College & Career Resources

Interested in Launching a Space Career?

We are living in an exciting new era of space exploration when ideas once considered the realm of science fiction are becoming reality. With the quickening pace of technology, the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers will unlock mysteries of our solar system, travel to the Moon and Mars, discover Earth-like exoplanets, and peer deeper into the universe than ever before. Forging a path in this rapidly evolving world doesn’t have to be rocket science. Scroll on to explore some of the many opportunities that can help you launch a space exploration career.

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Hawaii Space Flight Lab students pose with their cube satellite.

Photo: Students at the Hawai‘i Space Flight Laboratory design, build, launch, and operate micro-satellites. Photo: HSFL

Local Space Programs & Internships

UH Mānoa Aerospace Engineering Program

UH Mānoa offers an Aerospace Engineering program through its College of Engineering. Program courses include applied aeronautics, astronautics, and astrodynamics. Participating students have opportunities to build and launch rockets and microsatellites.

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Akamai Workforce Initiative

The Akamai Internship is a nationally recognized, 10-week summer STEM experience for college students. The program offers hands-on work opportunities at a local observatory, company, or science/technical facility. Undergraduates attending a college in Hawaiʻi and majoring in engineering, computer science, astronomy, physics, and other STEM fields are eligible to apply.

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Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory

The Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory is a multidisciplinary research and education center at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. HSFL provides workforce training in all aspects of unmanned space exploration missions.

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Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES)

PISCES is an aerospace research and education program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. The program offer hands-on internship projects in robotics, engineering, computer science, geology, and materials science.

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Hawaii Space Grant Consortium

The Hawai‘i Space Grant Consortium (HSGC) is a NASA-supported educational program to inspire, train, and support future space scientists, engineers, and educators through research and public service. Students enrolled at any University of Hawai‘i campus are eligible to apply.

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Maunakea Scholars Program

Maunakea Scholars is an innovative astronomy education program led by the Maunakea Observatories. The program provides aspiring high school students with hands-on research opportunities using Hawaiʻi’s world-class observatories.

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National Space Programs & Internships

UC Santa Cruz Science Internship Program

The UC Santa Cruz Science Internship is a 10-week summer program for high school students. Students engage in real research projects in a variety of STEM fields with mentorship from UC Santa Cruz instructors. The program can be attended remotely, in-person, or a hybrid of both. Partial and full need-based scholarships are available.

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NASA Internships

NASA offers a variety of paid internships for high school and college-level students to contribute to real space projects under the mentorship of NASA experts. The internships include pathways for students and recent graduates who want to land full-time employment at NASA. NASA also offers fellowships for graduate students to pursue research aligning with NASA priorities.

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JPL Summer Internship

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California offers full-time internships in May and June to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing STEM degrees. Interns gain hands-on experience and contribute to real space missions under the guidance of JPL scientists and engineers. The program includes access to tours, lectures, and career guidance resources.
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JPL Visiting Student Research Program

The Visiting Student Research Program is a fellowship offered to college students pursuing a project in alignment with NASA JPL’s. To be eligible, student projects must already be funded by a third party outside NASA.
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MINDS

NASA MINDS (Minority University Research and Education Project Innovative New Designs for Space) is a NASA program that provides funding and hands-on learning opportunities for undergraduate teams at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to design and build technologies supporting the Artemis mission.

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Community College Aerospace Scholars

NASA’s Community College Aerospace Scholars program offers hands-on internships to community college students seeking a 2-year degree in STEM. Participants learn about NASA missions and research while developing their skills, talent, and interest in a STEM career.
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NASA Science Mission Directorate: Learner Opportunities

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate offers a broad variety of internship and fellowship opportunities for high school and college students interested in STEM.
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Community & Networking

EMER-GEN Program

EMER-GEN is an annual program designed for young professionals and students who are passionate about space careers. Part of the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference, the program includes:

  • Mentoring from advisors in industry, government, academia and NGOs
  • Networking with other young professionals
  • Technical short courses led by specialists
  • Professional development sessions

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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

AIAA is the world’s largest technical society dedicated to aerospace careers around the globe. Membership is available free to high school students; college students pay a fee. Membership in the organization includes:

  • Access to activities, competitions, and scholarships promoting STEM
  • Find mentors
  • Opportunities to present research papers
  • Access to career center, webinars and workshops
  • Networking with community of peers
  • Subscription to Aerospace America

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American Astronomical Society (AAS)

AAS is thelargest North American organization of astronomers and includes members from all fields in the astronomical sciences including physics, math, geology, engineering and others. Students with membership receive publishing opportunities and exclusive content, astronomy job listings, career development opportunities, and access to AAS meetings.
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Scholarships

AIAA Foundation

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) offers annual scholarships to eligible college students who are majoring in science or engineering.
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Universities Space Research Association (USRA)

The USRA scholarship program supports undergraduates who aspire to be future leaders in space science and aerospace engineering.
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