- Home
- Careers
- Internships
- Computational Chemistry and Materials Science (CCMS) Summer Institute
Computational Chemistry and Materials Science (CCMS) Summer Institute
LLNL is planning to hold its 2025 CCMS Summer Institute from June 9 to August 22, 2025.
The institute highlights challenges and research opportunities in the development and application of methods to predict, analyze, and optimize the properties of materials for a broad range of applications.
The program gives students the opportunity to:
- Spend ten to twelve weeks as a guest of an LLNL host scientist working on a computational project in the host’s area of expertise.
- Work directly with leading LLNL researchers on the development and application of cutting-edge methods in computational materials science and chemistry as well as other related areas of computational science.
- Attend a series of 2-day mini-courses taught by leading researchers from universities and national laboratories covering state-of-the-art and emerging computational methods in materials science and chemistry.
- Tour LLNL and participate in networking activities.

Program topics include ab initio electronic structure theory, quantum chemistry, molecular dynamics, phase field modeling, computational mechanics, and multiscale modeling.
Want to learn more? Download the institute flyer or view past CCMS Lectures
Apply today
Applications for summer 2025 are now open.
To apply, visit the LLNL job search webpage and search for REF6537U.
Application deadline: February 14, 2025
Have questions about the internship?
Contact us at ccms [at] llnl.gov (ccms[at]llnl[dot]gov)
Related internships
Students can explore additional research areas in materials science and meet our researchers by participating in related internship programs at LLNL.

Accelerator Complex
Contact: Scott Anderson
LLNL’s accelerator complex houses sophisticated tools to accelerate charged particles to incredibly high speeds. Located three stories underground, these instruments allow our nuclear physicists to detect isotopes, create fast neutrons, peer inside heavily shielded objects, and characterize unknown material.
Additional information is available on the Accelerator Complex webpage.

Actinide Materials
Contact: Scott McCall
We support global and national security missions by maintaining capabilities to synthesize, characterize, and test materials containing actinides.

Animal Care Facility (ACF)
Contact: acf [at] lists.llnl.gov (ACF support)
The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animals, International (AAALAC)-accredited and Public Health Service (PHS) Assured animal facility houses several thousand small animals, which are cared for by full-time Laboratory animal technologists. Animal models are used in comparative genomics studies that focus on understanding gene regulation and for vaccine and countermeasure development.

Earn practical research experience by working with mentors on a wide range of projects in geoscience, climate, and atmospheric science.
Learn more about our internship in atmospheric, earth, and energy science.

Autoradiography Imaging
Contact: Kim Knight
Sub-millimeter resolution alpha and beta radioactivity imaging

Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS)
Contact: Nanette Sorensen or Scott Tumey
Researchers at CAMS use diverse analytical techniques and state-of-the-art instrumentation to develop and apply unique, ultra-sensitive isotope ratio measurement and ion beam analytical techniques.
Additional information is available on the CAMS website.

Center for Micro- and Nanotechnology (CMNT)
Contact: Engineering Directorate
Researchers at the CMNT invent, develop, and apply microscale and nanoscale technologies to support LLNL missions. The research and capabilities of the Center cover materials, devices, instruments, and systems that require microfabricated components, including microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), electronics, photonics, micro- and nanostructures, and micro- and nanoactuators.
Additional information is available on the Engineering website.

Center for National Security Applications of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
Contact: Derrick Kaseman
The NMR facility provides advanced characterization of chemical processes and materials using magnetically passed spectroscopic capabilities. The center houses multiple spectrometers used to analyze solids, liquids, and gases, including explosives, highly toxic industrial chemicals, and chemical and biological threat agents.

Develop and apply methods in computational materials science, computational chemistry, and other related areas of computational science.
Learn more about the CCMS internship.

Computational Nuclear Physics
Contact: Bret Beck
We measure, collect, and evaluate nuclear data and incorporate these data into libraries to be used in simulations. We provide nuclear data, physics simulation, and data processing tools for experimental and theoretical nuclear data.
Additional information is available on the Computational Nuclear Physics website.

