Undergraduate Year-Round Intern - Supply Chain and Manufacturing Analysis

Posting Title

Undergraduate Year-Round Intern - Supply Chain and Manufacturing Analysis

Location

CO - Golden

Position Type

Intern (Fixed Term)

Hours Per Week

40

Working at NREL

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.

NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.

Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL’s critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.

Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role.

Job Description

The successful applicant will join a team of researchers in NREL’s Strategic Energy Analysis Center (SEAC; www.nrel.gov/analysis) who analyze industrial and transportation fuel systems and inter-sector interactions – primarily between the evolving electricity sector and the industrial and transportation sectors. The group also performs manufacturing cost and supply chain analysis for emerging technologies and supports DOE Programs by performing verifications of new and ongoing research projects. SEAC aims to increase understanding of energy policies, markets, resources, technologies, and infrastructure to address U.S. economic, security, and environmental priorities by providing objective, technology-neutral analysis.

The successful applicant will support work involving energy technology development, adoption, and commercialization, as well as other core work areas specifically related to supply chain and cost analysis. The applicant will work on a team with other researchers to analyze energy technologies and systems and participate in developing strategies and roadmaps for both the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other partners (state and local governments and industrial partners). Initially, the successful applicant will review and analyze the impact of critical materials on energy technologies and use the results of that work to understand the potential of circular economy. The analysis will also consider technology research and development opportunities and challenges, market development, resource requirements, infrastructure needs, and policy options.

The successful applicant will also support technoeconomic assessments (TEA) for other energy technologies and NREL’s electrons-to-molecules initiative. The TEAs will involve chemical processes engineering and cost estimating to identify opportunities for new chemical processing, metal refining, and other technologies. The successful applicant will also be involved in bottom-up manufacturing cost analysis with a focus on understanding the impact as compared against current state of art.

The successful applicant will have demonstrated the capability to do wet chemistry that provided skills that would allow them to participate in device development/growth in a lab.

Interdisciplinary curiosity, resourcefulness, internal motivation will enable the candidate to function well in the exciting and busy work environment of the nation’s only national lab focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

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

Limited use and application of engineering principles, theories, and concepts as well as good written and verbal communication skills are required to be successful in this position.An ability to use various computer software programs, particularly Excel, to perform analyses is a prerequisite.A strong applicant will have sufficient scientific/engineering knowledge of energy systems (including topics such as mass and energy balancing, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics) and the capability to perform the primarily analytical work is required in this position.A strong candidate will also have demonstrated experience functioning independently with attention to detail, while keeping sufficient notes to allow repetition and understanding of work completed.The ability to give excellent oral presentations on progress and results is a prerequisite.Creative problem solving and robust analytical skills will also be essential.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with wet chemistry and operating within an in-lab research environment is preferred, particularly if this work was supporting green energy technologies.Experience performing technoeconomic or cost modeling on industrial processes is also desired.A desire to learn modeling of GHG and embedded energy using the MFI tool will contribute to a successful working environment in this position.The ideal candidate will have experience presenting to groups on progress updates and to technical audiences on ongoing work.The applicant should desire to work independently within a team environment.

Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $34,000 - $54,400

NREL 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). NREL 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

Drug Free Workplace

NREL 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 NREL, 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 NREL 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.

EEO Policy

NREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action 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.

EEO is the Law | Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination | Reasonable Accommodations

E-Verify 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.