PNNL partners with colleges, universities, and high schools to offer student internships in a wide range of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and business fields. Internships are open to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, with opportunities either during the summer or academic year. As a PNNL intern, students can work in a laboratory alongside experienced researchers or in a PNNL office to expand their knowledge in a scientific field, develop their research abilities and business skills, and form relationships with PNNL’s scientists, engineers, and business leaders.

Opportunities for High School Students

During the academic year, PNNL offers internships to high school students interested in either business or research, with work available up to four hours per day, five days per week. The High School Business Intern program allows students to work closely with experienced PNNL business professionals, while students in the High School Research Intern program receive mentorship in a laboratory setting from PNNL scientists and engineers. PNNL offers elective credits for these internships through work-based learning programs at students’ schools.

The Summer Research Apprenticeship and Young Women in Science summer programs last 10 weeks and give students interested in STEM fields opportunities to conduct laboratory research with PNNL mentors.

In addition to direct research experience, these programs include leadership development activities, field trips, and communications and career awareness workshops. Students must be at least 18 years of age to be eligible to work in PNNL laboratory spaces and in some field work settings.

Opportunities for College and University Students

PNNL hires hundreds of undergraduate and graduate student interns each year through a variety of internship programs:

• DOE Community College Internships are 10-week summer internships for community college students that allow them to participate in technology and instrumentation projects at PNNL.
• DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships are 10- to 16-week summer or semester research internships on PNNL’s main campus for undergraduate (sophomore to senior) students pursuing STEM degrees.
• PNNL Business Interns are undergraduate students who work with professional staff supporting PNNL’s management and operations systems.
• The National Security Internship Program allows undergraduate and graduate students to work in various scientific fields related to national security.
• Project Interns explore research and technology career options while gaining practical training. There are internships available for undergraduate and graduate students.
• PNNL and the University of Maryland (UMD) offer internships to undergraduate and graduate students at the Joint Global Change Research Institute on UMD’s campus in College Park, Maryland. Interns work with scientists developing models of the Earth system and linkages between socioeconomic and natural systems.
• The PNNL Safeguards Internship Program hires undergraduate and graduate students with backgrounds in public policy and science and engineering fields and an interest in nuclear power and nonproliferation. Policy students gain greater familiarity with technical dimensions of nuclear energy and nonproliferation, while science and engineering students gain insight into policy dimensions of work in nuclear fields.
• The no-cost Radiation Detection for Nuclear Security Summer School is perfect for students enrolled in graduate programs in fields relevant to radiation detection such as nuclear engineering, nuclear physics, nuclear chemistry, and high-energy physics.
• The Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program for the National Nuclear Security Administration is a research-based experience for students who are traditionally underserved in STEM fields and have career interests aligned with NNSA’s mission to strengthen the nation through nuclear security.

Application Process

Students interested in applying for internships can find more information, eligibility requirements, application instructions, and deadlines via the links above.

Current openings for undergraduate and graduate students are listed on our Careers page. Simply type the word intern in the search bar.

If you are an academic leader interested in discussing internship opportunities or partnerships for the benefit of your students, please connect with the contacts listed below.