For Physicists and Engineers

ASPIRE Fellowship in Detail

Compensation: Salaries are competitive and are based on the student’s academic year standing. Fermilab will also provide housing, which may be communal within the cohort.

Flexible Program: To the extent possible the program is flexibly structured to meet the needs of individual participants to minimize graduation delays. This requires a combination of:

1. Universities assigning credit for work performed at Fermilab and providing opportunities for remote or after-hours course work while stationed at Fermilab.
2. Fermilab offering flexible work schedules.
3. Providing students with suitable topics for their senior project or thesis topic, as applicable, based on Fermilab work.

Training to work: A goal is to maximize chances of retaining Fellows as permanent hires:

1. Training to work program: students will know there is a strong possibility to work at Fermilab following program completion.
2. Align participant assignments with Fermilab needs and prepare participants to compete for open positions.
3. Prior to completion of Fellowship, Fermilab should be able to offer a letter of intent, i.e. position, salary, benefits.

Mentorship: Fellows receive active mentoring from both a Fermilab and a university mentor. Further, staff hires from the Fellowship program receive active mentoring to maximize the chances for long-term retention. Mentors are generally distinct from supervisors.

USPAS School: Fermilab sponsors Fellows’ attendance for a session of the U.S. Particle Accelerator School.

Accelerator physics and engineering lectures: Lectures and seminars on accelerator physics and engineering by PIP-II scientists and engineers are offered to augment the program.

Fellows seminar: Fellows are expected to present a seminar on their work at Fermilab following completion of their Fellowship.

Fellows cohort: Once the program is in full swing, it is anticipated that Fellows form cohorts of 3-5 participants. The expectation is that Fellows within a cohort may utilize shared housing in the Fermilab Village. Private accommodations can be made available for Fellows with accompanying families.