Graduate School summer interns tour AFIT’s additive manufacturing lab during intern orientation day. Lt. Col. Ryan Kemnitz, Ph.D., deputy department head and associate professor of aerospace engineering, discusses current research initiatives within the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ashley Richards)
By Elizabeth Generas
Graduate Assistant Program Director
Internships and assistantships are essential to the cultivation of the next generation of talent. These programs create a win-win opportunity: participants gain hands-on experience and professional growth, while federal agencies benefit from a pipeline of emerging talent who bring fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. Two programs at AFIT bridge education and federal service to prepare participants for careers and strengthen the government’s capacity to innovate and adapt.
AFIT GRADUATE ASSISTANT PROGRAM
In an era marked with rapid technology advancement, shifting workforce expectations, and increasing competition, the United States federal agencies are grappling with a persistent challenge: filling mission-critical roles that require specialized skills, from cybersecurity and engineering to acquisitions and supply chain. These vacancies strain existing resources and hinder the ability to deliver essential services efficiently and effectively. In response, AFIT is piloting a new initiative to tackle this issue head-on, designed specifically to streamline hiring, attract top-tier talent, and support agencies in building a more agile and resilient workforce. The Graduate Assistant (GA) Program recruits, hires, and trains new government civilians in AFIT program domains like systems engineering, supply chain, nuclear engineering, and meteorology, then newly-trained employees are hired by other agencies, seamlessly onboarding in hard-to-fill positions around the nation.
Strengthening the Federal Workforce
Government agencies face adaunting task; act decisively to ensure the recruitment, retention and empowerment of the talent needed to deliver on their missions. The GA Program is a direct response to the talent need, addressing key areas of opportunity and helping to build a workforce prepared for today’s challenges and positioned to lead into the future.
Pipeline Program Success: Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center
AFIT’s GA Program was piloted in the Department of Engineering Physics (ENP) in a partnership with the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) in Kirtland, AZ.
Recognizing the difficulty in recruiting qualified candidates with a specialized skillset in nuclear engineering, the GA Program was designed to create a structured pathway for talent development. AFIT faculty and staff actively recruit and onboard individuals with the necessary academic background and potential, then match with a graduate assistantship position in teaching or research. The new employee spends 18 months learning and working, while adjusting to federal civilian employment. At the end of 18 months, successful participants are offered a permanent position at AFNWC, ensuring a seamless pipeline from training to long-term contribution.
Future Development
Building on the success of the GA Program with AFNWC, AFIT’s Office of Research and Outreach is actively expanding its efforts to grow a sustainable pipeline of talent for hard-to-fill federal positions. While the program is currently paused due to the federal hiring freeze, planning is underway for FY26. Partnerships are essential to scaling the program and ensuring critical areas such as nuclear engineering, operations research, optical science, data science, and materials are supported. A full list of AFIT programs is available at www.AFIT.edu/EN/allprograms. For more information or to discuss partnership options, please contact the AFIT Graduate Assistant Program Director, Elizabeth Generas, at Research@AFIT.edu.
AFIT SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Each summer, AFIT buzzes with the energy of the next generation of researchers by welcoming undergraduate interns for a summer experience on the AFIT campus at Wright-Patterson AFB. Our interns have the unique opportunity to contribute to defense-focused research which provides real-world solutions to U.S. Department of the Air Force and Department of Defense challenges. AFIT research topics include cybersecurity, secure and trusted systems, hypersonic and missile defense, directed energy and engineering physics.
Beginning in the spring, students apply for highly competitive positions in various departments and centers at AFIT. Selected students are vetted through security and obtain Common Access Cards (CACs), a signifier of their entrance into an exclusive and trusted club.
Selected interns arrive in groups and attend orientation day, which includes a welcome brief and lab tours. Weekly lunch and learn sessions are hosted by faculty from the Math, Aerospace, and Physics departments providing interns an inside look into the defense-focused research in AFIT labs, as well as inspiration for the future. As the culmination of a summer internship, each intern will deliver a 10-minute presentation, showcasing their summer project and highlighting their contributions.
Interns end their summer experience with a traditional farewell, but they may return in future summers. After completing their undergraduate programs at their home institution, former AFIT interns have the skills and network connections to pursue Air Force military careers, continue at AFIT as graduate assistants, apply for Palace Acquire, or even transition into Civilian service.
Internship opportunities are posted to the AFIT website and coordinated with various authorities, including USAJobs, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), and Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE). Visit https://e.AFIT.edu/g9xyMRKT for current opportunities.
AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management (GSEM) provides in-residence and distance learning graduate degrees and certificates in engineering, applied science, mathematics and management. GSEM provides its students with several significant advantages, including a more personalized educational experience, academic programs with a defense-related focus, and research on high-priority defense problems.
About AFIT
AFIT is located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. AFIT’s mission is to educate defense professionals to innovatively accomplish the deterrence and warfighting missions of the USAF and USSF. AFIT’s vision is to lead defense-focused education, research and consultation to accelerate military superiority across all domains and is accomplished through operationally relevant advanced academic education, research, and professional continuing education. For more information, please visit the AFIT webpage https://www.afit.edu/.
