Posting TitlePost Undergraduate (Year-Round) Intern – Industrial Decarbonization of Cement and Concrete.LocationCO - Golden.Position TypeIntern (Fixed Term).Hours Per Week40.Working at NRELThe 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.From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL’s critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role.Job DescriptionMountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The Building Thermal Energy Science Group of the NREL is seeking for a graduate intern able to pursue research in cement decarbonization for the deployment of low carbon cementitious building materials and CO2 mineralization of cementitious materials. The NREL campus is a living experiment filled with curious researchers developing advanced energy technologies. The successful candidate will work with an interdisciplinary team of experienced researchers to support projects on advanced Building construction materials. The candidate shall be able to support cutting-edge laboratory capabilities and infrastructure to advance R&DD, process, and manufacturing of novel low- to negative-carbon cementitious material systems.General Duties and Responsibilities:The successful candidate should have a strong background and understanding of cementitious materials science for building construction applications. The candidate will contribute to the development of alternative cements and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) using CO2 mineralization strategies. The researcher is expected to document work/results in reports and presentations.Specific Duties and Responsibilities
Process various low-value byproducts from industrial and biomass sources into SCMs for cement substitution via thermal, chemical, and mechanical approaches.
Work with industrial partners to upgrade SCMs via CO2 mineralization.
Characterize materials using techniques including, but not limited to: SEM, FTIR, XRF, XRD, surface area and pore size, calorimetry, TGA, ultimate/proximate analysis, etc.
Assist in project management, including report writings, paper publications, and presentations in program review or conferences.
Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:The researcher has the opportunity to get involved in in-depth and multifaceted disciplines in civil, chemical, and materials engineering. The candidate should demonstrate expertise in the area of inorganic materials processing and design for cementitious composites.
Mechanics of Materials; Solid Mechanics; Civil Engineering Design; Fluid Mechanics; Physics of Renewable Energy Systems; Urban Energy Systems and Policy
Strong background in civil engineering (i.e. structural) theory, finite elemental analysis, and experiments including data acquisition.
Knowledge of life cycle assessment (LCA).
Knowledge of inorganic and/or organic supplementary cementitious materials.
Experience with analytical instruments (i.e. XRD, TGA, calorimetry, SEM, etc.)
Knowledge of programming for data analysis (i.e. MATLAB, Python)
Demonstrated research capability and creativity to solve challenging problems, as well as the ability to work well in a team.
.Basic QualificationsMinimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.Undergraduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree program from an accredited institution.Post Undergraduate: Earned a bachelor’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year. Graduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a master’s degree program from an accredited institution.Post Graduate: Earned a master’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.Graduate + PhD: Completed master’s degree and enrolled as PhD student from an accredited institution. Please Note: Applicants are responsible for uploading official or unofficial school transcripts, as part of the application process. If selected for position, a letter of recommendation will be required as part of the hiring process. Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date. Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.Additional Required QualificationsCandidate should have a strong aptitude to learn and explore the field needed for development, to be motivated and dedicated, and to deliver research results on time and on budget. Excellent interpersonal, communication, documentation skills, oral and writing proficiency in English.We are looking for a motivated, quick learning, and self-starting graduate to join the team to develop next generation decarbonized cementitious materials and alternative concrete.Preferred QualificationsDemonstrated experience in some or all of the following:
Materials science, chemistry, and characterization of cementitious materials
Industrial processes for cement/concrete manufacturing
Laboratory experiments and data acquisition systems
.Job Application Submission WindowThe anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $38,300 - $61,300NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.Benefits SummaryBenefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match; and sick leave (where required by law). NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits. Based on eligibility rulesDrug Free WorkplaceNREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.Submission GuidelinesPlease note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application..EEO PolicyNREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.EEO is the Law (http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/ofccpost.htm) | Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination (https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/pdf/pay-transpEnglishunformattedESQA508c.pdf) | Reasonable Accommodations (http://www.nrel.gov/careers/employment-policies.html)E -Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify For information about right to work, click here (http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2013/08/13/FinalOSCPosterEN08012013.pdf) for English or here (http://www.justice.gov/crt/file/813271/download) for Spanish.E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.
