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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) Robotics Internship Program provides opportunities for students and recent graduates to intern at DOE national laboratories.

Internship Details

• Internships will last for 10 consecutive weeks from May to September 2021 at a DOE national laboratory. Interns will be assigned to research projects and/or other technical activities under the guidance of a mentor.
• Recent high school graduates, postgraduates with an associate degree, and undergraduate students will receive a stipend of $600 per week. Graduate students and postgraduates will receive $750 per week.
• Interns will be reimbursed for inbound-outbound travel expenses to their appointment site, up to a combined maximum of $1,000 for participants who live more than fifty miles, one-way, from the assigned laboratory.
• Interns whose home location is more than 50 miles from the hosting site will receive a $150 per week housing allowance.

In response to the evolving situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic, hosting facilities may modify their operation schedule and access to facilities to ensure the health and safety of their entire workforce while maintaining operational effectiveness. Hence, the appointment date and location are subject to change contingent on hosting facility guidelines and may result in a virtual placement.

Project Assignments

Project assignments will involve technologies used to develop machines that can substitute for humans and replicate human actions automatically. Examples of potential project assignments include:

• Programming for a system that has sensing, acting, and/or communicating.
• Designing and/or fabricating structural aspects of a robotic system or improvements to one.
• Integrating sensors or exploring the integration of sensors to a system so that it can be made more robotic or smart.
• Adding actuation or functional capability to a system so that it can improve its ability level of action.
• Enhancing the human/machine interface to improve the communication with a system employing robotic technologies.
• Designing experiments that involve robotic technologies at some level of sophistication.
• Exploring ways to make traditionally “dumb” systems more “smart” with robotic characteristics. i.e. smart homes, smart buildings, smart products, etc.

The EERE Robotics Internship Program is sponsored by the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO). AMO partners with industry, small business, universities, and other stakeholders to identify and invest in emerging technologies with the potential to create high-quality domestic manufacturing jobs and enhance the global competitiveness of the United States. AMO establishes collaborative communities focused on developing and commercializing targeted technologies; plays a leadership role in the national interagency Advanced Manufacturing Partnership; and encourages a culture of continuous improvement in corporate energy management.

Review and Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by mentors. Each hosting laboratory will identify candidates based on the qualifications of the applicants and the needs of each individual facility.  Hosting facilities will assign a mentor and project to each selected candidate. While applicants preferences will be taken into consideration, it may not be possible for all applicants to be assigned to their preferred project or to the projects selected. Recommendations from hosting laboratories will be forwarded to EERE AMO for final selection.

Nature of Appointment

Interns will not enter into an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, DOE, or hosting laboratory.  Instead, interns will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment.

For more information, contact us at robotics.internships@orise.orau.gov.

The EERE Robotics Internship Program is open to all students and recent graduates who meet the following qualifications:

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be at least 18 years old by May 1, 2021.
• Meet one of the following conditions:
  • Recent graduate: Have earned an associate, undergraduate or graduate degree in the past two years in a field related to robotics, manufacturing, or engineering.
  • Student: Be enrolled as a full-time student pursuing a degree related to robotics, manufacturing, or engineering. Proof of enrollment during spring 2021 must be submitted to ORISE at the time the appointment is accepted.
  • High School Senior: Be enrolled as a high school senior expected to graduate by Summer 2021 and planning to be enrolled in an undergraduate program for Fall 2021. Proof of acceptance to an accredited U.S. university or community college must be submitted to ORISE at the time the appointment is accepted.

A complete application consists of:

• Zintellect Profile
• Application questions including project preferences. List of available projects can be found at https://public.orau.org/SAWD/Robotics/SitePages/CatalogView.aspx.  This list will be updated as projects become available through the first week of January 2021.
• Transcripts/Academic records - Unofficial transcripts or copies of academic record may be submitted. Documentation must include name of the academic institution, name of the student, completed coursework and grades.
• A current resume/Curriculum Vitae
• One (1) Recommendation - Applicants are required to provide contact information for at least one recommendation in order to complete the application. You are encouraged to request a recommendation from a professional who can speak to your abilities and potential for success as well as your scientific capabilities and personal characteristics. Recommendation requests must be sent through the Zintellect application system. Recommenders will be asked to complete a recommendation in Zintellect. Recommendations submitted via email will not be accepted. Recommendation must be submitted through Zintellect by Monday, February 8, 2021, 11:59 PM Eastern Time Zone.

Submitted documents must have all social security numbers, student identification numbers, and/or dates of birth removed (blanked out, blackened out, made illegible, etc.) prior to uploading into the application system.

For more information or questions, contact us at robotics.internships@orise.orau.gov.

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• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: High School Diploma/GED, Associate's Degree, Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, or Doctoral Degree received within the last 24 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (16 )
  • Engineering (27 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (10 )
  • Physics (16 )
  • Science & Engineering-related (1 )
• Age: Must be 18 years old by 5/1/2021