Internship Opportunities
Established in 1882, ONI is the nation’s longest-serving intelligence agency. It serves as America’s premier maritime intelligence service and a core element of the U.S. Navy’s Information Warfare Community. ONI possesses unmatched knowledge of the maritime operating environment and delivers penetrating understanding of threats to America’s security to national decision makers and the Fleet.
Applications for summer 2025 internships have closed.
Program Overview
Looking for a summer job that will stretch your mind, provide pre-professional work experiences that are relevant and meaningful to your academic and career-related goals, give you the opportunity to serve your country, and enable you to delve into the fascinating world of intelligence? Look no further than the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), our nation’s premier maritime intelligence agency. As an ONI summer intern, you will participate in Operational Familiarization (OPFAM) trip to Norfolk, Virginia, to visit ONI's operational customers onboard ships, with aviation squadrons and at other USN commands. You will also experience field trips to D.C. area commands, agencies, and relevant landmarks while doing work that makes a real contribution to national security.
Your Contribution
Our interns contribute to many key elements of the ONI organization. Interns with political science and other liberal arts backgrounds might assist our analysts in the cycle of information collection, analysis and dissemination. Students in the fields of science and engineering might use state-of-the-art lab equipment to study foreign weapons systems, while those with expertise in information technology directly support our networking operations.
ONI internships are typically offered in the follow focus areas:
Intelligence
ONI intelligence interns receive on-the-job training pertaining to work in the field of intelligence by observing, learning, and applying various standardized intelligence support rules, procedures and/or operations.
Admin & Office Support
ONI administration and office support interns receive on-the-job training pertaining to administrative and office support work processes, procedures, and reference material.
Engineering
ONI engineering interns will observe, learn, and apply basic engineering rules, procedures, and/or operations and assists specialists. You will learn and apply basic engineering principles and concepts to conduct preliminary technical assessments of intelligence-related equipment and systems and operate engineering equipment and software.
Information Technology
ONI information technology interns receive on-the-job training pertaining to work of information technology by observing, learning and applying basic information technology rules, procedures, and operations.
Computer Scientist
ONI computer scientist interns assist in developing criteria for improving computer devices. You will develop portions of problem-oriented languages and their translating/operating systems. You will participate in development of advanced concepts of automation and information processing, display, control and transfer.
Be Part of The Team
You will start to receive training from day one. During your first week onboard, you will participate in a two-day orientation to familiarize you with various policies, practices, procedures and key players at ONI. You will be assigned a supervisor and a mentor to help you quickly learn the ropes.
Hours, Pay, and Benefits
If selected for the program, you must commit to working a minimum of 160 to 320 hours during the internship, working 80 hours every two weeks.
The ONI internship is a paid internship. Students will earn a competitive salary that is assigned based on level of education. Selectees will be assigned a grade of either GG-04 or GG-07 on the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM’s) federal government pay scale, based on academic qualifications. Salary is also dependent on the location of the internship (locality). To learn more about the government pay scale, visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/
Because interns are hired on a temporary appointment, you will not be eligible for employee benefits, such as health and life insurance, Thrift Savings Plan, etc. However, you will earn up to four hours of annual and sick leave each pay period.
Holiday and Part-time Employment
After an initial internship, current interns attending school locally have the option of continuing their internship on a part-time basis during the academic semesters. Current interns may also elect to return for a minimum of 2 weeks during the school breaks.
Housing
Summer interns are responsible for arranging their own transportation to the D.C. area, as well as locating and funding their own housing. While ONI does not officially endorse any particular housing company, as a courtesy we may be able to provide information on area dormitories and rental companies used by previous interns.
Transportation
ONI is located in suburban Maryland, just outside of D.C. Our campus features the convenience of free parking, short-distance walking from an area metro station, and shuttle-bus transportation between our campus and the Metro. As government employees, you will be eligible for participation in the Mass Transit Benefit Program, which enables you to receive a subsidy for the use of public transportation during work-related travel.
Security Clearance
All interns must receive security clearances at the interim or final top-secret level with access to sensitive compartmented information (TS/SCI). Since holding that clearance is a special responsibility, you will be required to pass a drug screening test and complete a comprehensive history form that documents your foreign travel, educational background and employment history, among other areas.
College Credit
Depending on your school requirements, you may receive credit for your internship. If selected for a position, we will work with you and your school administrators to ensure the appropriate paperwork is completed by your supervisor to ensure you receive college credit for your work assignment.
Eligibility Criteria
- U.S. citizenship. Security clearances cannot be granted to foreign nationals or those who possess dual citizenship.
- Enrollment in an accredited baccalaureate or graduate program.
- Completion of 30 semester hours (or its equivalent) by the start of the internship.
- Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent).
- Favorable adjudication of a Special Security Background Investigation (SSBI) and eligibility to receive a top-secret clearance with access to sensitive compartmented information (TS/SCI).
- Favorable results on a urinalysis screening for illegal drug use. You may also be subject to random drug testing during the period of employment.
- Commitment to work full time for at least 160-320 hours during the internship.
Contact Us
For general information, questions, or concerns about internship opportunities, contact the NAVINTEL Student Internship Program at: nia_interns@us.navy.mil
ONI is an equal opportunity employer. All candidates will be considered without regard to non-merit factors, such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, handicap, or sexual orientation. The ONI Office of Equal Employment Opportunity/Equal Opportunity (EEO/EO) and Diversity is responsible for overseeing compliance with a wide variety of federal and state laws, and Naval polices that address equal opportunity and employment rights.