Intern, Technical Undergraduate Year-Round - Data Center Services, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; New Mexico; On-site; USD 2,479,680 - 3,581,760; Part time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking an Intern Year Round - Technical Undergraduate in Data Center Services to join the Network Engineering Services team on site. You will support enterprise networking, firewall, and datacenter connectivity across high-demand environments, working alongside engineers designing and implementing these systems.

You will shadow senior engineers, assist with documentation and workflow improvements, and gain hands-on experience with switching, routing, firewalling,

Qualifications

• Enrolled full-time in an accredited undergraduate program.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0.
• Ability to work up to 25 hours per week during the academic year, and up to 40 hours per week during the summer.
• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Note: If you have not earned a HS diploma or equivalent, please apply to a high school intern position.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with engineers who design and implement high-performance networking for enterprise and mission systems.
• Assist with documentation, inventory, audit cleanup, and workflow improvements.
• Shadow senior network engineers during live troubleshooting, cutovers, and design reviews.
• Work hands-on with test environments to learn switching, routing, firewalling, and automation fundamentals.
• Participate in team standups and coordination with data center engineering, cybersecurity, and hosting services.

Skills

Networking concepts

Command line basics

Scripting/Automation

Documentation/Diagramming

Communication skills

Security clearance eligibility

Education

Undergraduate student status

Tools

Arista

Juniper

Palo Alto

Fortinet

Job description

Intern, Technical Undergraduate Year-Round - Data Center Services, Onsite

We are seeking an Intern Year Round - Technical Undergraduate intern to join our dynamic team!

As a Networking Intern on the Network Engineering Services team, you will support a group responsible for delivering enterprise-wide networking, firewall, and datacenter connectivity services across multiple high‑demand environments mission critical and enterprise networks.

Responsibilities

You will collaborate with engineers who design and implement:

• High performance networking for Sandia's enterprise and mission systems
• Firewall architecture and change implementation
• Network modernization efforts, including large‑scale migrations to Arista infrastructure
• Connectivity troubleshooting for virtualized environments, data center relocations, and VLAN transitions

Interns will have the opportunity to:

• Shadow senior network engineers during live troubleshooting, cutovers, and design reviews
• Assist with documentation, inventory, audit cleanup, and workflow improvements
• Work hands‑on with test environments to learn switching, routing, firewalling, and automation fundamentals
• Participate in team standups and coordination with groups such as data center engineering, cybersecurity, and hosting services

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Salary

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/51/2024/12/Student-Rate-Sheet-2025.docx).

Qualifications We Require

• Currently attending and enrolled full time in a related accredited undergraduate program
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0
• Ability to work up to 25 hours per week during the academic year, and up to 40 hours per week during the summer
• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship
• Note: If you have not earned a HS diploma or equivalent, please apply to a high school intern position.

Qualifications We Desire

• Fundamental understanding of networking concepts (VLANs, subnets, routing, switching)
• Basic familiarity with Linux or Windows command line tools
• Ability to follow documented processes and work safely within change controlled environments
• Willingness to ask questions, learn quickly, and collaborate with experienced engineers
• Exposure to Arista, Juniper, or similar enterprise switching platforms
• Interest in or experience with firewalls (Palo Alto, Fortinet, etc.)
• Basic scripting or automation knowledge (e.g., Python, Ansible)
• Familiarity with network monitoring concepts or tools
• Understanding of virtualization and data center architectures
• Experience with documentation, diagramming, or workflow organization
• Strong communication skills for cross‑team coordination
• Ability to pursue and obtain a Q clearance

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

About Our Team

The Network Engineering Services team is a dynamic, highly skilled group that delivers the mission critical networking backbone across diverse enterprise and mission environments, supporting everything from firewall operations to high performance data center interconnects. The team drives major modernization efforts like large scale Brocade to Arista migrations while partnering with tri‑labs and collaborating closely with data center, cybersecurity, hosting, and program teams to solve complex technical challenges. Known for their teamwork, curiosity, and commitment to continuous learning, they're the kind of group where people support each other, tackle big problems together, and bring energy and innovation into every project they take on.

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 vacation, 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

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre‑employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q‑level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. 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.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

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.