Work & Internship Opportunities

In addition to offering ways to help you fund your own research, Northern Arizona University presents many opportunities to participate in full-scale research projects across campus and beyond. These experiences give you an advantage, adding practical knowledge to a theoretical foundation. Why flip burgers when you could be gaining experience in your field?

Here are just a few of the many jobs and internships available:

• NASA Space Grant Undergraduate Research Internship Program
  Undergraduate students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy participate in mentor-guided research internships in leading-edge scientific programs. A great enhancement to classroom education, these internships contribute to the development of technically informed, aware, and sensitive students—essential to the success of U.S. space endeavors as well as to broader national priorities. Students present their findings at an annual symposium. (more info)
• Internships at the Center for
  Environmental Sciences and Education
  The CESE considers hands-on education an integral part of the undergraduate experience, and each student participates in supervised fieldwork or research. Students receive academic credit for an internship in an off-campus setting. (more info)
• College of Engineering & Natural Sciences Internships
  In the summer of 2005, more than 100 engineering and construction management students worked in summer internships. They had great opportunities to learn engineering and business practices in their field, and they earned money to help pay for their education. (more info)
• Navajo Nation Archaeology Department (NNAD)
  The Navajo Nation and the university have teamed up to conduct archaeological research in the Southwest. NNAD focuses on training students involved in projects so they gain a familiarity with all aspects of archaeology and anthropology. Students participate in data recovery, survey work, data entry, analysis of data, and report writing. Students also attend research conferences, career fairs, and field research presentations. (more info)
• National Science Foundation Research Experiences
  for Undergraduates (NSF-REU)
  The NSF-REU program provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to participate in intensive research. Each student in the program is paired with a faculty research mentor for ongoing research projects. Many fields are involved in NSF-REU programs, such as neurobiology and behavior, mathematics, astronomy, and environmental sciences. (more info)
• The Internship Co-op Council
  The Internship Co-op Council serves as a central resource, with the goal of increasing awareness of internship opportunities, serving as a professional development venue, and providing a central location for information sharing. While many internship programs already exist in academic departments, the ICC is always open to exploring new ideas for your own unique internship experience. (more info)

“I am honored to be part of the NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program. I was deemed uniquely qualified for a position with the first ZERO-G Crew! The ZERO-G Corporation is Earth’s first spaceline and is a huge step towards my dream for public space flight. Thank you for your excellent support during my education at NAU.”
—Lila Engle, Physics & Astronomy and Mathematics, Volcano, HI

“I was just offered the archaeologist position with the Ak-Chin Community and am so excited. I will have the chance to continue doing archaeology and also do other cultural preservation projects with them. I’ve learned so much starting at NAU and then with you in Peru [on the NSF-supported Moche Foodways Archaeological Project]. Two years after returning from my experience in the field in Peru, I still talk about it almost daily with someone. So, thank you for that opportunity.”
—Heather Louis, Anthropology, Prescott, AZ