Hydrogen Hub
The National Energy Technology Laboratory's (NETL's) record of success has been built on understanding the future of energy and the technologies required to make that future possible. We’ve long touted our success in developing the technologies that took on acid rain in the 1970s and mercury in the early 2000s. More recently, NETL has a leading role in President Biden’s ambitious climate goals, including a carbon emission-free power sector by 2035 and a net-zero economy by 2050.
Program Goals
The Professional Internship Program is designed to introduce undergraduate students and recent Bachelor's graduates to the challenges of conducting energy research, and enable graduate students to further build off their studies an experience as they join the scientific community. Participants interact daily with assigned mentors who guide research and project activities during the internship, while they become integral members of project teams.
The program goals include providing the opportunity to participants to:
- Develop skills and knowledge in their field of study
- Engage with new areas of basic and applied research
- Transition classroom theory into hands-on experience
- Network with world-class scientists
- Exchange ideas and skills with the Laboratory community
- Use state-of-the-art equipment
- Contribute to answers for today's pressing scientific questions
- Collaborate with the broader scientific and technical communities
Project Details
Through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), this posting seeks a recent Bachelor's graduate or student researcher to engage in projects with the Research Innovation Center (RIC) at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in the area of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, under the mentorship of Chad Rowan. This project will be hosted at the NETL Morgantown, WV campus.
This project will focus on gaining experience in data management and AI/ML (artificial intelligence and machine learning) techniques for various research projects at the National Energy Technology Laboratory. This project ranges from learning about basic data management practices (requirements gathering, governance, architecture, and implementation) to more advanced experiences such as the creation and implementation of AI/ML algorithms.
Learning Objectives include:
- Literature Review: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing data management practices and machine learning models and approaches used in energy related research projects. Identify gaps and opportunities for innovation.
- Data Collection and Preprocessing: Conduct research with energy-related datasets, ensuring data is clean, structured, and suitable for analysis. Organize and store data appropriately for use/re-use.
- AI/ML Algorithm: If appropriate, collaborate on the design and implementation of a novel machine learning model.
Stipend: Participants receive a biweekly stipend based on their educational level. Stipend payments are taxable as an educational benefit. Stipends for full-time participation start at:
- $470 per week - $648 per week for undergraduate students
- $725 per week - $808 per week for recent Bachelor's graduates
- $725 per week - $1,098 per week for graduate students
Deliverables: To document the effectiveness of the program, participants are required to submit a pre-appointment and post-appointment survey, as well as a reflection on their appointment experience when they renew or end their appointment. The reflection should summarize their project(s), additional activities, and overall experience. Details are provided as the appointment end date approaches.
Participants may also have the opportunity to contribute to manuscripts, journal articles, book chapters, conference presentations, posters, patents, and other publications as a part of their appointment. Such achievements should also be reported to ORISE; additional details are provided after an offer has been accepted.
The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory system, is owned and operated by the DOE. NETL supports the DOE mission to advance the energy security of the United States. This is an educational opportunity offered by NETL and administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. Participants in the program are not considered employees of NETL, DOE, the program administrator, or any other office or agency.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate would have some, but not necessarily all, of the following skills:
- Background in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, or a related Science-based field.
- Strong understanding of data management practices and machine learning concepts and algorithms.
- Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with ML libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).
- Basic knowledge of energy-related data and terminology is a plus.
- Analytical mindset with attention to detail and a passion for research.
To be eligible for this opportunity, you must:
- Have one of the following academic statuses
- An undergraduate student*1 in good standing at a regionally accredited college/university*2
- A recent Bachelor's degree graduate*1 who has received the Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college/university*2 within the last 24 months at time of application
- A graduate student in good standing at a regionally accredited college/university
- Have an overall GPA of 2.5/4.0 or higher
- Be at least 18 years of age at the time of application
- Provide confirmation of coverage under a health insurance plan prior to the beginning of the internship
*1 Soon-to-be Associate's degree graduates are eligible to apply if enrolled as a student at time of application.
*2 Students and recent Bachelor's degree graduates from accredited Community Colleges and Technical Schools are encouraged to apply.