Graduate Intern – Advanced Building Equipment Research Group

National Laboratory of the Rockies • Golden, CO

1d • $44,500 - $71,200 • Onsite

About The Position

NLR’s Advanced Building Equipment Research group is hiring a graduate intern to conduct modeling and experimental research on heat and mass transfer applied to HVAC systems and buildings. The intern will work with a multidisciplinary team on laboratory and analytical projects involving the research, development, and evaluation of heat and mass transfer components and systems, including conventional and non-conventional dehumidification and desiccant systems. The role requires a strong understanding of heat and mass transfer theory, numerical modeling, and experimental methods.

Under the general direction of senior staff, the intern will improve and use existing numerical models of heat and mass exchangers; design, develop, and analyze HVAC processes and components; conduct laboratory experiments on fluid and thermal components; and publish papers in heat and mass transfer and energy journals.

The position is based at NLR in Golden, Colorado, and is listed as an intern fixed-term position at 40 hours per week. The annual salary range is $44,500–$71,200. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match; and sick leave where required by law. Some positions may be eligible for relocation reimbursement, and eligible employees may receive performance-, merit-, or achievement-based awards. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits.

Applicants must meet the applicable student or recent-graduate eligibility requirements, have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and satisfy educational requirements before employment begins. Applicants must submit transcripts; a letter of recommendation is required if selected. Employees must be able to obtain and maintain a federal PIV card when required. A pre-employment drug test is also required.

Requirements

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
• Must be a current graduate student enrolled full-time in a master’s degree program at an accredited institution, a current PhD student who has completed a master’s degree, or a post-graduate with a master’s degree earned within the past 12 months. The posting also describes undergraduate and post-undergraduate internship eligibility categories.
• Must meet educational requirements before the employment start date.
• Current graduate student with a strong academic and research record in a relevant heat transfer, thermodynamics, and mass transfer field, with emphasis on modeling and experimental research.
• Degree in mechanical engineering or relevant research in another engineering or science field.
• Strong oral and written interpersonal communication skills and demonstrated ability to work independently.
• Demonstrated experience in some or all of the following: heat and mass transfer fundamentals; HVAC fundamentals or refrigeration cycles; numerical modeling techniques and computer programming; familiarity with desiccants and absorption processes; and laboratory experiments and data acquisition systems.
• Applicants must upload official or unofficial school transcripts as part of the application.
• If selected, a letter of recommendation is required.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification card when required, including a favorable background investigation for assignments extending beyond six months.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug test.

Nice To Haves

• Experience programming in MATLAB, Engineering Equation Solver (EES), Python, or similar tools; MATLAB is preferred.
• Familiarity with two-phase heat transfer phenomena, specifically condensation.
• Experience with CAD using SolidWorks.
• Familiarity with HVAC fundamentals or vapor-compression and non-vapor-compression refrigeration cycles.
• Familiarity with desiccants and absorption processes.
• Experience with laboratory experiments and data acquisition systems.

Responsibilities

• Improve and use existing numerical models of heat and mass exchangers.
• Design, develop, and analyze new HVAC processes and components.
• Perform laboratory experiments on fluid and thermal components.
• Publish papers in heat and mass transfer and energy journals.

Benefits

• Medical insurance.
• Dental insurance.
• Vision insurance.
• 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match.
• Sick leave where required by law.
• May be eligible for performance-, merit-, and achievement-based awards that include a monetary component.
• Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement.
• Robust professional development opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern