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R8210 Undergraduate (Year-Round) Intern - Catalytic Upgrading of Biomass to Sustainable Aviation Fuel

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

An intern position is available in the Bioenergy Sciences and Technology Directorate to support work on the advancement of catalytic processes to produce sustainable aviation fuels from waste biomass feedstocks and fermentation products. Candidates who are interested in gaining hands-on experience with biomass catalytic upgrading reactors and analytical chemistry are encouraged to apply.

The intern will be engaged in a large collaborative group effort which explores fundamental and applied catalysis for sustainable aviation fuels, as well as chemical and engineering challenges for scaling catalytic processes. These larger efforts probe the effects of catalyst material properties, reaction kinetics, reactor design, and the resulting jet fuel properties, with a focus on design improvement strategies for catalytic unit operations specific to volatile fatty acid ketonization and hydrodeoxygenation chemistries.

Intern candidates should demonstrate an interest in chemical lab experiments and basic engineering principles.

Additional Required Qualifications
  • Qualified candidates should be motivated to build skills in interpreting and assessing the experimental results of their own work. 
  • Good interpersonal, oral, and technical written communication skills are essential for success in this role.
  • Teamwork and collaboration define the modern scientific approach, and the Intern will need to partner and team internally and externally by leveraging existing and building new science and engineering networks. 
  • Inclusion and diversity are core values, and the Intern will be expected to support a work environment that maximizes the unique talents and innovative ideas of every employee.
  • General knowledge of other related disciplines.