Nutrient Recovery and Biochar-Based Fertilizer Development Intern - Spring 2027

Idaho National Laboratory•Idaho Falls, ID

8d•$35 - $38•Onsite

About The Position

Idaho National Laboratory is seeking a motivated intern to support our Thermal Preprocessing team. The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with solid-liquid separation, filtration, and/or standard analytical characterization methods. This team works a 9x80 schedule onsite at our Idaho Falls campus. Start date and duration of internship vary based on project and student's availability.

Requirements

Enrolled full time in a PhD Program majoring in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Environmental Science
Experience with solid-liquid separation, filtration, and/or standard analytical characterization methods
A minimum overall 3.0 GPA
Authorization to work in the U.S. (including CPT and OPT)
Current Resume or CV
Unofficial Transcripts (include current and completed degree programs)
Current class schedule and number of credits

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience with thermochemical processing (e.g., hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis), including high-temperature/high-pressure reactor operation
Demonstrated experience recovering nutrients (N, P, K) from manure or agricultural biomass and developing slow-release or multi-nutrient fertilizer materials
Experience with biochar/hydrochar production, surface modification, and nutrient-loading or controlled-release characterization
Proficiency with relevant analytical techniques: ICP-based elemental analysis, ion chromatography, FTIR, TGA, CHNS, SEM/EDS, XRD, BET surface-area analysis.

Responsibilities

Support the Thermal Preprocessing team.
Conduct research and development related to nutrient recovery and biochar-based fertilizer.
Utilize hands-on experience with solid-liquid separation, filtration, and/or standard analytical characterization methods.