Hot Cell Design Mechanical Engineering Intern - Summer 2027

Location: Idaho Falls, ID, United States

Reporting to a Senior Manager within the MFC Facility and System Engineering, you will work with the Hot Cell System Engineering group at the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC). Typical responsibilities include designing remote-handling equipment for use in various hot cells at MFC, troubleshooting facility equipment, and assisting with qualification testing in the mock-up shop.

This team works a 4x10 schedule onsite at MFC. Start date and duration of internship vary based on project and student availability.

Minimum Qualifications

• Undergraduate Junior or Senior student enrolled full time in a Bachelor's degree program at an accredited college/university studying Mechanical Engineering
• 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

 

The Ideal Candidate Will Possess

• Hands-on experience designing, building, or testing mechanical systems or equipment — through coursework, capstone, or prior internship — with the ability to speak to a specific project from design concept through fabrication or testing
• Exposure to or coursework in remote handling, robotics, mechanisms, or equipment design for hazardous/restricted-access environments (e.g., radiation, high-temperature, or confined-space applications), with a project example to discuss

 

Compensation and Benefits:

• Undergraduate Internships ($26.94/hour - $32.41/hour)
• Eligible interns are provided with paid holiday time off, and many of our internships offer travel reimbursements.

 

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, bend, and work in an office and laboratory environment. The job requires hand/finger dexterity to keyboard or type, handle materials, manipulate tools, and reach with hands and arms. The job may require operation of job-related equipment and driving a vehicle. Sufficient visual acuity and hearing capacity to perform the essential functions and interact with the public is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 

About Us

Benefits and Relocation

• Paid holiday time off
• Travel reimbursement may be available for eligible interns

At this time, BEA will not sponsor any H1-B visas obtained outside of the United States of America (U.S.A.), including consular visas.

INL is a science-based, applied engineering national laboratory dedicated to supporting the U.S. Department of Energy's mission in nuclear energy research, science, and national defense. With more than 6,300 scientists, researchers, and support staff, the laboratory works with national and international governments, universities and industry partners to change the world's energy future and secure our nation's critical infrastructure.

INL Mission:

Our mission is to discover, demonstrate and secure innovative nuclear energy solutions, other clean energy options and critical infrastructure.

INL Vision:

Our vision is to change the world's energy future and secure our nation's critical infrastructure.

Selective Service Requirements:

To be eligible for employment at INL males born after December 31, 1959 must have registered with the Selective Service System (SSS). For more information see www.sss.gov.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of INL to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

Reasonable Accommodation:

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Other Information:

When applying to positions please provide a resume and answer all questions on the following screens. Applicants, who fail to provide a resume or answer the questions, may be deemed ineligible for consideration.

INL does not accept resumes from third party vendors unsolicited.Join the Hot Cell System Engineering group at the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) and gain real, hands-on experience in nuclear facility engineering. As an intern, you'll help design remote-handling equipment used inside hot cells, troubleshoot facility equipment, and support qualification testing in the mock-up shop — giving you exposure to the full lifecycle of equipment from concept through deployment in a high-consequence environment. This internship is ideal for Mechanical Engineering juniors or seniors who want to move beyond textbook problems and apply their coursework to real facility systems. You'll work directly alongside experienced engineers, see how designs translate into physical hardware, and build a portfolio of hands-on project experience that's directly relevant to careers in nuclear, defense, aerospace, or other technically demanding industries. The team works a 4x10 schedule onsite at MFC