Functieomschrijving
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.
Salaris en voordelen
Over deze vacature
Over National Laboratory of the Rockies
Bedrijfsprofiel
National Laboratory of the Rockies, een nationaal laboratorium van het Amerikaanse Ministerie van Energie
HoofdkantoorGolden, CO, Verenigde Staten
Opgericht1977
OmvangOngeveer 3.700 medewerkers, inclusief staf, postdoctorale onderzoekers, stagiairs, gastprofessionals en onderaannemers (bron: wikipedia.org)
Wat Ze Doen
Het National Laboratory of the Rockies is een door de overheid gefinancierd onderzoeksinstituut dat zich richt op toegepaste energieonderzoek en -ontwikkeling over het gehele energiesysteem, inclusief opwekking, distributie en eindgebruik (bron: nlr.gov). Het werk bestrijkt een breed scala aan energietechnologieën zoals zonne-energie, windenergie, hernieuwbare brandstoffen, voertuigsysteem, gebouwen, geothermie, energiewetenschappen, computationele wetenschappen en energieanalyse (bron: nationallabs.org). Het laboratorium huisvest ook gespecialiseerde centra, waaronder het National Center for Photovoltaics, het National Bioenergy Center en het National Wind Technology Center, die gericht onderzoek en innovatie in hun respectievelijke vakgebieden ondersteunen (bron: wikipedia.org). Als een nationaal laboratorium van het Ministerie van Energie werkt het onder een federale overeenkomst en bedient het partners uit de publieke sector en industrie door technologie te ontwikkelen en risico's te verminderen bij opkomende energiesystemen (bron: nlr.gov).
Projecten & Resultaten
Het laboratorium heeft een rijke geschiedenis van impactvolle projecten, waaronder de ontwikkeling van SEA-Stack, een tool voor het screenen en ontwerpen van golfenergie-technologieën die bedrijven helpt concepten snel te evalueren om tijd en kosten in mariene energie-innovatie te verminderen (bron: nlr.gov). Het ondersteunt ook het BOTTLE Consortium met een platform voor chemische oxidatie-recycling, gericht op schaalbare verwerking van verontreinigd, gemengd en meerlaagse plastic afval, waarmee kritieke uitdagingen in duurzaam materiaalbeheer worden aangepakt (bron: nlr.gov). Het National Laboratory of the Rockies beheert het National Wind Technology Center in Colorado, een belangrijke faciliteit voor de ontwikkeling van windenergietechnologieën, en heeft een vestiging in Washington, D.C. ter ondersteuning van beleid en betrokkenheid van belanghebbenden (bron: nlr.gov). Deze projecten tonen het leiderschap van het laboratorium in onderzoek naar hernieuwbare energie en de inzet om schone energietechnologieën in het hele land te versnellen.
Recente Ontwikkelingen
In december 2025 heeft het Ministerie van Energie officieel de naam van het National Renewable Energy Laboratory gewijzigd in National Laboratory of the Rockies, wat de veranderende missie en regionale identiteit weerspiegelt (bron: nlr.gov). Gedurende 2025 en 2026 bleef het laboratorium actief in geavanceerd energieonderzoek, met aankondigingen over vooruitgang in mariene en golfenergie-technologieën, innovaties in plastic recycling en onderzoek naar quantum-gerelateerde materialen (bron: nlr.gov). Tegelijkertijd onderging het laboratorium personeelsreducties, waarbij in februari 2026 134 medewerkers werden ontslagen na eerdere bezuinigingen van minstens 114 medewerkers in mei 2025, wat organisatorische aanpassingen weerspiegelt te midden van veranderende financiering en programmaprioriteiten (bron: cpr.org).
Werken bij
Het National Laboratory of the Rockies biedt een breed scala aan functies, variërend van onderzoek, software- en computationele wetenschappen, laboratoriumbeheer, engineering, projectmanagement, communicatie tot administratieve ondersteuning, allemaal binnen een door de overheid gefinancierde R&D-omgeving (bron: techjobsforgood.com). Medewerkers profiteren van uitgebreide medische, tandheelkundige en visuele verzekeringen, 403(b) pensioenplannen met werkgeversbijdrage, pensioenrechten, arbeidsongeschiktheidsdekking, studiekostenvergoeding en mogelijkheden voor professionele ontwikkeling (bron: nlr.gov). De campus in Golden, Colorado, biedt faciliteiten voor welzijn op locatie, waaronder een fitnesscentrum, cafetaria, koffieshop, vergaderruimtes en open wandelpaden, wat bijdraagt aan een samenwerkingsgerichte en flexibele werkcultuur die de ontwikkeling van starters en een goede werk-privébalans ondersteunt (bron: nlr.gov).
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