NOAA Experiential Research and Training Opportunities (NERTOs)

NOAA Experiential Research and Training Opportunities (NERTOs) are graduate internships in residence at NOAA facilities. The Cooperative Science Center awards require Centers to provide support for all Center-supported graduate students to complete a NERTO. All graduate students supported by EPP Cooperative Science Centers must complete NERTOs, which are undertaken after a comprehensive application and review process. A NERTO duration is a minimum of 12 contiguous weeks and may not exceed one year. During their NERTOs, graduate students learn about the agency firsthand and gain real-world training with the guidance of a NOAA mentor. NERTOs provide value to both the NOAA host offices and the students and foster connections between NOAA and the Center institutions.

NERTOs are a win-win opportunity for NOAA and Center-supported students

Benefits for NOAA host office:

  • Access to a pool of talent to advance mission critical research and operations.
  • Introduction of new ideas and research questions.
  • Gain publications from NERTO projects.
  • Work with and help train potential candidates for future workforce.

Benefits for Center-supported students:

  • Learn technical skills and understand NOAA’s organizational culture.
  • Apply academic training to real-world problems and challenges.
  • Create a network for future academic and career success.
  • Successful NERTO graduate interns are eligible to be candidates for federal employment through direct hire under the Conservation Corps Act (CCA) authority.

Key NERTO elements:

  • The NERTO occurs on-site at a NOAA facility. The NERTO graduate internship is not remote or virtual.
  • NERTOs must be at least 12 contiguous weeks and may not exceed one year.
  • All internship projects must be aligned with NOAA’s mission and appropriately complex for a graduate student.

Process for establishing a NERTO

This is the general process for establishing a NERTO. For more details, see our FAQs for mentors, FAQs for students, and NERTO protocol at a glance (PDF, 114 KB).

  1. The NOAA mentor creates an internship opportunity, includes "for EPP CSC student" in the title, and submits the project via the Student Scholarship Internship Opportunity (SSIO) database for approval by the EPP Program Office.
  2. The Cooperative Science Center Director submits a student’s complete internship application package to the EPP Program Office (oed.epp10@noaa.gov).
  3. The EPP Program Office reviews the application package and either sends the application to the hosting mentor or returns it to the Center Director for revision. 
  4. The NOAA mentor submits a signed offer letter to the EPP Program Office (oed.epp10@noaa.gov) on NOAA letterhead. The letter should include logistics, responsibilities, and expectations of outputs and outcomes. 
  5. The EPP Program Office reviews the offer letter and either sends the letter to the Center Director or returns it to the NOAA mentor for revision. 
  6. The Center director submits a student’s acceptance letter to the EPP Program Office no less than five weeks before the internship start date. The letter must be written and signed by the student and addressed to the NOAA mentor.
  7. The EPP Program Office transmits the acceptance letter to the NOAA mentor.
  8. The EPP Center student, distinguished research scientist, academic advisor, and hosting NOAA mentor collaboratively develop an internship plan that covers the duration of the specific project. The plan must be submitted to the EPP Program Office no later than one week before the student starts their NERTO internship.
  9. The NOAA mentor will facilitate the student’s onboarding through their office or lab structure. This includes access to the facility, network access, and a functional workspace.
  10. The intern submits the results in a Final NERTO Report and completes a presentation in the NOAA Seminar Series.

NERTO protocol at a glance (PDF, 114 KB)

This document provides a quick reference of the NERTO protocol.

NERTOs by NOAA office

NOAA Line or Staff Office

Number of NERTOs*

NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) 

101

NOAA Research (OAR)

95

National Ocean Service (NOS)

56

National Weather Service (NWS)

39

National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS)

35

NOAA Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs (OLIO)  

5

Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO)

3
Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCIO) 1

*Includes completed NERTOs as of 12/31/2024

Contact information: 

If you have questions about NERTOs, please contact the NOAA EPP/MSI Program Office at oed.epp10@noaa.gov.