Graduate Summer Intern - Computational Synthesis of PGM-free Fuel Cell Catalysts Edit listing

**Posting Title**
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Graduate Summer Intern -- Computational Synthesis of PGM-free Fuel Cell Catalysts

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**Location**
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CO - Golden

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**Position Type**
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Intern (Fixed Term)

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**Hours Per Week**
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40

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**Working at NLR**
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NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

**Job Description**
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The Scalable Algorithms, Modeling, and Simulation group in the NLR Computational Science Center has an opening for a graduate student researcher in computational synthesis, with a particular emphasize on machine-learned interatomic potentials (MLIPs). The researchers will train MLIPs, assess their accuracy and apply them to studying the relevant reaction energetics for synthesis of Fe-N-C fuel cell catalysts using automated workflows. In conjunction with a team of staff scientists, different synthetic precursors will be identified for subsequent synthesis.

We are looking for a dynamic, motivated researcher with a strong technical background and an interest in the mission of NLR. The successful candidate will collaborate with NLR staff and researchers to train and deploy MLIPs for the optimization of Fe-N-C catalyst synthesis.

Responsibilities include:

* Fine-tuning of foundational model MLIPs with domain-specific data and assessment of their accuracy

* Collaborate with NLR researchers to use the trained MLIPs to study the chemistry of Fe incorporation into N-C sites for different synthetic precusors

* Develop automated workflows in conjunction with NLR and collaborating institutions, including automated analysis using AI

* Process and visualize results from simulations provide chemical insight and intuition into important chemical reactions.

* Author, present and assist in the preparation of technical papers, reports and conference proceedings on topics related to MLIP studies of the synthesis of Fe-N-C fuel cell catalysts.

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**Basic Qualifications**
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Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.

Undergraduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a bachelor's degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Undergraduate: Earned a bachelor's degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.

Graduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a master's degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Graduate: Earned a master's degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.
Graduate + PhD: Completed master's degree and enrolled as PhD student from an accredited institution.

Please Note:
• Applicants are responsible for uploading official or unofficial school transcripts, as part of the application process.
• If selected for position, a letter of recommendation will be required as part of the hiring process.
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

*** Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.**

**Additional Required Qualifications**
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* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

* Excellent knowledge of chemistry, including molecular dynamics and reaction modeling

* Experience with the MACE-based foundational models and their fine-tuning

**Preferred Qualifications**
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*Knowledge of workflow automation, including the use of AI for automated analysis of data.*

*Experienced running density functional theory (DFT) software packages such as JDFTx for VASP.*

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**Job Application Submission Window**
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The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

**Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)**
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Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $44,500 - $71,200

NLR takes into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

**Benefits Summary**
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Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; and sick leave (where required by law). NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits.

*****Based on eligibility rules

**Badging Requirement**
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NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Intern assignments extending beyond six months will be subject to this requirement.

**Drug Free Workplace**
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NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

**Submission Guidelines**
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Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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**Equal Opportunity Employer**
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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

**++Reasonable Accommodations++**

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