Undergraduate/Graduate Intern (year-round) –Chemical Engineering/Biomass conversion/Catalytic upgrading/Organic Chemistry

National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Golden (CO); On-site; USD 45,000 - 71,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

403(b) employer match

Sick leave

Relocation assistance

Job summary

National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) in Golden, CO, seeks an Undergraduate/Graduate Intern for year-round research support in chemical engineering and biomass conversion. Responsibilities include reactor operation, polymer synthesis, and analytical measurements under safety guidelines.

The role emphasizes hands-on wet chemistry, scale-up for pilot-scale ideas, and preparation for graduate school or a career in the chemical industries. Quad benefits listed.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a degree program or graduated within 12 months.
• Internship may be up to 12 months post-graduation.
• Minimum 3.0 GPA and full-time enrollment required.
• Strong hands-on wet chemistry and analytical experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Batch and flow reactor operation for algal pretreatment, conversion, chemical production and polymer synthesis.
• Develop renewable polyurethane materials for a broad range of applications.
• Benchtop wet chemistry including sample prep and derivatization.
• Operate and maintain analytical instruments (FTIR, NMR, TGA, DSC, GC-MS).
• Perform separations, including liquid-liquid and solid-liquid extractions.
• Support bioprocessing scale-up.

Skills

wet chemistry

catalytic conversion

process scale-up

polymer synthesis

analytical chemistry

Education

Bachelor's degree (current student)

Bachelor's degree completed within 12 months

Master's degree student

Master's degree completed within 12 months

PhD student

Tools

FTIR

NMR

TGA

DSC

GC-MS

Job description

Posting Title Undergraduate/Graduate Intern (year‑round) –Chemical Engineering/Biomass conversion/Catalytic upgrading/Organic Chemistry . 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.

Job Description

The Integrated Carbon Conversion Processes Group within NLR’s Catalytic Carbon Transformation and Scale‑Up Center is seeking an Intern to provide researchers within our group the support necessary to achieve their cutting‑edge research safely. Our group’s mission is to de‑risk and accelerate the scale‑up of technologies for producing chemicals, fertilizers, and critical minerals from domestic biomass resources and waste resources. Our multidisciplinary team integrates expertise in process engineering, process science, catalysis, and computational modeling of integrated processes to translate laboratory discoveries into technically and economically viable processes suitable for pilot‑scale demonstration and eventual commercialization. The directorate’s research encompasses multiple areas including analysis & characterization, biochemical processes, downstream processing, bioenergetics, and thermochemical processes. Our research group is focused on developing chemicals, critical minerals, fertilizers, and materials from terrestrial and algal biomass. Our team brings together a wide range of technical expertise and global experience unified by a passionate drive to increase the technoeconomic feasibility and global adoption of biorefineries. Interdisciplinary collaboration and a relentless pursuit of advancing understanding at the intersection of fundamental science and industrial application is paramount to every member of our team.

Intern Responsibilities

• Batch and flow reactor operation for algal pretreatment, conversion, chemical production and polymer synthesis
• Develop renewable polyurethane materials for a broad range of applications.
• Benchtop wet chemistry, including sample preparation and derivatization,
• Operation and maintenance of analytical instrumentation, (e.g. FTIR, NMR, TGA, DSC, GC-MS, etc.)
• Separations, including liquid‑liquid and solid‑liquid extractions.
• Bioprocessing scale‑up

The ability to conduct laboratory experiments and follow written procedures, with minimal supervision and with the utmost regard to safety is required. Self‑motivation, adaptability and an aptitude for learning are critical for 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 industries.

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.
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Must be enrolled as a full‑time student in a degree granting program, or graduated in the past 12 months from an accredited institution.
• Internship period cannot exceed 12 months past graduation.
• Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
• Before interview selection, you will need to provide unofficial transcripts to verify GPA and full time enrollment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands on experience in wet chemistry, catalytic conversion, process scale‑up, polymer synthesis and characterization, experience on advanced analytic chemistry (FTIR, NMR, GC-MS, etc)

Annual Salary Range

Annual Salary Range (based on full‑time 40 hours per week) Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $44,500 - $71,200

Benefits Summary

• medical, dental, and vision insurance;
• 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*;
• and sick leave (where required by law).
• NLR 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

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. 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.