There are three types of student programs here at the National Weather Service:

• Paid Employment
• Student Volunteer
• Job Shadow

Paid Employment

Although paid student programs are not directly available through the local NWS office, the Department of Commerce has a new program called Pathways for students to work while completing their education. For more information, please see:

Pathways

Available through NOAA, the Hollings Scholar Program provides students with academic assistance for two years along with a 10-week summer internship at a NOAA facility. Applications are typically submitted during the fall of your sophomore year. For more information, please see:

Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program

More specifically towards the NWS, the Lapenta Program is a 10-week summer internship to learn about weather and climate modeling, the forecast process, impact based decision support, product development, social science applications and more. For more information, please see:

William M. Lapenta Student Summer Internship Program
 

Student Volunteer

No Longer Accepting Applications for the NWS Buffalo Summer 2026 Student Volunteer Program

Applications Due January 31st

Application Form
 

NWS Buffalo Summer Volunteer Program
 

Goal:  Provide college students with an exciting opportunity to learn what a career in the national weather service entrails. 

Applicant requirement:

• College students enrolled in an Atmospheric Science, Meteorology, Hydrology, or related program at least in their sophomore year planning to be enrolled for the Fall of the next school year (in either undergraduate or graduate program)
• An interest in a career within the National Weather Service
• Flexibility to participate for 1 to 3 days a week, 3 to 4 hours per day over a two-and-a-half-month period (late May through early August). This is an unpaid volunteer opportunity

What are some of the things you will be doing while volunteering with the Buffalo NWS?

• Contributing to research or operational projects with other volunteer students and NWS staff
• Observing different operational meteorology aspects from forecaster shadowing and weather balloon launches to equipment related repairs and maintenance
• Meeting with meteorologist on a weekly to bi-weekly basis (as time permits) to discuss progress of different tasks, career related discussion, or any other types of questions you may have
• Assist with obtaining severe storm reports during real-time operations and participating in severe weather event reviews
• Working in a simulated warning environment with past weather events and presenting mock weather briefings for delivering impact-based decision support services
• Completing assigned and self-chosen meteorology learning modules online
• Miscellaneous activities as agreed upon by the student volunteer and NWS meteorologist/management
• Completing an end of summer written summary and oral presentation on experiences with the student volunteer program

Required application documents include:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Most recent transcript (official or unofficial)

Job Shadow

The NWS Buffalo Job Shadow program is intended for students interested in meteorology as a possible career. The students spend around 2-4 hours with a NWS Buffalo meteorologist observing the forecast process, and discussing NWS career opportunities.

Interested students should contact:

NWS Buffalo
bufstorm.report@noaa.gov