EEIP PhD Intern - Energy Processes & Materials

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.  

Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus. 

The Energy and Environment Directorate delivers science and technology solutions for the nation’s biggest energy and environmental challenges. Our more than 1,700 staff support the Department of Energy (DOE), delivering on key DOE mission areas including: modernizing our nation’s power grid to maintain a reliable, affordable, secure, and resilient electricity delivery infrastructure; research, development, validation, and effective utilization of renewable energy and efficiency technologies that improve the affordability, reliability, resiliency, and security of the American energy system; and resolving complex issues in nuclear science, energy, and environmental management. 

The Energy Processes and Materials Division, part of the Energy and Environment Directorate, creates and delivers real world solutions that support the Department of Energy’s goals for national energy security. We deliver new technologies that connect fundamental science to applications in areas such as energy storage, advanced materials manufacturing, applied catalysis, advanced separations, biomass conversions, carbon capture and utilization, and hydrogen production and storage. We employ a systems perspective that includes discovery, technology development, and scale-up as well as economic, regulatory, and market acceptance issues necessary for successful technology

Responsibilities

Are you interested in making the world a better place while gaining valuable research experience to launch your career?

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is seeking undergraduate students passionate about creating a sustainable energy future through science and engineering to join us for a 10 week paid summer internship as part of the Energy and Environment Internship Program (EEIP).

Participants will begin in cohort sessions and must be available to start on May 26, 2026 or June 16, 2026 as part of the Summer 2026 cohort.

If your background or interests align with chemistry, materials science, nuclear engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or computer science, this internship places you at the center of high-impact research.

Research Focus Areas

Interns will contribute to projects within one of the following areas:

• Experimental and Computational Engineering
  Multiphase fluid dynamics, heat transport, structural and safety analysis, nuclear radiation modeling, reactive transport, and nuclear material storage and transportation
• Irradiation Sciences
  Irradiated materials characterization, dosimetry, and radiation effects
• Nuclear Chemistry and Engineering
  Radiochemical process engineering, separations, and conversion technologies
• Radiological Materials
  Waste-form development, vitrification and immobilization, glass and materials science, cementitious materials, process development, and off-gas capture and immobilization
• Reactor Materials and Mechanical Design
  Stress corrosion cracking, post-irradiation and non-destructive examination, advanced materials characterization, computational materials science and data analytics, and electro-mechanical hardware design

The Internship Experience

PNNL interns are fully integrated into research teams and supported through The Gold Experience, a summer-long program that includes professional development, networking with scientists and engineers across the lab, and exposure to the full breadth of PNNL’s research mission.

This internship is designed to accelerate your growth as a researcher and help you envision long-term career paths in national laboratory science. Many students return for multiple summers, and a number successfully transition into full-time roles at PNNL after graduation.

Why Apply?

• Gain hands-on research experience in a national laboratory setting.
• Collaborate with top scientists and engineers in cutting-edge research fields.
• Build professional connections that can support future career opportunities.

Positions are based in Richland and Seattle, WA. Work is primarily on-site, with remote arrangements considered only in rare circumstances and strictly based on business need.

If you’re motivated to apply your skills to real-world problems and gain hands-on research experience that can shape your career, we encourage you to apply.
 

****HOW TO APPLY**** 

To have a complete application package, the (2) listed items below are required and must be uploaded correctly per the steps below for consideration:

Step 1: Upload Resume or CV in “Resume” section only (note: If applying to multiple positions, the most recent resume uploaded will be used for all positions an applicant applies to).

Step 2: Upload a Cover Letter separately in “Additional Documents” section of the application titled “ PhD  Energy Processes & Materials EEIP Cover Letter”.

• Cover letter should include: Statement of interest, reference relevant college courses, and relevant experience that may include extracurricular activities that have prepared you for this career.

If any of the components (resume and cover letter) are not uploaded per the instructions above, applications will be rejected and will no longer be considered. Electronic applications will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. (PST) on the posting close date.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must be currently enrolled/matriculated in a PhD program at an accredited college. 
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Working toward a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degree.
• Preferred education in Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering or
• Chemistry, Computational Science or Data Science.
• Preference will be given to candidates from programs with an emphasis on energy storage, catalysis, sustainable biofuel, carbon dioxide capture and conversion, or advanced manufacturing.