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Internships

Student research opportunities with a global impact

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Whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, you can engage in exciting learning experiences across the spectrum of physical and life science research through paid LLNL internships. Participation in these internships—available during the summer months and throughout the academic year—offers you the chance to gain research experience that supports your education and career goals.

Interns in PLS:

Contribute to hands-on research projects
Work side-by-side with mentors and researchers from diverse research backgrounds
Expand their professional networks
Become familiar with world-class facilities and capabilities
Learn about the variety of research opportunities available in PLS (many students return to PLS as repeat interns, postdocs, or employees)
Attend weekly seminars, participate in the student poster symposium, and meet other students during social events (summer programs only)

Internship programs

Come explore our research and meet our researchers by participating in a related internship program at LLNL.

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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.

Nuclear Science and Security Summer Internship Program

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.

Physics Internship

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.

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 Diffraction (XRD)

Contact: Charlotte Eng

Crystallography of bulk solids

X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Contact: Charlotte Eng

Our instruments enable bulk elemental analysis with ppm-level detection limits.

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Hear from PLS interns

Ph.D. student Sophie Parsons conducts laser alignment work on an ultrafast pulse table-top laser system modified for sub-nanosecond shock compression and velocimetry.

Being at the Lab has been an amazing experience for me. I’ve been able to participate in very large laser campaigns at user facilities, like the onsite optical science laser, and I’ve benefited from great mentorship at the Lab.”
—Graduate student in the Materials Science in Extreme Environments University Research Alliance

Zachary Murphy, a summer intern with LLNL’s Glenn T. Seaborg Institute, analyzes underground samples from an organic-rich rock formation to determine the location’s potential as a long-term nuclear waste repository.

It’s been great to get some radioactive material experience and to use the cool analytical techniques that are available at the Lab. It has even given me a lot of ideas and directions to explore further in my Ph.D. work.”
—Glenn T. Seaborg Institute summer intern

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Want to learn more about internships at LLNL?

Visit the LLNL Students website | Explore externally sponsored internships