Internships

Program Description

VFP provides 10-week summer hands-on research experiences at Fermilab for faculty and student teams from community colleges and four-year institutions historically underrepresented in the research community. Faculty applicants must submit a research project proposal co-developed with Fermilab staff. Faculty are able to invite eligible students to accompany them to the VFP Program.

This program, sponsored by the Department of Energy Office of Science, aims to provide faculty with a competitive edge when applying for federal research funding.

Further program information

Eligibility

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of application
• Full-time faculty member at an accredited U.S. college or university historically underrepresented in the U.S. research community
• Full-time faculty member in one of the following disciplines: physics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, materials sciences, computational sciences, or environmental science

Application Procedure

• Online Application
• Current Curriculum Vitae (CV) (Submitted Online)
• Two Letters of Support
• Research Proposal

Internship Details

2026 Summer

• Program Date: June 1, 2026 – August 7, 2026
• Application Period: October 23, 2025 – January 7, 2026, at 5:00pm ET
• Offer Period:  February 4 – April 15, 2026
• Acceptance Period:  February 4 – April 15, 2026
• Housing: Not provided. Local housing information available.
• VFP Faculty Salary: $1,600 per week for 40-hour work week
• Transportation: Paid round-trip airfare, or mileage reimbursement if permanent address is more than 50 miles from host laboratory. Travel by private automobile reimbursed at the current government rate up to $500.00 or the lowest commercial airfare, whichever is lower.
• Location: Onsite work schedule. Fully remote participation not available.

Deliverables

• Oral presentation (strongly encouraged)
• Research Project Report
• Pre-Survey
• Post-Survey