research Experiences for Undergraduates, may be a good fit for you. REU participants have reported that their experience prepared them for the research expectations of graduate school. The REU Sites program is funded by the National Science Foundation and consists of a cohort of students working on a specific research project hosted by institutions across the country. REUs allow students to work closely with faculty, other researchers and students with similar interests. In addition to gaining valuable research experience, an REU is a great way to expand your network and establish contacts for future letters of recommendation.

Browse REU Programs and Sites on the following websites: 

Coming soon!

More Resources

Navigating a Federal Career in Public Lands by Ricardo Escobar (Geology MS, 2016)

Ricardo sits patiently next to a ferret outdoors, cage under his arm

WWU Career Services Center

Need help finding an internship or applying for jobs? Visit the WWU Career Services Center in Old Main 280 to meet with a career counselor, receive grad school advising, get help with resumes and cover letters, and more! 

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The WWU Career Services Center now offers Handshake, a platform that connects Western students and alumni with employers.

Discover jobs and internships on Handshake today!