Cooperative Research Center for NanoScaffold-based Chlamydia trachomatis Vaccines
Contact: Matthew Coleman
Leading experts in immunology and nanotechnology are developing and testing a new type of vaccine to prevent sexually transmitted infections caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) pathogen.
Additional information is available on the Cooperative Research Center for NanoScaffold-based Chlamydia trachomatis Vaccines webpage.

Work on data science problems that matter to the nation while pursuing a degree in machine learning, statistics, applied mathematics, computer science, or similar fields.
Learn more about the Data Science Summer Institute.

Diamond Anvil Cell (DAC) and Ultrafast Science
Contact: Geoffrey Campbell
Our diamond anvil-based laboratories can measure materials properties at static pressures above 1 Mbar, providing essential equation-of-state information for weapons, experiment design, and further study of the chemistries that control unique material formation. Additional experiments to study shock compression with 10 picosecond time resolution are pushing the limits of current theories of the metal strength, phase transitions, and chemical kinetics.

Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope (DTEM)
Contact: Geoffrey Campbell
The LLNL-developed DTEM enables direct observation of unique mechanical properties controlled by features at the nanoscale.
Additional information is available on the DTEM webpage.

Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT)
Contact: Greg Brown
An EBIT makes and traps very highly charged ions by means of a high-current density electron beam. The ions can be observed in the trap itself or extracted from the trap for external experiments. Our EBIT is the only ion source in the world that can create highly charged ions that are practically at rest, allowing us to study an otherwise inaccessible domain.
Additional information is available on the EBIT website.

Electron Microscopy
Contact: Kerri Blobaum
LLNL maintains state-of-the-art capabilities in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to characterize materials.

Energetic Materials Center (EMC)
Contact: Lara Leininger
The EMC supports research and development for advanced conventional weapons, rocket and gun propellants, homeland security, demilitarization, and industrial applications of energetic materials. Our researchers, as part of the EMC, specialize in the modeling and experimentation surrounding the development, characterization, and effectiveness of high explosives.
Additional information is available on the EMC website.

Feedstocks for Additive Manufacturing
Contact: Yong Han
Our scientists and engineers optimize additive manufacturing (3D printing) techniques, such as direct-ink writing, through focused investments in feedstock development. Using computer programs to simulate particle size and scale, we develop new feedstock materials from combinations of polymers, composites, and ceramics, with applications ranging from weapon components to energy innovations.

Forensic Science Center (FSC)
Contact: Audrey Williams
FSC researchers analyze interdicted samples, provide radiological assistance 24/7, and engage in the critical research and development needs of the intelligence community. FSC expertise includes analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, nuclear chemistry, and forensic instrument design and fabrication.
Additional information is available in the FSC Fact Sheet and on the FSC website.

Glenn T. Seaborg Institute
Contact: Mavrik Zavarin
The LLNL branch of the Glenn T. Seaborg Institute conducts collaborative research between LLNL and the academic community in radiochemistry and nuclear forensics, contributing to the education and training of undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, and faculty in transactinium science.
Additional information is available on the Seaborg Institute website.

High Energy Density Science (HEDS) Center
Contact: Frank Graziani
The HEDS Center fosters collaborations with university faculty and students that have the potential to enhance high-energy-density science research. The HEDS Center facilitates access to LLNL’s HEDS experimental facilities and high-performance computing resources in order to support research important to the Department of Energy.
Additional information is available on the HEDS Center website.

Study matter at extreme conditions—such as those found inside stars or the cores of giant planets—using world-class laser facilities.
Learn more about the HEDS Center internship.

High Explosives Applications Facility (HEAF)
Contact: Lara Leininger
HEAF houses unique facilities for the synthesis, characterization, and testing of high explosives and other energetic materials. HEAF is also equipped with extensive, high-fidelity, high-speed diagnostic capabilities, including x-ray radiography, high-speed photography, laser velocimetry, and embedded particle velocity/pressure measurements.
Additional information is available on the HEAF webpage.

