NSWCDD offers a variety of student programs that provide exceptional students the chance to acquire real work experience at one of the Navy’s premier research, development, testing, and evaluation facilities. Initiatives vary in terms of duration and focus, and are available to participants ranging from high school to full-time college students. The blend of academic study and work experience available through these programs places participants on the cutting edge of their field of study and prepares them for full-time careers after graduation.
DON Pathways Internship Program
The Department of Navy Pathways Internship Program was established to provide degree-seeking students with exposure to public service, enhance their educational experience, and possibly provide financial aid to support their educational goals. The program is formally structured to give participants the opportunity to work in positions related to their academic and career goals. Within 120 calendar days after completing the educational and program requirements of Pathways, NSWCDD may non-competitively convert an intern to a career/career-conditional appointment.
Qualifying Requirements
- Must be a US citizen
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student pursuing an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Graduate degree
- Must be taking at least a half-time academic course load as defined by the school in which you attend
- Must be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
Program Highlights
- Paid Internship
- Provides an opportunity to gain work experience directly related to academic fields of study such as Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics or related degrees
- May be eligible for tuition assistance (50% Tuition only paid and $400 book allowance per semester)
- May be eligible for benefits (401k, life and health insurance, paid leave accrual)
- Students who successfully complete the program may be eligible for conversion to a permanent job in the civil service
Initial Pay Setting
Students will be appointment at the grade/band level consistent with their academic progress
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DEMO PP/GR
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Salary equivalent
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Level of Education
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ND-01
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GS-02 step 10
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Completion of high school or GED diploma (29 credit hrs. completed or less)
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ND-01
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GS-03 step 10
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Completion of 1 full academic year of post-high school study (30-59 credit hrs. completed)
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ND-01
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GS-04 step 10
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Completion of 2 full academic years of post-high school student or an associate's degree (60+ credit hrs. completed)
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ND-02
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GS-05 step 10
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Completion of 4 academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor's or equivalent degree (120 credit hrs. completed)
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ND-02
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Default starting salary of the applicable ND-02 series for a new hire
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Completion of a bachelor's degree, with acceptance to or currently enrolled in a Master's program
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ND-03
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Default starting salary of the applicable ND-03 series for a new hire
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Completion of a master's degree, with acceptance to or currently enrolled in a PhD program
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How to Apply
To apply for the Pathways Internship Program, go to www.usajobs.gov and use “Pathways” as your Keyword. Enter your desired location (“Dahlgren, Virginia” or “Virginia Beach, Virginia”). This search criterion will pull up all Pathways announcements at the specified location. Please note, there may be multiple federal activities in a given location. The agency for NSWCDD vacancies will be “Naval Sea Systems Command.”
For more detailed information about this program, visit the Office of Personnel Management Pathways Internship website .
Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program
The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program has been established by the Department of Defense (DoD) to support undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students pursuing degrees science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Selected students receive a full academic scholarship and the opportunity to continue their research as civilian employees at a DoD laboratory after graduation.
Program Requirements
- Must be a U.S. citizen at time of application
- 18 years of age or older
- Willing to accept post-graduate employment with the DoD
- A student in good standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in one of the disciplines listed on the SMART website.
Program Highlights
- Full tuition and education related fees (does not include items such as meal plans, housing, or parking)
- Stipend paid at a rate of $25,000 - $38,000 depending on degree pursuing (may be prorated depending on award length)
- Paid summer internships
- Health Insurance allowance up to $1,200 per calendar year
- Miscellaneous Supplies Allowance of $1,000 per academic year
- Mentoring
- Employment placement after graduation
How to Apply
Interested students should visit the SMART website for details and application procedures.
Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program (NREIP)
The Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program (NREIP) is a ten-week summer internship program designed to provide undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to participate in guided research at a Navy laboratory.
The goals of NREIP are to encourage students to pursue science and engineering careers, to further education via mentoring by laboratory personnel and research participation, and to make students aware of research and development careers available with the Department of Navy.
NREIP provides competitive research internships to approximately 275 college students (200 undergraduate students and 75 graduate students) each year. Participants will be selected based upon academic achievement, personal statements, recommendations, and their career and research interests.
Program Requirements
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Students must be college Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, or Graduate students to apply
Program Highlights
- 10 week summer program
- Sophomores receive $5,400.00
- Juniors and Seniors receive $8,100.00
- Graduate students will receive $10,800.00
How to Apply
Interested students should visit the NREIP website for details and application procedures.
Science and Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP)
The Science and Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP) is a Department of Navy program designed to give high school students interested in science and engineering disciplines exposure to real-world laboratory research. Apprentices are competitively selected and assigned to a participating laboratory to pursue scientific experiences with a scientist or engineer who mentors the student for eight continuous summer weeks.
Program Requirements
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must have completed at least Grade 9. Graduating seniors are eligible to apply
Program Highlights
- 8 week summer program
- Returning students receive a $3,800 stipend
- New students receive a $3,300 stipend
- Depending on the research topic a 15 year old may be considered at this lab
- Each student must secure their own transportation. Due to the secure nature of the Naval Facility, individuals without access will not be permitted on base. Therefore, students must be able to drive themselves or carpool to work with someone with base access.
- Students are encouraged to take advantage of the "Interests" section of the SEAP applications. This field allows you to specify your areas of interest within science and/or engineering
How to Apply
Interested students should visit the SEAP website for details and application procedures.
Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) for College Students with Disabilities
Coordinated by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Defense, the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers with highly motivated postsecondary students with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.
Program Requirements
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must be a current, full-time ungraduated or graduate student with a disability
- Individuals who have graduated within one year of the release of the database each December, are also eligible to apply
- MUST provide appropriate documentation to demonstrate Schedule A eligibility. For information regarding Schedule A, see the Department of Labor Schedule A Fact Sheet.
Program Highlights
- 14 week summer program
- Program begins May and must end no later than 30 September
- Paid salary based on completion of academic semester hours and work experience at the time of the job offer
- Interviewing takes place in the Fall each year
How to Apply
For more detailed information about this program, visit the WRP website.
To apply, contact the disability services or career services coordinator at your school and ask them to contact the WRP Coordinator at wrp@dol.gov. Please understand that NSWCDD works directly with college coordinators, and cannot respond to inquiries from individuals.