VALOR JROTC - Summer 2026 at Fermilab

The VALOR JROTC Internship Program is a highly competitive, paid, six-week summer internship opportunity for Illinois JROTC high school juniors, seniors, and recent graduates. Interns provide routine technical support for area of assignment; typically, an experiment or support group. Tasks are accomplished under direction supervision of a Fermilab employee and in cooperation with project teams, scientists, engineers, and support personnel and in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Eligibility:
•   Enrollment in an Illinois high school JROTC program
•   Illinois high school junior, senior, or recent high school graduate at time of application
•   Eligible to work in the United States

Application Requirements:
• Online application and questionnaire
• Unofficial transcript

• Resume

• One letter of recommendation (Due date is application close date)

After submitting an application, the applicant will receive an email request to provide contact information for individuals writing letters of recommendation. An email link will be sent to identified references to upload their letter of recommendation. Note, reference links are sent only to the individual writing the letter of recommendation and only emailed during normal business hours, Monday through Friday.)

• Essay – Short answer questions: Please write short (< 200-word) responses to the following questions:

What do you hope to get out of this internship experience?
How has participating in JROTC prepared you for this unique opportunity?
What key skills do you possess that can add value to a team?

Internship Details:

•   Program Dates: June 22 – July 31, 2026 (5 days /40 hours per week)
•   Application Dates: November 3, 2025 – March 6, 2026
•   Offer Date: April 2, 2026
•   Acceptance Date: April 15, 2026
•   Salary: $18.00 per hour
•   Housing: No local/onsite housing available

• Transportation: No transportation reimbursement is available
• Location: Internship is in-person onsite in Batavia, IL

Internship Deliverables:
• Oral presentation
• Exit survey

Questions? Email Internships@fnal.gov

Why Fermilab:
Fermilab is America’s premier laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. We support discovery science experiments in Illinois and locations around the world, including deep underground mines in South Dakota and Canada, mountaintops in Arizona and Chile, CERN in Europe and the South Pole.

Drug-Free Workplace & Pre-Employment Screening

Fermilab is dedicated to fostering a safe, productive, and drug-free work environment. As part of the hiring process, candidates must successfully complete a background check and drug screening for candidates 18 and over. Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of these screenings.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Fermilab is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.

REAL-ID Requirement for access to Fermilab Campus
Fermilab requires all members of the public to produce a REAL-ID, or equivalent, to access the Fermilab Campus for interviews or career events. A list of acceptable forms of ID can be found here: https://get-connected.fnal.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/REALID-Documents.pdf. If a candidate is selected for an interview but does not possess any of the equivalent documents, we may schedule a virtual interview.

What To Expect Next:
We’ll be in touch! If your qualifications are in alignment with the position requirements, one of our recruiters will be reaching out to schedule a phone interview to learn more about your career interests and goals. In the meantime, we encourage you to check us out on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, or our About Us page.

External Field