Undergrad Tech Intern - Research Computing Internship (PEARC)

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments called Directorates, each focused on a specific area of scientific research or operational function. The Computing and Information Technology organization is redefining the digital workplace, empowering research and streamlining operations to tackle global challenges in science, energy, and national security. Our experts in AI, cybersecurity, design, and engineering collaborate using real-time insights and human-centered design to break down barriers.

Research Computing removes technical barriers to discovery by providing access to high-performance computing (HPC), GPU-accelerated compute, scientific software, research data management (including the PNNL Research Library), and cloud computing. Through events like TechFest, we foster a vibrant culture of computing and drive interdisciplinary collaboration to advance computationally enabled science.

About the role

This is a cohort-based internship program where interns work in small teams, each paired with mentors and project stewards from across the Lab. Assignments run 10 to 12 weeks with the possibility of extension. Participants must be available to start in May or June 2027.

Program Includes

• Strategically important projects with real deliverables in a team environment
• Weekly engagement with senior leadership, including briefings and a final presentation to our Directorate
• A dedicated full-time mentor, coaching sessions, workshops, and Lab tours
• Exposure to diverse career paths in research computing through collaboration with research scientists, engineers, and leadership
• Social and networking events throughout the program

Project Areas

Intern teams are assigned to projects based on skills and interests. Examples from previous cohorts:

• Implementing open-source ML workflow tools to enable research teams to automate and leverage ML platforms
• Prototyping private Generative AI environments to explore how these technologies can transform research processes
• Optimizing and parallelizing scientific codes for supercomputers, including participation in a high-performance coding bootcamp
• Building cloud "blueprint" templates on AWS, Azure, and GCP to help scientists and engineers provision cloud services
• Developing CI/CD pipelines and supporting application migration with software engineering teams

What We Are Looking For

We are recruiting across three tracks. You do not need to fit all three; identify the one that best matches your coursework and interests.

Software Development Track

• Coursework or project experience in one or more of: Python, C, C#, JavaScript, React, or R
• Interest in building tools, APIs, or applications that support scientific research

Data Engineering Track

• Coursework or project experience in one or more of: Python, R, SQL, or data pipeline concepts
• Interest in research data management, ML workflows, or analytics infrastructure

IT / Cloud Engineering Track

• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) or computing infrastructure concepts
• Foundational knowledge of configuration management, CI/CD, or infrastructure-as-code tools

Across all tracks, we value curiosity, willingness to learn, comfort working in teams, and the ability to communicate technical work to non-technical audiences.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Candidates must have a high school diploma/GED or higher
• Candidates must be degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at an accredited college or university
• Candidates must be taking at least 6 credit hours and have an overall cumulative GPA of 3.0

Preferred Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Human-Centered Design, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, or a related field
• Cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher

This position involves access to sensitive systems and information. U.S. Citizenship is required. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is subject to the Department of Energy Unclassified Foreign Visits & Assignments Program site, information, technologies, and equipment access requirements.

Benefits

• Employee assistance program
• Business travel insurance
• Eligibility for company-funded pension plan and 401k savings plan (once eligibility requirements are met)

Pay

Minimum Salary: USD $17.13/Hr.

Maximum Salary: USD $27.02/Hr.