Undergraduate Technical Intern – MONet

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.

Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

The Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate (EBSD) leads critical research in four areas:
Atmospheric, Climate & Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, Environmental Molecular Sciences, and Global Change. Our vision is to develop a predictive understanding of biological and Earth systems in transition. We aim to understand energy and material flows within the integrated Earth system; to understand, predict, and control the response of biosystems to environmental and/or genomic changes; and to Model the Earth system from the subsurface to the atmosphere.

The Environmental Molecular Sciences Division is comprised of 18 interdisciplinary research teams focused on deciphering molecular-level interactions driving biological and environmental processes across temporal and spatial scales. Through computational analysis and modeling, these findings contribute to predictive understanding of how systems respond to environmental perturbations thus enabling solutions to the nation’s energy, environmental, and human health challenges. The division also manages the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus that accelerates the research of scientists around the world by providing access to world-class expertise, instrumentation, and computational resources.

The Environmental Transformations & Interactions Group has a technical intern position available to support sample processing for the Molecular Observation Network (MONet). MONet’s goal is to develop a continental-scale database of standardized molecular and microstructural data to advance the understanding and prediction of microbially and root-driven inputs in soil ecosystems and terrestrial aerosol processes

We are seeking a motivated, self-starter interested in expanding their background, while working in a highly dynamic team-based environment. The successful candidate must have excellent verbal, listening, and written communication skills to assist the MONet sample processing team by performing various scientific tasks.

The intern will assist with a variety of laboratory tasks, such as washing dishes, processing incoming samples, sieving and weighing materials, keeping track of lab supplies, preparing soil sampling kits, and managing both biological samples and chemical waste.

The position requires an individual with strong attention to detail that will be able to function independently with limited supervision and effectively manage conflicting priorities and develop solutions to problems.

Maintenance of organization, working conditions, and an accurate laboratory notebook are expected in addition to implementation of Environmental Safety and Health Operations and security requirements, as well as directorate and group policies.

Please note this is a year-round position and onsite in Richland, Washington.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must have a high school diploma /GED or higher
• Candidates must have a degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at an accredited college or university
• Candidates must be taking at least 6 credit hours and have an overall cumulative GPA of 2.50.

Preferred Qualifications:

• In the process of completing a bachelor’s degree in the field of Biology, Environmental Sciences, Agronomy, or Biochemistry.
• Cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 preferred.
• Additional skills of interest include experience in one or more of the following areas:
  Chemistry, soil science, and/or microbiology.
• Candidates must have critical thinking skills, attention to detail, and good communication (oral…