College Bound Research Program General Application - Summer 2026

Argonne National Laboratory • Lemont, IL

3d

About The Position

Please apply to be in the Summer 2026 College Bound Research Program applicant pool. Application Deadline is Friday, February 6, 2026. Argonne’s College Bound Research Program encourages local Illinois high school seniors during the summer between high school graduation and college fall term to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research internships. A student will spend the first week of his/her Argonne experience with an Argonne staff member devising a research strategy and attending mandatory safety classes. For the next few weeks, the supervisor will provide considerable program assistance and guidance to implement the research plan. Subsequently, the student will be required to give a poster presentation at the end of their appointment. In addition to their research activities, participants attend a series of weekly seminars and tours dealing with current topics in science and engineering as well as career development. Argonne is a multidisciplinary science and engineering research center, where talented scientists and engineers work together to answer the biggest questions facing humanity, from how to obtain affordable clean energy to protecting ourselves and our environment. Ever since we were born out of the University of Chicago’s work on the Manhattan Project in the 1940s, our goal has been to make an impact — from the atomic to the human to the global scale. The laboratory works in concert with universities, industry, and other national laboratories on questions and experiments too large for any one institution to do by itself. Through collaborations here and around the world, we strive to discover new ways to develop energy innovations through science, create novel materials molecule-by-molecule, and gain a deeper understanding of our planet, our climate, and the cosmos. We pursue discovery by pushing boundaries, challenging ourselves and each other, and stretching our abilities. This makes Argonne an excellent place for university students to explore and test their own ideas in science and technology. Argonne can help students grow, choose, and hone their areas of interest with programs that immerse them in cutting-edge research and discovery in all areas of the Lab. Surrounded by the highest concentration of top-tier research organizations in the world, Argonne leverages its Chicago-area location to lead discovery and to power innovation in a wide range of core scientific capabilities, from high-energy physics and materials science to biology and advanced computer science.

Requirements

• Be 18 years of age at the start of the appointment.
• Interest in a career in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
• Minimum overall grade point average of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted).
• U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.
• Graduated from a local high school in May/June 2026.
• Enrolled to attend college full-time in fall 2026.
• If offered employment, students must pass a drug screen.

Responsibilities

• Devising a research strategy
• Attending mandatory safety classes
• Implementing the research plan
• Giving a poster presentation
• Attending a series of weekly seminars and tours dealing with current topics in science and engineering as well as career development

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees