National Nuclear Security Administration Consortium Internship Program Seeks Qualified Students

ALEXANDRIA, VA, September 04, 2010 (Press-News.org) The Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS); the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE); the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (MAES); and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) are recruiting qualified college and graduate student interns for placement in facilities across the United States. The NNSA internship program is being executed by consortium members to increase diversity in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

To qualify for NNSA internships students must be: a member of SHPE, SACNAS or MAES; a U.S. citizen; a rising college junior, senior or graduate student; possess a minimum 3.0 GPA undergraduate or a minimum 3.25 GPA graduate; be a full-time student (12 hrs. undergraduate, 9 hrs graduate); attend an accredited college/university in the United States or Puerto Rico; and be pursuing a degree in science, engineering, technology or math. Students may fill out the application online, and submit it with the certification form, official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, a resume, and cumulative GPA.

Internship cycles are fall (15 weeks), spring (15 weeks) and summer (10 weeks). These paid internships include the following stipends: $6,000 (Undergraduate - Summer); $7,200 (Graduate - Summer); $9,000 (Undergraduate Spring/Fall); $10,800 (Graduate - Spring/Fall).

NNSA undergraduate and graduate interns receive high level STEM training in a federal laboratory or office, under the guidance of a mentor. Positions are available in Washington D.C., New Mexico, California, South Carolina, Nevada and Texas. Appointments will be made according to the NNSA's need at the time of acceptance.

NNSA oversees the management and security of U.S. nuclear weapons, nuclear non-proliferation and naval reactor programs. The agency responds to radiological emergencies in the United States and abroad. NNSA federal agents also ensure safe and secure transportation of nuclear weapons and components and special nuclear materials affecting national security.

Christian Franco Martinez, a mechanical engineering student at Rice University, held a NNSA internship at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos New Mexico. "I definitely acquired multiple technical skills in terms of dealing with large equipment and working with cryogenics, but the most important was the professional and soft skills gained from the experience," commented Martinez.

The Consortium is dedicated to increasing minority participation in NNSA internships, to help advance their STEM studies and careers. Visit http://www.consortiuminternships.org.

The NNSA Consortium Internship Program is looking for qualified students to apply for paid internships at sites located across the U.S.