STEM Internships

What are Internships? 

Why are Internships Important? 

What Will You Need to Apply for Internships? 

  1. Resume  

    1. ​​The OC Career Center offers Resume Clinic Workshops for students throughout the year, and students can also schedule an appointment with the Job Placement Specialist. Email occareer@vcccd.edu with any questions. 

  2. Statement of Interest 
    1. This is not a time to be modest. Be sure to cover the following: 

      • Who you are 

      • Why you want the internship: What you hope to learn, personally and professionally & how this experience  will help you 

      • Why you are the best candidate: What skills, talents, and traits you have that set you apart

    2. Review before submitting: Have someone read it out loud to you. Ask a faculty member, the Career Center, and/or WRTC tutors for feedback
    3. Many applications will ask similar questions. It’s okay to reuse and adapt the same statement of interest or PIQs for different internships 
  3. Letters of Recommendation 

    1. Go to office hours, participate in class, and make relationships with faculty. This will make it much easier to ask them for a letter of recommendation when needed. Provide them with your resume, information about where you’re applying, the deadline, and how to turn it in. Be sure to ask a few weeks in advance to give them adequate time to write a well-written letter.  

STEM Internship Search Engines 

The National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) 

  • Paid 8–10-week summer internship at universities and colleges across the country in all areas of STEM and Social Sciences 
  • Must be US Citizen/Permanent Resident 
  • Benefits: Receive $5,000-$6,000, housing, and travel to/from site 
  • Work closely with faculty members, graduate students, postdoctoral mentors, and program coordinator 
  • Participate in professional development workshops. Present final research project at poster session and oral symposium 
  • Applications usually due each year at the end of January to mid-February 

Pathways to Science  

  • Browse 600+ different summer research experiences for undergraduates (REU) and paid internships, programs that encourage community college applicants 
  • How to find and apply to programs 

Handshake 

  • Oxnard College’s online job board 

Spotlighted Internships 

  1. NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) 
  2. Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP) 

  3. UCSB Quantum Foundry 

  4. UCSB Smithsonian Scholars 

  5. National Park Service's Mosaics in Science

  6. Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Internship Program

Additional Internship Opportunities