Gamma Computed Tomography Intern - Summer 2027

Idaho National Laboratory•Idaho Falls, ID

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Idaho National Laboratory is seeking a PhD intern to support the development and evaluation of gamma-ray computed tomography (CT) methods for nuclear fuel examination. Using fission-product source distributions provided by the INL research team, the intern will develop Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations representative of INL's Gamma CT instruments and generate simulated projection data (sinograms) for selected source distributions and instrument geometries. The intern will implement and evaluate variance-reduction methods, including importance sampling, to improve computational efficiency while maintaining accurate results. They will apply image-reconstruction algorithms to the simulated data and evaluate image quality using quantitative metrics such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The intern will also investigate how acquisition parameters—including the number of angular projections, detector dwell time, and filtering methods—affect reconstruction quality. The project provides hands-on experience in Monte Carlo radiation transport, gamma-ray imaging, computed tomography, image reconstruction, and quantitative image-quality analysis. The team works a 4x10 schedule onsite at the Materials and Fuels Complex campus. The internship start date and duration vary based on project and student availability. Course credit may be available.

Requirements

Be enrolled full-time in a PhD program in Nuclear Engineering at an ABET-accredited college or university.
Have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0.
Have previously completed a BEA internship within the MFC Reactors and Chief Technologist Group.
Provide a current resume or CV.
Provide unofficial transcripts, including current and completed degree programs.
Provide a current class schedule and number of credits.

Nice To Haves

Experience with MCNP, SCALE, or ADVANTG.

Responsibilities

Develop Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations representative of INL's Gamma CT instruments.
Generate simulated projection data (sinograms) for selected source distributions and instrument geometries using fission-product source distributions provided by the INL research team.
Implement and evaluate variance-reduction methods, including importance sampling, to improve computational efficiency while maintaining accurate results.
Apply image-reconstruction algorithms to simulated projection data.
Evaluate image quality using metrics such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR).
Investigate how the number of angular projections, detector dwell time, and filtering methods affect reconstruction quality.