High-Performance Computing
Contact: lc-support [at] llnl.gov (LC support)
LLNL is home to a first-class computational infrastructure that supports the high-performance computing requirements of the Laboratory’s mission and research scientists. Livermore Computing provides the systems, tools, and expertise needed to enable discovery and innovation through simulations.
Additional information is available on the Livermore Computing Center website.

High-Performance Computing (HPC) Innovation Center
Contact: HPC Innovation Center
LLNL’s HPC Innovation Center connects companies with computational science and computer science experts, on demand, to help them solve their toughest challenges. It also provides cost-effective access to some of the world’s largest HPC systems and rapidly assembles expert teams to develop, prove, and deploy high-impact solutions across a broad range of industries and applications.
Additional information is available on the HPC Innovation Center website.

Joint Genome Institute (JGI)
Contact: Crystal Jaing
The JGI is a high-throughput genome sequencing and analysis facility dedicated to the genomics of nonmedical microbes, microbial communities, plants, fungi, and other targets relevant to DOE mission areas in clean energy generation, climate change, and environmental sciences. Scientists from the Genomics group support key missions of JGI by performing DNA sequencing experiments and sequencing data analysis utilizing unique molecular biology skills and state-of-the-art instrumentation.
Additional information is available on the JGI website.

Jupiter Laser Facility (JLF)
Contact: Félicie Albert
JLF is a unique laser user facility for research in high-energy-density science. Its diverse laser platforms offer researchers a wide range of capabilities to produce and explore states of matter under extreme conditions of high density, pressure, and temperature.
Additional information is available on the JLF website.

Laboratory for Energy Applications for the Future (LEAF)
Contact: Brandon Wood
LEAF is a multidisciplinary center that develops disruptive technologies for the grid, transportation, and the environment from inception to demonstration.
Additional information is available on the LEAF website.

Livermore Center for Quantum Science
Contact: Kristi Beck
To advance the development and deployment of next-generation quantum technologies and accelerate research solutions, the Livermore Center for Quantum Science cultivates new collaborations both within LLNL and across the broader community. The center’s aim is to explore how quantum sensing and computing can effectively address national security challenges and meet mission needs, while also leveraging LLNL technology to meet the demands of these innovations.
Additional information is available on the Quantum Science and Technology website.

Connect with LLNL scientists working in quantum computing, quantum algorithms, and quantum sensing.
Learn more about the LCQS internship.

Mass Spectrometry
Contact: Rachel Lindvall
LLNL’s mass spectrometry instruments offer experimental and diagnostic techniques that make it possible to count atoms, study lunar rocks, isolate isotopes, and characterize unknown material. These sophisticated tools enable our nuclear chemists, cosmochemists, and radiochemists to tackle complex science challenges.
Additional information is available on the Mass Spectrometry webpage.

Gain hands-on experience in materials synthesis, materials characterization, materials processing, analytical chemistry, actinide materials science, optical materials science, electrochemistry, materials engineering, materials chemistry, and physics.
Learn more about the MaCI summer program.

Nanoscale Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory (NSCL)
Contact: Alex Hamza
NSCL is making advances in science at the intersection of physics, materials science, engineering, and chemistry. We are pursuing research in nanoporous materials, advanced nano crystalline materials, novel 3D nanofabrication technologies, and nondestructive characterization at the mesoscale.
Additional information is available on the NSCL webpage.

National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC)
Contact: Lee Glascoe
NARAC is a national support and resource center for planning, real-time assessment, emergency response, and detailed studies of atmospheric releases of nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, and natural materials. NARAC provides timely and accurate atmospheric plume predictions to aid emergency preparedness and response efforts in protecting the public and the environment.
Additional information is available on the NARAC website.

National Ignition Facility (NIF)
Contact: Dayne Fratanduono
NIF houses the world’s largest and highest-energy laser. NIF’s laser beams routinely create temperatures and pressures similar to those that exist only in the cores of stars and giant planets and inside nuclear weapons. The facilities are a key element of maintaining the reliability and safety of the U.S. nuclear deterrent without full-scale testing.
Additional information is available on the NIF website.

