INTERN FOR THE FLC!

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the FLC’s host agency, is bringing its Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program back for the summer of 2026. Students interested in technology transfer-adjacent paths should apply for this opportunity and choose the FLC as its first or second choice!

In 2025, the FLC welcomed two SURF interns for the summer. They worked on several projects for multiple FLC teams, including authoring “Labs in Action” success stories and updating the organization’s email database.

The topic of the 2026 FLC project will be “Promoting the Development of Federal Technologies.” This SURF opportunity may entail writing successful promotional materials for public consumption. Candidates should have proficiency in science and writing, as the selected candidate will conduct a small research project on federal technology development and/or the benefits of commercializing federal technologies, among other duties.

Several NIST-affiliated laboratories and organizations have openings for SURF interns. Due to the multi-disciplinary nature of NIST’s research, applicants should explore all NIST laboratories and SURF research opportunities. For example, a computer science student might find opportunities in labs other than the logical choice of the Information Technology Laboratory.

SURF program applications are due on Jan. 26, 2026. All positions are paid. Get started on the application here. General SURF application tips from NIST here.