CITRIS Workforce Innovation

The CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program helps UC students pursue world-changing research and accelerate their careers.

The 2024–25 application has closed.

The program offers select University of California students the opportunity to inform their career decisions through eight-week paid internships, where they’ll build in-demand skills through on-the-job experience. Participants will receive training in leadership and project management, and will be supported throughout the internship program by dedicated CITRIS staff, as well as the community of peers in their cohort.

CITRIS and the Banatao Institute invite undergraduates from all majors at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz to apply for placements in one of six areas of emerging IT innovation important to the state of California: aviation, climate and energy, cybersecurity, data and artificial intelligence (AI) for social impact, digital health, and semiconductors.

Note for students interested in the semiconductor track: You may qualify for expanded opportunities through the NSF Workforce Innovation and Inclusion in Semiconductors and Emerging Research Areas (WIISER) project. Undergraduates from all four CITRIS campuses are eligible for a WIISER Summer Fellowship. UC Berkeley students may also be eligible for a full-year WIISER NanoLab Fellowship at the Berkeley Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory, which includes part-time work during the academic year as well as a full-time summer internship. You will be contacted by a staff member after submitting your application if you fulfill the requirements for a WIISER placement.

Students who represent the rich diversity of the University of California, including women, people from underrepresented backgrounds, Pell Grant recipients, undocumented students and first-generation students, are encouraged to apply.

Internship duration: 8 weeks
May–August 2025 (UC Berkeley and UC Merced students)
June–August 2025 (UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz students)

Who can apply:
Undergraduates at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz

Hear from last year’s cohort

Internship Areas

Aviation: Expanding use of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), electrification of flight, leveraging data to improve air transport
Climate and Energy: Improving energy efficiency in the built environment, water use, environmental monitoring, food tech, ag tech, decarbonization of transportation and other industries
Cybersecurity: Enhancing security of systems and data, increasing availability of cyber solutions, and furthering understanding on the intersection of human nature and cyber risk
Data and AI for Social Impact: Using techniques of data science and AI for good in application areas that may benefit nonprofits, government agencies or other social-benefit companies and organizations
Digital Health: Delivering quality care and improving access, expanding data analytics and telehealth technologies
Semiconductors: Advancing next-generation micro- and nanoelectronics and related emerging technologies, including quantum computing

Intern Expectations

Earn $7,500 for participating in the Workforce Innovation Program
Receive real-world experience (remote or in-person) at an established company, startup, national lab, campus lab, government agency or nonprofit engaging in an emerging area of innovation
Participate in a series of co-curricular workshops to gain communication and leadership skills
Learn practices to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset before and during job placements
Work on projects to add to professional portfolio
Provide a fresh perspective and creative ideas to address concrete problems
Network with peers and industry professionals

Host Organization Obligations

Provide a structured internship experience focused on active mentorship
Ensure that 75 percent of work scope is experiential learning and no more than 25 percent of duties are administrative in nature
Complete a brief, 30-minute training in best practices for hosting interns to maximize student experience
Commit to providing a welcoming and inclusive work environment
Conduct at least two professional reviews — one at midpoint and the other during the last week of the internship

Timeline

Aug. 19, 2024: Applications for students and hosts open. Applications from students are considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.
Aug. 23: Info session at noon PT (video posted below)
Oct. 30: Priority applications close for students and host organizations. Applications received after the deadline are considered on a rolling basis.
November: Students are notified of their selection and potential host organization match
November–December: Host organizations conduct interviews with potential interns
Dec. 4: Student internship applications close
December: Internships are confirmed for campus labs. Companies and off-campus organizations will notify accepted interns on their own timelines. Most placements will be finalized by early 2025.
May–June 2025: Internship training workshops begin
May: Internships begin, running through August 2025
August: Workshops end, local receptions for students and hosts
September: Closing symposium

Information Session

An online info session was offered Friday, Aug. 23. A captioned video of that presentation is now available:

For more information, please contact Nicole-Marie Cotton, program manager of workforce development, at ncotton@berkeley.edu.

