NSF GRIP Student Tanya Rogers assisted with a Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey aboard the Reuben Lasker during her internship with the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center in Santa Cruz, CA. (Credit: Tanya Rogers)

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The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Internship Program (GRIP) provides NSF graduate fellows and graduate students supported by grants funded by NSF's Geosciences Directorate with internship opportunities at federal facilities. Here at NOAA, GRIP interns can grow professionally and build their network with a rewarding research experience.

GRIP interns will receive mentoring from our world class scientists, while supporting the agency's mission of science, service and stewardship. Fellows will conduct research to advance our understanding of and ability to anticipate changes in the Earth’s environment, and improve society’s ability to make scientifically informed decisions. NOAA is pleased to collaborate with NSF and other federal agencies to provide internship opportunities through GRIP.

NSF Graduate Education Forumoffsite link

Background Information on NSF's GRIP Program

NSF's Division of Graduate Education established the Graduate Research Internship Program (GRIP) to provide professional development to NSF Graduate Research Fellows through internships developed in partnership with federal agencies (see the GRIP website for a current list of partner agencies). Through this initiative, NSF Graduate Fellows will participate in mission-related, collaborative research under the guidance of host research mentors at Federal facilities and national laboratories. The internship experiences will support Fellows with developing expertise in critical STEM areas, enhancing professional skills, developing networks, and preparing for a wide array of career options. The sponsor agencies will benefit by engaging Fellows in mission-critical projects, helping to develop a highly skilled U.S. workforce in areas of national need.

GRIP is a three-year pilot program for NSF and Partner Agencies. Please note that the information presented is current at the time of publishing. See GRIP website for any program updates.

Prospective Mentors:

To submit a new NOAA GRIP opportunity, visit the Student Scholarship Internship Opportunity (SSIO) online system. Be sure to specify that the opportunity is for graduate students.

For additional information on hosting GRIP students at NOAA, please see slides from a recent webinar held in collaboration with NSF. 

Eligibility

This program is open to: 

• Recipients of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
• U.S. graduate students supported on active research grants funded by NSF's Directorate for Geosciences

Timeline for applicants:

• GRIP is announced to Fellows and GRFP Institutions. Fellows review available GRIP opportunities on agency websites and may contact possible host researchers to develop their applications.
• Fellows submit GRIP applications through the GRFP FastLane module, adhering to the NSF submission guidelines specified in this Dear Colleague Letter and any agency-specific deadlines.
• GRFP Coordinating Officials approve the Fellow applications in the GRFP FastLane module.
• GRIP applications are reviewed internally by NSF and by the sponsoring agency.
• Internship awards provided to successful applicants as part of the summer or fall GRFP funding increment.

About NOAA GRIP Internship Opportunities

Current available internships at NOAA range from 3 to 12 months in duration (see table).

The following GRIP opportunities are available across NOAA. Follow application instructions from NSF's GRIP page for any of the following NOAA GRIP internship positions:

GRIP INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT NOAA

NOAA LINE OFFICES

• National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)
• National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
• National Ocean Service (NOS)
• National Weather Service (NWS)
• Office of Marine & Aviation Operations (OMAO)
• Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)

Application Process

Students who have been notified of the NSF fellowship award can subsequently apply for the NOAA Internship positions via NSF's Graduate Research Internship Program.

Application Submission Timelines

There are two target dates for GRIP application submission: December and May. Applications will be submitted through the "GRFP Additional Funding Opportunities" link in the GRIP FastLane module. The review, selection, and placement process is anticipated to take a minimum of six months. Therefore, Fellows are encouraged to refer to the table below for submission timelines.