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What kind of internship opportunities should I seek as a Physics major?

I plan on transferring to the University of Central Florida after being enrolled in a state college for a year. I also plan on continuing my education past my bachelors degree and would to hope to get at least my masters. I'm very curious in what kind of internships would improve my chances of getting into other programs and or increase post grad job opportunities. #Job #physics #internships

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Brendan’s Answer

Good morning! My advice would be to try and get research or academic internships. Physics, unlike engineering, is really driven by universities and research. The field of engineering is usual driven by industry. I have my Master's in physics, and I was able to find a number of internships through the government when I was an undergraduate. They put me in a department of energy internship at the Princeton plasma physics lab. Check out the department of energy webpage, the national science foundation and department of defense. Those should all have some information about internships. Also, talk to your physics department administrator. They should be able to point you towards more academic or research opportunities. Those sorts of internships look really good when you apply to grad school and will help you figure out what kind of physics you like to do. Plus, it'll signal your physics department at your home school that you're serious about physics. They might have opportunities in your own department you can pursue during the school year.
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Sarah’s Answer

There are TONS of internships available within STEM. Sometimes, it's even valuable to do a cross-functional internship like a physics student creating electrical test software. I was a physics major with intent to get a second engineering major. I tried to get experience in government research (e.g. DOE), university research/teaching, and private industry.
For government research, the Department of Energy has loads of internships for all levels (undergrad - post-grad). You can find a list of them here: https://www.energy.gov/eere/education/internships-fellowships-graduate-and-postdoctoral-opportunities
I did a SULI (https://science.osti.gov/wdts/suli) in the summer after my sophomore year. You will want to apply for these during Christmas break at the latest.
University research can be done during the school year through your university. Each university has different rules about who can do research. Talk to professors about mentorship opportunities or tutoring.
To find internships in private industry, look for opportunities nearby and ask your professors if there is anyone in their network seeking an intern. There are also likely to be job fairs at your university where industry recruiters are looking specifically for interns.
Any internship is going make you more marketable: for other internships, jobs, doctoral programs, etc. The main thing you'll learn is what type of environment you want to work in, the types of physics that interest you, and even if physics is the right thing for you. I switched from physics & engineering to software because of an internship.
Your University's Career Center should also have great resources for finding other internships (international ones are a great option for travel), creating a resume, and anything else you need to land that internship.
Good Luck!
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