Applicant Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who can apply to the CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program?

Undergraduate students from all majors who are currently enrolled at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Merced or UC Santa Cruz are eligible to apply.

Where will my internship be?

Internships are available at companies, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, campus laboratories and national labs working in aviation, climate and energy, cybersecurity, data and AI for social impact, digital health, and semiconductors. The exact location will be determined by the company or campus lab interested in selecting you for an internship. Many of our interns have been offered remote or hybrid internships in the past.

What will I do?

Your host organization will develop its own scope of work, so projects will vary. Since this is an experiential learning internship, you will apply your skills to solve real-world problems at least 75 percent of the time, and no more than 25 percent of your work will be administrative in nature.

Can I apply if I am not experienced in that field?

Yes! Even if you have little or no work experience, you can apply to the program to gain skills that will increase your employment prospects when you enter the job market. CITRIS will also provide workshops to prepare you for your internship.

Positions are also available for non-STEM majors — so if you are interested in applying your skills to advance technology applications in the sectors listed above, this program is for you.

If I apply to the program, am I guaranteed a position at one of the host partners?

We typically receive many more student applicants than positions that are available. On average, we receive over 400 applications for 100 internship positions. Due to the competitive nature of the program, we cannot guarantee a position for each applicant.

How much is the compensation?

You will be funded for your eight-week experiential learning internship working no more than 30 hours per week. You will earn approximately $7,500 for the full internship. (Participants in the WIISER semiconductor program are eligible for additional financial support.)

Will I be employed by my campus or by the host organization?

In most cases you will be employed by, and receive your stipend from, CITRIS, whether you are working on campus or on-site with an outside organization. (Note that students working full-time on-site with outside organizations will be required to sign a liability waiver.) Some companies may prefer to hire interns directly; in this arrangement students will receive compensation at least equivalent to the amount paid to other interns.

Can graduating seniors apply?

Yes, graduating seniors are eligible to apply but they must commit to participating in the full program if matched with a host. Preference may be given to students earlier in their academic careers.

Can foreign undergraduate students apply?

Yes. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen. Fellowship options are available for select internships.

Can undocumented students apply?

Yes, undocumented undergraduate students can participate in this program. Work authorization has no bearing on eligibility or evaluation of your application.

When will I be notified that I have been accepted?

Placements will be made on a rolling basis after the application deadline. Most placements will be finalized by late 2024 or early 2025.

What if I encounter a problem during my internship?

The CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program will provide ongoing support to you and your entire cohort. Staff will hold weekly check-ins and be available for “office hours.”

For more information, please contact Nicole-Marie Cotton, program manager of workforce development, at ncotton@berkeley.edu.

Host Organization Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is eligible to host a student in the CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program?

Companies, research labs and nonprofit organizations with projects in at least one of the six areas of innovation (aviation, climate and energy, cybersecurity, data and AI for social impact, digital health, and semiconductors) are eligible to apply as hosts.

How does the matching work?

Students interested in internships with a corporate partner will complete the CITRIS Workforce Innovation application form, then apply directly to one of the positions. Host organizations will then share the names of their selected interns so these students can be enrolled in the co-curricular workshops.

Students interested in interning with campus labs will apply using the CITRIS application. After a preliminary review by Workforce Innovation staff, candidates will be forwarded to the lab’s primary investigator for interviews and final selections.

When does the internship start?

The CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program involves students at four UC campuses; UC Berkeley and UC Merced follow a semester calendar, and UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz are on quarter systems. Due to differences in academic calendars, interns and host organizations decide on a start date that works best for them between May and August 2025. Internships are eight weeks long.

Does CITRIS compensate the students?

CITRIS will typically compensate interns via payroll or stipend. The intern’s respective campus will onboard the intern.

Off-campus hosts may choose to hire students directly. We ask that the students are paid commensurate with what they would earn if paid directly by CITRIS: $7,500 for eight weeks at 30 hours per week.