Post-Undergraduate Intern (Year-Round) - Separations Engineering

National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Colorado; On-site; USD 40,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado is hiring a Post-Undergraduate Intern (Year-Round) in Separations Engineering for on-site work. The role supports the Bioenergy Science and Technology group with benchtop chemistry, purification, chromatography, and development of separation systems.

Ideal candidates are current full-time undergraduates or recent graduates with a strong lab background, safety mindset, and willingness to learn.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
• Undergraduate: Full-time enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program.
• Post Undergraduate: Bachelor’s degree within past 12 months.
• Graduate: Enrolled in a master’s degree program.
• Post Graduate: Master’s degree within past 12 months.
• Graduate + PhD: PhD student enrolled in program.

Responsibilities

• 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 automation of custom separation systems.

Skills

Laboratory experience

Attention to detail

Time management

Team collaboration

Safety procedures

Education

Bachelor’s degree in progress

Master’s degree student or higher

Tools

Aspen Plus

Job description

Posting Title Post-Undergraduate Intern (Year-Round) - Separations Engineering . Location CO - Golden . Position Type Intern (Fixed Term) . Hours Per Week 40 . Working at NLR NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation’s primary laboratory for energy systems research and development. Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth. At NLR, you’ll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

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 fulltime 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.

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.

Annual Salary Range

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week) Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $39,600 - $63,400

NLR 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

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*
• Sick leave (where required by law)
• Performance-, merit-, and achievement-based awards that may include a monetary component (not guaranteed)
• Relocation expense reimbursement (may be eligible)
• Benefits are 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.

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.

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.

About NLR

The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for critical minerals, energy innovation, and energy security. With locations in Golden and Boulder, Colorado, Fairbanks, Alaska, and a satellite office in Washington, D.C., NLR bridges foundational research with practical applications to develop and bring to scale new energy materials and technologies that lower energy costs, drive economic growth, and deliver abundant and reliable energy. NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All candidates must be authorized to access the facility per DOE rules and guidance within a reasonable time frame for the specified position in order to be considered for an interview and for hiring. DOE rules for site access during the interview process depend on whether the candidate is interviewed on-site, off-site, or via telephone or videoconference. 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. Additionally, DOE contractor employees are prohibited from participating in certain Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs (FGTRPs). If a candidate is currently participating in an FGTRP, they will be required to disclose their participation after receiving an offer of employment and may be required to disengage from participation in the FGTRP prior to commencing employment. Any offer of employment is conditional on the ability to obtain work authorization and to be granted access by NLR by the Department of Energy (DOE).