Oʻahu Students Face Deadline for $6K Military Internship Opportunity

Oʻahu college students have an opportunity to apply for a paid summer internship within military commands, but the deadline is fast approaching. The VICEROY MAVEN program, funded by the Pacific Intelligence & Innovation Initiative (P3I), offers an eight-week internship from June 15 to August 8, 2026, with participants earning approximately $6,000. This program provides crucial experience in security-clearance procedures, allowing interns to work on mission-driven problems and present their findings to senior military and civilian leaders.

The application deadline is set for 11:59 p.m. HST on November 15, 2025. To be eligible, candidates must be enrolled in a college or university and able to obtain a security clearance. Additionally, participants must have reliable transportation to access work sites located on Oʻahu military bases and be available for the full duration of the internship.

Internship Details and Requirements

Interns will collaborate with military commands and defense contractors, addressing mission-critical issues under the guidance of a Command Mentor and a P3I advisor. The program includes engaging cohort activities, such as site visits to military facilities and a formal out-briefing to senior leaders. These experiences expose students to vital areas such as operational technology, cybersecurity, and data analysis. A recent report from the Department of Defense highlighted a site visit where P3I-affiliated students toured the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, emphasizing the program’s hands-on approach.

Interested applicants must submit a resume, transcript, and a one-page personal statement. According to P3I, the online application process takes approximately 25 to 35 minutes to complete. After submitting, candidates will receive communications in November or December, with conditional offers anticipated in January 2026. Following this, the security-clearance process will commence.

Impact on the Local Workforce

The VICEROY MAVEN program partners with key defense organizations, including U.S. Army Pacific, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, and the National Security Agency. Since its inception in 2023, P3I has successfully placed over 300 students in internships, according to local news outlet KHON2. Jason Chung, a representative from the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, noted that VICEROY MAVEN “is expanding opportunities for Hawaiʻi’s talent to develop technical and leadership skills,” contributing to both state readiness and economic growth.

Local workforce leaders view this program as an essential strategy to create career pathways that retain young talent in Hawaii. The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii emphasizes that initiatives like P3I help bridge classroom learning with paid roles in high-demand fields, such as cybersecurity, data science, and electronic warfare. This approach aims to counteract the long-term out-migration of graduates seeking better job opportunities on the mainland, a trend exacerbated by high living costs.

Students interested in this opportunity should prepare their application materials ahead of the November 15 deadline. Accepted candidates will embark on the security-clearance process and are expected to participate fully in person on Oʻahu for the duration of the internship next summer.