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Robotics Summer Internships

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) Robotics Internship Program provides opportunities for students and recent graduates to intern at DOE national laboratories. Internships will last for 10 consecutive weeks from May to September at a DOE national laboratory. You will be mentored by and research alongside DOE scientists and subject matter experts, developing long-term relationships between yourself, researchers and others at your hosting laboratory.

Project Assignments

Project assignments will involve technologies used to develop machines that can substitute for humans and replicate human actions automatically. Examples of potential project assignments include:

  • Programming for a system that has sensing, acting, and/or communicating.
  • Designing and/or fabricating structural aspects of a robotic system or improvements to one.
  • Integrating sensors or exploring the integration of sensors to a system so that it can be made more robotic or smart.
  • Adding actuation or functional capability to a system so that it can improve its ability level of action.
  • Enhancing the human/machine interface to improve the communication with a system employing robotic technologies.
  • Designing experiments that involve robotic technologies at some level of sophistication.
  • Exploring ways to make traditionally “dumb” systems more “smart” with robotic characteristics. i.e. smart homes, smart buildings, smart products, etc.

EERE Robotics Internship Details

 

  • Application Cycle

    AMMTO Summer Internships are open for applications during the Fall/Winter of each year.

    2024 Application Year details are forthcoming.

  • Application Review and Selection

    In the application process, you will review available projects for your ORISE summer internship and provide your preference for which project and mentor you want to intern with for the summer. Mentors will review complete applications and project preferences to determine their ORISE intern selections and best match for their projects. Mentors may contact you directly or schedule interviews with you as part of the review process, and we encourage you to engage with them to determine the best fit for you and your potential mentor.

    However, mentor selection is only one part of the review process. Mentor selection of your application does not guarantee you will be selected to participate in an internship program.

    Once selections are finalized by EERE AMMTO, ORISE will notify you and your mentor if you are selected for an internship program.

  • Eligibility

    The EERE Robotics Internship Program is open to all students and recent graduates who meet the following qualifications:

    • Be a U.S. citizen.
    • Be at least 18 years old by May 1 of the internship year
    • Meet one of the following conditions:
      • Recent graduate: Have earned an associate, undergraduate or graduate degree in the past two years in a field related to robotics, manufacturing, or engineering.
      • Student: Be enrolled as a full-time student pursuing a degree related to robotics, manufacturing, or engineering. Proof of enrollment during spring semester must be submitted to ORISE at the time the appointment is accepted.
      • High school seniors, undergraduate students, graduate students, and postgraduates, earning a degree in the past two years, are eligible to apply. 

    For more detailed information about eligibility, refer to the Zintellect opportunity announcement

  • Appointment Details

    • Appointments will be for 10 consecutive weeks during the months of May-September. Factors such as class schedules, housing availability, and laboratory schedules may be taken into consideration when determining appointment start and end dates.
    • Interns are required to have health insurance coverage during the appointment period and to provide proof of this coverage prior to the start of the appointment.

  • What will I receive?

    • Stipend: Based on academic level at the start of your internship appointment.

    • Travel: Travel reimbursement for inbound and outbound expenses if you live more than fifty miles, one-way, from your assigned hosting laboratory.

    • Housing Allowance: A housing stipend will be provided. Additional housing stipend may be provided to offset high cost of living in certain locations.

    • Training/Research Allowance: A training allowance may be provided to offset relevant costs, such as fees for submitting research for publication, access to relevant training, etc.

Project Catalog for the Robotics Summer Internships

The Summer 2024 Project Catalog will be updated starting in October 2023. Please check back regularly for updates.