Build Nuclear Engineering Skills with Internships at Oak Ridge National Lab

Innovative solutions to the world’s energy needs are essential, and the younger generation of engineers will be key players in creating a sustainable energy future. Nuclear energy is expected to be a pillar of this future, and this means that ensuring current engineering students get the experience they need to pursue this field is vital.

Fortunately, there are many internship programs that help young engineers build their skills. Engineering students interested in spending the spring or summer of 2017 expanding their experience in nuclear engineering or nuclear science research can currently apply next year’s research opportunities offered through the Nuclear Engineering Science Laboratory Synthesis (NESLS).

The NESLS program is a cooperative research initiative at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), administered through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). The program is currently accepting applications for internship positions during the spring and summer 2017.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology student Briana Hiscox spent her summer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Nuclear Engineering Science Laboratory Synthesis program studying accident-tolerant nuclear fuels, or fuels designed to minimize the likelihood of nuclear overheating and meltdown. Hiscox, pictured here with prismatic fuel element blocks, hopes to return to the lab as a full-time employee after she obtains her doctorate degree in nuclear engineering. (Image courtesy of Business Wire.)

NESLS offers engineering students, like Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Briana Hiscox, in-depth, hands-on education and research experience in areas such as nuclear security technologies; nuclear systems analysis, design and safety; and fuels, isotopes, and nuclear materials.

The internship also includes a stipend based on the student’s academic status, ranging from $529 to $935 per week for full-time, plus travel and housing assistance.

Students eligible for the NESLS program must be enrolled at an accredited U.S. college or university in a nuclear engineering, science, or eligible related field with a 3.0/4.0 cumulative GPA at the time of appointment. Community college students must be working toward an Associate of Science or Associate of Engineering degree to be eligible to apply.

Applications close January 6, 2017 for the spring 2017 internship period, and close February 28, 2017 for the summer 2017 opportunities. Applications must be submitted through the online application system.

For more information on this program and other educational opportunities for engineers, or to apply for the NESLS program, visit the Oak Ridge National Laboratory website.