Information for HS-POWER Applicants

The DHS Education Program is an educational and training program designed to provide college students and recent graduates opportunities to participate in project-specific DHS research and developmental activities.

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Currently pursuing an Associate's Degree, Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, or Doctoral Degree.
• Overall GPA: 3.00 at the time of application

Qualifications

In order to be considered, applicants must meet each of the following criteria:

• Be a United States (U.S.) citizen as of the application deadline. Evidence of U.S. citizenship must be submitted to ORISE at the time appointment is accepted.
• Be 18 years of age or older by desired start date.
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale at the time of application.
• Be majoring in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) field with interest in homeland security research as described in the DHS Research Areas. This includes social sciences.

• Be interested in pursuing long-term career goals aligned with the DHS mission and objectives.
• Have the ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance to access hosting facility.
• Meet one of the following conditions:
  • Full-time enrollment as a freshman, sophomore or junior undergraduate student at a U.S. accredited 2-year or 4-year college or university during the current academic year and plans to be enrolled as a student at a U.S. accredited college or university for the upcoming academic term immediately following the appointment.
  • Full-time enrollment as a senior undergraduate student at a U.S. accredited 4-year college or university during the current academic year and plans to be enrolled as a graduate student at a U.S. accredited college or university for the upcoming academic term immediately following the appointment as evidenced by submission of an application to graduate school.
  • Full-time enrollment as a graduate student at a U.S. accredited college or university during the current academic year, and plans to continue enrollment in the upcoming academic term immediately following the appointment.

Additional Information

• In order to be considered, applicants must meet each of the following criteria:

  • For sophomore students enrolled at a 2-year institution during the current academic year: Internship assignment is contingent on the student providing proof of application to a 4-year institution for the following academic year at the time appointment is accepted.
  • For undergraduate seniors graduating in spring or summer prior to a spring or summer appointment, or graduating in summer or fall prior to a fall appointment: Internship assignment is contingent on the student providing proof of application to an accredited graduate institution at the time appointment is accepted.
  • Graduate students with an expected graduation date prior to the Fall term of the upcoming academic year are not eligible for summer appointments.
  • Students must demonstrate interest in research and development of innovative, next-generation homeland security solutions with potential for broad impact that align with the DHS mission to safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values.
  • Ideal candidates will have a demonstrated history of work, undergraduate research experience, or service learning/volunteer roles.

• A completed Zintellect Profile
• A completed Application:

The application includes questions specific to the program addressing each of the following topics:

Personal Narrative: Describe your personal motivation for applying as well as your specific interest in the program.

Career Goals: Describe your career goals and the ways that participation in the program may assist you in accomplishing your goals-include any relevant experience. What do you hope to learn over the course of the appointment that may help you meet your career goals? How does your future career interest align with DHS’s mission to safeguard the American people?

Research Interests and Relevance to DHS Research Areas: Describe how your personal research interests and completed coursework align with DHS research areas. Describe your current research interests, including one or more research questions or problems you would like to pursue. In your essay, attribute words and ideas other than your own to their proper source.

• Transcripts/Academic Records - Unofficial transcripts or copies of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institutional systems may be submitted. Transcripts/Academic records must include name of the academic institution, name of the student, completed/in progress coursework and grades. Documents must have all social security numbers, student identification numbers, and/or dates of birth removed (blanked out, blackened out, made illegible, etc.) prior to uploading into the application system.
• Copies of official transcripts will be required if an appointment is offered to verify enrollment during the Spring term for summer and to verify Spring enrollment for fall appointments.

All documents must be submitted via Zintellect. All application components must be received in the system in order to be considered. For more information, contact us at dhsed@orau.org. 

• Appointments will be for 10-16 consecutive weeks during the months of May-August. Factors such as class schedules, housing availability and facility schedules may be taken into consideration when determining appointment start and end dates.
• Interns will be assigned to research projects and/or other technical activities under the guidance of a mentor.
• An appointment involves a daily, on-site commitment as defined by the assigned mentor at the host facility with the HS-POWER participant in residence at the specified location. 
• HS-POWER participants are required to have health insurance coverage during the appointment period and to provide proof of this coverage prior to the start of the appointment.

• Stipend: Undergraduate students receive $800 per week and graduate students will receive $1,000 per week.
• Travel: Travel reimbursement for inbound and outbound expenses up to a total $1,000 for participants who live more than fifty miles, one-way, from the assigned hosting site.
• Housing Allowance: A housing allowance of $500/week, up to a maximum of $5,000 is provided to participants who live more than fifty miles, one-way, from their assigned hosting facility and are paying for housing while on site.