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Intern, R&D Graduate Summer - Experimental Geological Materials Science for Natural Hydrogen Production, CA Onsite

AT Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories

Intern, R&D Graduate Summer - Experimental Geological Materials Science for Natural Hydrogen Production, CA Onsite

Livermore, CA

What Your Job Will Be Like:

Intern, R&D Graduate Summer - Experimental Geological Materials Science for Natural Hydrogen Production, CA Onsite

We are seeking an graduate student to join us onsite in Livermore, California. This intern position will help characterize materials for natural hydrogen production. The successful candidate will collaborate with chemists and materials science who apply experiments, computational modeling, and machine learning to understand serpentinization, a chemical reaction that forms hydrogen gas without CO release when water reacts with iron-containing minerals within the Earth's crust. This fundamental knowledge is needed to determine whether "natural hydrogen" represents a potentially renewable source of hydrogen for energy applications.

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On any given day, you may be called on to:

  • Work on site in Livermore, California
  • Characterize model materials and geological samples with advanced techniques (e.g. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with wavelength- and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (WDS/EDS))
  • Determine water-splitting mechanisms and kinetics
  • Collaborate on reports, presentations, and manuscripts

Salary Range:

At Sandia, we value the important work done by our interns and its contribution to National Security. Because of this, our interns earn competitive pay rates. Our pay structure is based on earned credit hours, classification, and degree level. Your pay rate will be determined during the hire process and included in your offer package. You can view the Intern Pay Rate chart here (https://www.sandia.gov/app/uploads/sites/51/2024/10/Student-Rate-Sheet-Sept-2024.pdf) .

Qualifications We Require:

You bring the confidence and skills to be eligible for the job by meeting these minimum requirements:

  • Earned bachelor's degree
  • Currently attending and enrolled full time in the spring term immediately preceding the internship (or scheduled to graduate in the spring) in an accredited science, engineering, or math graduate program
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0
  • Ability to work up to 40 hours per week during the summer
  • U.S. citizen, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident of the U.S.

Note: If you have not yet started your graduate program, please apply to an undergraduate intern position.

Qualifications We Desire:

Exceptional candidates will have some subset of the following:

  • Undergraduate degree and practical laboratory research in geology, materials science, chemistry, or a closely related field
  • Knowledge of hydrogen generation and storage materials
  • Experience collaborating with national laboratories and user facilities
  • Familiarity with microscopy and spectroscopy (XPS, SEM/WDS and EDS, electron probe microanalysis, secondary ion mass spectrometry, etc.)
  • Evidence of documenting your results through peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and posters.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

About Our Team:

The Energy Nanomaterials Department is a research organization specializing in the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials for energy and national security applications. Projects and capabilities in the department's research portfolio include maturation of additively-manufactured metallic alloys; the formulation, synthesis, and characterization of materials for energy and hydrogen storage; and nanoscale materials characterization including extensive electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction.

About Sandia:

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

  • Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
  • Extraordinary co-workers
  • Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
  • Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
  • Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
  • Generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov
These benefits vary by job classification.

Security Clearance:

This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.

Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.

EEO:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

Job ID: 694655

Job Family: 91

Regular/Temporary Position: T

Full/Part-Time Status: F

Client-provided location(s): Livermore, CA, USA
Job ID: Sandia-0002281114884C3886AAFBC07B505978
Employment Type: Intern