Student Volunteer Program at NWS Huntsville

Student volunteers at NWS Huntsville spend approximately 50% of their time shadowing NWS meteorologists and gaining operational experience, and 50% of their time on small-to-medium scale projects that benefit NWS Huntsville operations. A training checklist will be provided to guide them through a variety of experiences. 

Students will also have opportunities outside of the office, such as partner visits, outreach events, decision support services experience, and damage surveys, to name a few.

Requirements

Student volunteers must be enrolled at an accredited college or university actively pursuing a degree in Earth Science, GIS, Meteorology, or related field at the time of the volunteer program.  High school students may not participate in the student volunteer program at this time.

Prospective volunteers should be prepared to have a consistent, routine weekly work schedule at the NWS office; in other words, students should expect to work at approximately the same time every week (classes, exams, studies, etc. permitting). The student will work with local NWS management to determine their weekly hours. Simply coming in “whenever time allows” on a regular basis is not permitted.

How Do I Apply?

This year, we will be offering two different applications: one application for Summer (May - August 2026) and one application for the upcoming school year (August 2026- May 2027). Both applications will open Sunday, January 25th and be due on Friday, February 20th at 11:59 PM CT. After initial review of applications, interviews will be scheduled in March.

We are requiring specialized experience for the Summer position, in which applicants should be proficient in ArcGIS StoryMaps for a specialized project. No specialized experience is required for the Fall/Spring position.

Interested students should submit ALL the following before the specified deadline to one or both of the following Google Forms:

• Cover Letter, detailing why you want to volunteer at NWS Huntsville (no more than 1 page)
• Resume (no more than 2 pages; no pictures allowed)
• Unofficial transcript

Summer (May 2026 - August 2026) Postion: APPLY HERE **Requires specialized experience** 

School Year (August 2026 - May 2027) Position: APPLY HERE

Students are strongly encouraged, but not required, to work with their college or university program to acquire class credit for their experience.

Additional Details:

Summer (May 2026 - August 2026) Postion:

• This will be offered in-person only with the potential to work up to 10-40 hours/week. 
• Specialized experience in ArcGIS StoryMaps for a specialized project, during which you will work with 1-2 mentors to complete by the end of your student volunteer position.
• Dates negotiable upon selection.

School Year (August 2026 - May 2027) Position:

• This will be offered as a hybrid position, with mostly in-person opportunities up to 4-8 hours/week. However, virtual opportunities are possible if a student is unable to attend normal hours.
• No specialized experience required; student will work on project of their choice through the duration of the school year. 
• Dates negotiable upon selection.

Contact our Student Volunteer Coordinator Huntir Cramer (huntir.cramer@noaa.gov) for additional information, including the submission process.  Our Science Operations Officer, Katie Magee (kathleen.magee@noaa.gov), can also be contacted concerning this program.

(Updated Jan. 2026)