Detalles del empleo
Posting Title
Post-Undergraduate Intern (Year-Round) - Separations Engineering.
Location
CO - Golden.
Position Type
Intern (Fixed Term).
Hours Per Week
Job Description
The Bioenergy Science and Technology (BEST) directorate within the National Renewable Energy Lab (NLR) performs a full range of research from exploring biomass at the molecular level through biorefinery process optimization to bring biofuels and bio-products to market. The directorate's research encompasses multiple areas including biochemical processes, synthesis, processing, separations, analysis, and characterization.
The Separations Science and Engineering Group focuses on developing and scaling separation technologies for a wide range of molecules, from bio-derived and chemically synthesized products, through to critical minerals including rare-earth elements from domestic waste feedstocks. Our goal is to improve process efficiency, selectivity, and techno-economic viability and our work is conducted in close collaboration with fermentation, catalysis, polymer synthesis, and techno-economic analysis teams. The group emphasizes translating fundamental separation science into practical, scalable solutions.
This internship position is hiring for full-time work on-site with NLR's Separations Science and Engineering group. The successful candidate will support research efforts by contributing to laboratory-based separation experiments and custom separation equipment development including:
* benchtop wet chemistry and sample preparation
* chemical and/or protein purification
* multi-scale chromatography
* electrochemical separations
* assembly and modification of separation systems
* exposure to programming (e.g., python or rust) and support automation of custom separation systems
The ability to conduct laboratory experiments with minimal supervision, with the utmost regard to safety is required. Adaptability and an aptitude for learning are critical in this role. This is an excellent opportunity for a student invested in the NLR mission who desires relevant laboratory experience in preparation for graduate school or a career in the chemical industry.
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Basic Qualifications
Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
Undergraduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a bachelor's degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Undergraduate: Earned a bachelor's degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.
Graduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a master's degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Graduate: Earned a master's degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.
Graduate + PhD: Completed master's degree and enrolled as PhD student from an accredited institution.
Please Note
* Applicants are responsible for uploading official or unofficial school transcripts, as part of the application process.
* If selected for position, a letter of recommendation will be required as part of the hiring process.
* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Additional Required Qualifications
* Demonstrated general laboratory experience and exposure to analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, and/or biochemistry
* Attention to detail, a fast learner, and have excellent time management skills
* Work well with a variety of personality types with various levels of technical backgrounds
* Demonstrated experience following Standard Lab Safety Procedures and setting a safe example
* Be willing to take direction and work independently to support team goals
Preferred Qualifications
* Familiarity with general separations techniques, TLC, flash chromatography, distillation, liquid-liquid extraction, analytical methods (GC and HPLC) and chemical synthesis techniques is desirable but not required.
* Any experience with modeling in Aspen plus or any programming language is also preferred.
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Job Application Submission Window
Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)
Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $39,600 - $63,400NLR takes into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.
Benefits Summary
Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; and sick leave (where required by law). NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits.* Based on eligibility rules
Badging Requirement
NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Intern assignments extending beyond six months will be subject to this requirement.# Drug Free Workplace
NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.
If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.
Submission Guidelines
Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.
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Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.
E**-Verify [www.dhs.gov/E-Verify**](http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify) For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.
E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.
Salario y beneficios
Sobre este empleo
Sobre National Laboratory of the Rockies
Resumen de la Empresa
Laboratorio Nacional de las Rocosas, un laboratorio nacional del Departamento de Energía de EE. UU.
SedeGolden, CO, Estados Unidos
Fundación1977
TamañoAproximadamente 3,700 empleados incluyendo personal, investigadores postdoctorales, pasantes, profesionales visitantes y subcontratistas (fuente: wikipedia.org)
Qué Hacen
El Laboratorio Nacional de las Rocosas es una institución de investigación financiada federalmente que se enfoca en la investigación y desarrollo aplicado en energía a lo largo de todo el sistema energético, incluyendo generación, distribución y uso final (fuente: nlr.gov). Su trabajo abarca una amplia gama de tecnologías energéticas como solar, eólica, combustibles renovables, sistemas vehiculares, edificios, geotermia, ciencias energéticas, ciencias computacionales y análisis energético (fuente: nationallabs.org). El laboratorio también alberga centros especializados como el Centro Nacional de Fotovoltaica, el Centro Nacional de Bioenergía y el Centro Nacional de Tecnología Eólica, que apoyan la investigación e innovación focalizada en sus respectivos campos (fuente: wikipedia.org). Como laboratorio nacional del Departamento de Energía, opera bajo un contrato federal y sirve a socios del sector público e industrial desarrollando tecnología y reduciendo riesgos en sistemas energéticos emergentes (fuente: nlr.gov).
Proyectos y Trayectoria
El laboratorio cuenta con una rica historia de proyectos impactantes, incluyendo el desarrollo de SEA-Stack, una herramienta para el diseño y evaluación de tecnologías de energía undimotriz que ayuda a las empresas a evaluar rápidamente conceptos para reducir tiempo y costos en innovación de energía marina (fuente: nlr.gov). También apoya la plataforma de reciclaje por oxidación química del Consorcio BOTTLE, que busca habilitar el procesamiento escalable de residuos plásticos contaminados, mixtos y multicapa, abordando desafíos críticos en la gestión sostenible de materiales (fuente: nlr.gov). El Laboratorio Nacional de las Rocosas opera el Centro Nacional de Tecnología Eólica en Colorado, una instalación clave para el avance de tecnologías eólicas, y mantiene presencia en Washington, D.C. para apoyar políticas y la participación de interesados (fuente: nlr.gov). Estos proyectos demuestran el liderazgo del laboratorio en investigación de energías renovables y su compromiso con acelerar soluciones de energía limpia a nivel nacional.
Desarrollos Recientes
En diciembre de 2025, el Departamento de Energía renombró oficialmente el Laboratorio Nacional de Energía Renovable como Laboratorio Nacional de las Rocosas, reflejando su misión en evolución e identidad regional (fuente: nlr.gov). Durante 2025 y 2026, el laboratorio se mantuvo activo en investigación avanzada en energía, con anuncios que destacaron avances en tecnologías marinas y de energía undimotriz, innovaciones en reciclaje de plásticos e investigaciones relacionadas con materiales cuánticos (fuente: nlr.gov). Sin embargo, el laboratorio también enfrentó reducciones de personal, despidiendo a 134 empleados en febrero de 2026 tras recortes anteriores de al menos 114 empleados en mayo de 2025, reflejando ajustes organizacionales ante cambios en financiamiento y prioridades de programas (fuente: cpr.org).
Trabajar Allí
El Laboratorio Nacional de las Rocosas ofrece una amplia variedad de roles que abarcan investigación, ciencias computacionales y de software, operaciones de laboratorio, ingeniería, gestión de proyectos, comunicaciones y soporte administrativo, todo dentro de un entorno de I+D financiado federalmente (fuente: techjobsforgood.com). Los empleados disfrutan de cobertura médica, dental y visual integral, planes de ahorro para el retiro 403(b) con aportación del empleador, elegibilidad para pensión, cobertura por discapacidad, reembolso de matrícula y oportunidades de desarrollo profesional (fuente: nlr.gov). El campus en Golden, Colorado, ofrece recursos de bienestar en el lugar, incluyendo un centro de fitness, cafetería, cafetería, espacios para reuniones y senderos al aire libre, fomentando una cultura laboral colaborativa y flexible que apoya el desarrollo profesional temprano y el equilibrio entre vida laboral y personal (fuente: nlr.gov).
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