Nuclear Energy Data Analysis Intern - Fall 2026

Idaho National Laboratory is seeking a motivated intern to support our Process Modeling & Analysis team. The Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program at INL supports the long-term, economic operation of the existing U.S. nuclear fleet. One of the most cost-effective ways to add clean, firm generating capacity is to increase the output of the plants already operating, through power uprates and other capacity expansion strategies.

We are looking for an undergraduate intern to help build and test the software tools and data resources used to assess uprate opportunities across the U.S. nuclear fleet. You will work alongside INL researchers on technical problems with direct relevance to utilities and industry, and you will get hands-on experience with research software development in a national laboratory setting.

What You'll Do:

• Develop, test, and document research software (primarily Python) for modeling and analyzing nuclear power plant uprate and capacity expansion scenarios.
• Write and maintain automated tests, and help verify that analysis tools produce correct, reproducible results.
• Collect, organize, and clean plant data from public and industry sources such as regulatory filings, technical reports, and operating data.
• Perform data analysis and visualization to support technical and economic assessments.
• Contribute to technical documentation and summarize findings for the research team.

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. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Enrolled full time in an Undergraduate Degree Program majoring in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a related technical field.
• Programming experience in Python or a comparable language. 
• Coursework or project experience with data analysis. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, and comfort working both independently and as part of a team.
• 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

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with software engineering practices such as version control (Git), unit testing, and code review. 
• Experience with scientific Python libraries (e.g., NumPy, pandas, matplotlib). 
• Coursework in thermodynamics, heat transfer, power systems, or nuclear reactor fundamentals. 
• Interest in energy systems, nuclear energy, or techno-economic analysis. 
• Experience working with messy real-world datasets or extracting data from technical documents.

Compensation:

• Undergraduate Internships ($26.94/hour - $32.41/hour)
• Masters Internships ($35.34/hour - $37.73/hour)
• PhD Internships Pre-Candidacy ($36.83/hour - $39.33/hour)
• PhD Internships Post-Candidacy ($38.65/hour - $41.29/hour)
• Multi-Level: Internships are typically multi-level posting and you will be placed at the appropriate level dependent on degree field and level of education.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, bend, use hands to handle materials, manipulate tools, type on a keyboard, reach with hands and arms, and operate job-related equipment. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds without assistance. Sufficient visual acuity and hearing capacity to perform the essential functions and interact with people is required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.