Opportunities for Undergraduate, Graduate, and Post-Graduate Students

The Human Health and Performance (HH&P) Directorate and the Human Research Program (HRP) offer a wide variety of educational opportunities ranging from short internships to in-depth research fellowships and NASA grants. Depending on your current stage of academic completion, the links below can help you find the best match for your career goals.

College-Level Internships and Apprenticeships

For students interested in NASA internships, the NASA Internship page is a great first step to discover opportunities, apply for internships, and oversee your career development process. Both undergraduate and graduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines will find a wide variety of opportunities to match their field of study. 

All HH&P summer interns are offered participation in the Space Life Sciences Summer Institute (SLSSI) as a way to learn more about what HH&P does and how each of the Divisions work together to achieve common goals. SLSSI offers lectures and tours during June, July and August to expose students to various aspects of human spaceflight. The Institute faculty include NASA scientists, physicians, flight controllers, engineers, managers, and astronauts; and fosters a multi-disciplinary science approach to learning with a particular emphasis on stimulating experimental creativity and innovation within an operational environment. Working with scientists and engineers, this program allows students to be at the forefront of developing solutions to problems in space physiology, environmental health, and medicine; and provides a familiarization of the various aspects of space physiology and environments.  Additionally, the SLSSI provides a Center tour, which includes the Mission Control Center, Building 9 Facility and the Saturn V Complex at Rocket Park. These opportunities give the student a broader perspective of how their work fits into the overall NASA Vision for Exploration and inspire the next generation of explorers…as only NASA can. 

Take it to the Next Level: Co-Ops, Work Programs, and Fellowships

For a truly immersive experience, NASA and HH&P offer cooperative or ‘Co-Op’ programs that combine academic studies with on-the-job training allowing students to work at NASA while completing their education. One such program is the NASA Pathways Co-op Program. Pathways consists of three distinct levels:  the Intern Employment Program (IEP), the Recent Graduates Program (RGP), and the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program. Each level requires progressively higher levels of academic achievement to better match the student’s goals.  

Medical Clerkships and Research Grants

The Aerospace Medicine Clerkship is a four-week opportunity that is offered on a semi-annual basis during the months of April and October at the Johnson Space Center. The clerkship involves formal lectures on space medicine topics and issues, as well as familiarization with the medical aspects of International Space Station (ISS) operations, design and function. Clerkship participants are required to complete a research project and paper in a current focus area of space medicine, which will be presented both orally and written to the JSC Space and Clinical Operations community. 

NASA, and more specifically HRP, also offer a variety of research grants. Since 1989, the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, also known as ‘Space Grant’ has expanded opportunities for Americans to understand and participate in NASA projects by supporting and enhancing science and engineering education, research, and public outreach efforts.