National User Resource for Biological Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (BioAMS)
Contact: Graham Bench
BioAMS makes accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) available to biomedical researchers who need to accurately measure very low levels of radioisotopes. BioAMS is working to enhance AMS for analysis of radioisotopes in biomedical tracer studies through development of new methods and instrumentation.
Additional information is available on the BioAMS website.

Nuclear Counting Facility (NCF)
Contact: Keenan Thomas
Located two floors below ground, with a layer of shielding materials between floors to minimize background radiation, LLNL’s Nuclear Counting Facility provides high-sensitivity radiation measurements. Its assets include gamma spectrometers, solid-state detectors, alpha and beta counting systems employing ionization gas chambers, and liquid scintillation techniques.
The facility supports research in stockpile stewardship, nonproliferation, and counterterrorism, including:
- Analyzing samples and surrogate materials in support of nuclear forensics efforts.
- Studying samples collected during underground nuclear tests, which ended in 1992.
- Determining the number of radioactive atoms produced during experiments at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility.

Work directly with leading LLNL researchers on projects in nuclear forensics, nuclear chemistry, and environmental radiochemistry.
Learn more about the summer internship in nuclear science and security.

Optical Sciences
Contact: Wim De Vries
Our experts develop x-ray adaptive optics systems and optical payloads for nano-satellites. We have explored the use of survey telescopes for dark matter research, developed algorithms and software tools for simulation of orbital space events, and implemented sensor calibration and exploitation strategies for hyperspectral airborne sensors.

Research topics spanning astrophysics, planetary science, plasma science, fusion energy, optical science, and quantum science.
Learn more about our internship in physics.

Polymer Science
Contact: James Lewicki
We maintain capabilities to synthesize, characterize, and model a broad range of polymeric materials and architectures.

Quantum Coherent Device Laboratory
Contact: Yaniv Rosen
The Quantum Coherent Device Laboratory is a state-of-the-art research environment for quantum processor unit development. Learn more on the Quantum Coherent Device Laboratory webpage.

Radiative Properties
Contact: Marilyn Schneider
Our experts determine the radiation properties of plasmas produced at laser facilities such as the National Ignition Facility, the Jupiter Laser Facility, and the electron beam ion trap. These properties range from the basic atomic physics of isolated ions to opacities and radiation flow in hot dense matter to electron-positron pair production.

Radiochemistry Facilities
Contact: Roger Henderson
LLNL’s radiochemistry research facility houses more than 50 laboratories designed specifically for experiments focused on studying radioactive isotopes and element transformation. From trace-level environmental analysis of tritium, to high-activity transuranic samples, our capabilities allow us to analyze solid, liquid, and gas samples.
Our radiochemistry labs include fume hoods and gloveboxes, as well as class-100 clean rooms for extremely sensitive chemistry and measurements.

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)
Contact: Zurong Dai
Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, electron diffraction

Select Agent Center (SAC)
Contact: bioagent [at] lists.llnl.gov (Bioagent support)
The SAC has Biosafety Level-2, Biosafety Level-3, and Animal Biosafety Level-3 facilities. The center is registered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is Public Health Service (PHS) Assured, and is accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animals, International (AAALAC).

Space Science Institute (SSI)
Contact: Megan E. Eckart
The SSI builds on Lawrence Livermore’s strengths in planetary science, astrophysics, nuclear science, optics, engineering, data science, and computing to develop high-impact projects and a mission-ready workforce.
Additional information is available on the SSI website.

Develop skills by conducting practical astrophysics and planetary science research at LLNL under the supervision of a staff scientist.
Learn more about the SSI summer internship program.

X-ray Diagnostics
Contact: Stefan Hau-Reige
Our researchers use a wide range of diagnostics to measure and record experimental data. To obtain measurements needed for their cutting-edge research, our scientists have to develop new tools and continually add to their suite of diagnostic instruments.


X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Contact: Charlotte Eng
Our instruments enable bulk elemental analysis with ppm-level detection limits.