Intern, R&D Graduate Year Round - Geothermal Research Department, NM, Hybrid
Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, USA
Job posting number: #7314714 (Ref:Sa695915)
Posted: August 20, 2025
Job Description
What Your Job Will Be Like:
We are seeking an innovative and passionate individual to join our team as a student intern in the fields of resource exploration, geochemistry, and geophysics, specifically focusing on geothermal energy. This position will provide valuable support in the following areas:
- Assisting with field campaigns and data collection efforts
- Processing geological and geochemistry data
- Setting up and maintaining laboratory data acquisition and processing systems
- Hands-on experience in laboratory experimentation and fieldwork
- Proficiency in geophysical analysis
- Familiarity with data acquisition and processing techniques
This internship will be hybrid with most work to be completed at our New Mexico ABQ site.
Salary Range:
At Sandia, we value the important work done by our interns and its contribution to National Security. Because of this, our interns earn competitive pay rates. Our pay structure is based on earned credit hours, classification, and degree level. Your pay rate will be determined during the hire process and included in your offer package. You can view the Intern Pay Rate chart here (https://www.sandia.gov/app/uploads/sites/51/2024/12/Student-Rate-Sheet-2025.docx) .
Qualifications We Require:
You bring the confidence and skills to be eligible for the job by meeting these minimum requirements:
- Earned bachelor's degree
- Currently attending and enrolled full time in an accredited science, engineering, or math graduate program
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0
- Ability to work up to 30 hours per week during the academic year, and up to 40 hours per week during the summer
- U.S. citizen, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident of the U.S.
Qualifications We Desire:
- Bachelor's degree in geology, geophysics, geomechanics, or a related discipline
- Hands-on experience in laboratory experimentation and fieldwork
- Proficiency in geophysical analysis
- Familiarity with data acquisition and processing techniques
- Proven ability to independently identify and develop innovative solutions to a diverse range of challenges
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, including proficiency in technical writing
- Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills, with the ability to thrive in a high-functioning environment
Posting Duration:
This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.
About Our Team:
The Geothermal Research Department is an organization that delivers unique solutions for customers who require components and systems capable of operating in harsh and often high-temperature environments. The historical mission of the department was to address technology needs related to the development of geothermal energy (a baseload renewable energy resource); in particular accessing, monitoring and engineering of geothermal resources in subsurface geologic environments. This mission continues, but the capabilities of the organization have also been leveraged to address other issues of national importance. Current activities are broad in scope and require the efforts of multidisciplinary technical teams with expertise in mechanical engineering, drilling technologies, electronics, geosciences, materials, sensors, and explosives/propellants. Examples of areas being addressed by the department include:-Improving the performance of drilling technologies in hard-rock environments.-Development of high-temperature electronic and electromechanical systems for drilling, logging and monitoring.-Environmentally friendly reservoir simulation technology development. Our customer base spans a wide variety of governmental and private sponsors, and we work closely with the geothermal power industry, oil & gas developers, service companies, other national laboratories and academia. In addition, the department maintains and continually updates a wide variety of unique testing capabilities for evaluation of technologies in simulated downhole environments.
About Sandia:
Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:
- Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
- Extraordinary co-workers
- Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
- Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
- Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
- Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*
World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov
*These benefits vary by job classification.
Security Clearance:
This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.
Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. Under federal law, citizens and agents of the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, and the Russian Federation are generally prohibited from accessing Sandia National Laboratories. Accordingly, such individuals will not be considered for employment unless they are citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents of the United States.
If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.
Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.
EEO:
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.
NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:
If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.
If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.
Job ID: 695915
Job Family: 91
Regular/Temporary Position: T
Full/Part-Time Status: P
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.