Program Description
Internships are 10 weeks during the summer term (June through August).
Project Interests and Special Skills
We encourage you to look at Berkeley Lab’s website to learn more about the Lab and any projects that you would find interesting to work on during an internship. You may view the Lab’s various Scientific Divisions (e.g., Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics, Building Technology & Urban Systems, Energy Geosciences, Materials Sciences) and Operations Divisions (e.g., Environment, Health & Safety, Facilities, and Information Technology). It may be useful to use keywords (project topics, project titles, or Berkeley Lab staff names) in the search field on Elements and Berkeley Lab News Center, in order to locate additional information. Learn more about some WD&E mentors’ current projects on our News and Events page.
In your application essays, please make sure to include information about the technical or research projects at Berkeley Lab (or other national laboratories) that interest you, your passion for these subjects, and any connections between your interests and the Berkeley Lab mission. This will be helpful to Berkeley Lab project leads when they are reviewing applications to identify potential interns
Note: Having previous experience working on a technical or research project is not required (nor expected) for acceptance into the program. Instead, write about the life experiences you have that may contribute to your success as an intern.
Reaching Out to a Project Team
If you find a project lead (or their colleagues) whose project sounds like a good match, please contact them by sending an email to see if they are interested in hosting an intern. We recommend that you keep your initial email short and “to the point.” Use a descriptive email subject, introduce yourself (e.g., what school you attend, your academic interests), state that you are interested in applying for an internship, and that you would like to learn more about the projects available for the internship term you’re applying to. This direct and personal connection can be effective in “matching” interns and mentors, and can make your application stand out. You can look up the contact email address of anyone currently working at Berkeley Lab in the Directory.
Once you have established a connection with a project lead, have them contact WD&E Internship Program Manager Nakeiah Harrell, at nharrell@lbl.gov. She will be able to guide them through the next steps. If you are having trouble identifying and/or making contact with project leads, please email Nakeiah with information about certain projects that interest you and your own research or technical areas of interest. This will allow WD&E to contact them on your behalf, as needed.
Project Leads are often busy, and it may take a few tries to connect with them via email. Additionally, we encourage you to reach out to others in the department (e.g., their colleagues, department administrators) who may be helpful in redirecting you to other project leads with projects that would be a good fit for you.
Initiative is a great quality in candidates for our internship programs. If you can show interest in specific research or technical projects and/or topics when you reach out via email, that will increase the likelihood that you will receive a positive response. Connecting with a project lead, discussing the project, and conveying your passion is the best way to achieve a successful “match,” between interests, personality, and timing.
The program is sponsored by and managed in partnership with the National GEM Consortium.
