SSL’s Undergraduate R&d and Space mission Apprenticeship program (aka URSA Minor) is designed to provide qualifying undergraduates training and experience in space research and development (R&D) and NASA mission production environments. Students enter the program after their sophomore year via one of the three summer apprenticeships described below. Selected students will support R&D and NASA flight projects and report to the SSL Quality Manager for their specific assignments. The program provides skills training in various areas, including Electrostatic Discharge, Contamination Control, and Flight Hardware Handling, all of which enable participating students to enter official NASA production environments. Additional cryogenic laboratory and/or other hazard training is also provided. Overall, the program is designed so that apprentices are continuously progressing in responsibility and advanced tasking. In general, URSA Minor apprentices work 16-24 hours/week during the initial summer training, then are expected to continue part time at 8-16 hours/week during the fall and spring semesters of their junior year. Apprentices are then expected to continue working at SSL the following summer and through their senior year.
Qualifications
All applicants must be:
Start Date: Early to Mid June (to be negotiated)
Wage or Credit: For Work-Study qualifying students, this is a paid apprenticeship starting at $22/hour. For students taking AEROENG 197, you can earn 1 unit per 3 hours of work/week, with a maximum of up to 4 units earned per semester (P/NP).
Please sign in to your UC Berkeley-associated Google account, and then use the application form here to submit your statement of interest and to upload a PDF version of your current resume. Applications are due by March 15th of the current academic year. All applicants will be contacted by April 15th if they have been selected for an interview. For questions, please contact SSL Student Engagement Manager Dan Zevin at dzevin@ssl.berkeley.edu.
The demand from Cal students eager to gain real-world experience in the space sector has never been higher, and we need your help to meet it! Your donation will allow more Cal students to work side-by-side with SSL’s world-class scientists and engineers on active NASA missions as they assist with spacecraft design, technology development, mission operations, and many other critical tasks. By supporting SSL in this way, you ensure that more students gain the expertise, mentorship, and confidence to become the space exploration leaders of tomorrow. Click here to give now ($10 minimum), or contact SSL Student Engagement Manager Daniel Zevin at dzevin@ssl.berkeley.edu for more information.