The VALOR JROTC 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 direct 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

Before applying have all requirements ready. Once submitted, access to the application will no longer be available to upload any missing requirements.

• Online application – Application Walkthrough Video Guide
• Unofficial Transcript
• Resume
• One letter of recommendation

(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.)

Internship Details

• Program Dates: June 28, 2027 – August 6, 2027
• Application Dates: October 5, 2026 – February 5, 2027
• Offer Date: March 15, 2027
• Acceptance: March 22, 2027
• Salary: $18 per hour
• Housing: No local/onsite housing is available
• Transportation: No transportation reimbursement is available
• Location: Internship is in-person onsite in Batavia, IL

Deliverables

• Oral Presentation
• Exit Survey

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

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.

Pre-Employment Screening:

Drug-Free Workplace & Pre-Employment Screening  

Fermilab is dedicated to fostering a safe, productive and drug-free environment. An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check and drug screening.

Foreign Government Sponsored Activities

Fermilab employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. Such individuals will be asked to disclose any participation for review by Fermilab's Office of General Counsel.

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. 

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.