Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) are partnered to offer the Diversity Internship for DTRA (DID), recruiting the next generation of researchers and leaders to support national security and bring more diversity to impactful projects of interest.
About DID
DID provides students from minority-serving institutions with training and practical experience that will assist in the DTRA mission to detect, deter, and defeat weapons of mass destruction and other emerging threats.
DID’s paid 8–12-week summer internships offer diverse professional development opportunities, including:
- Real-world experience in nonproliferation and threat deterrence
- Contribution to an assigned project under the DTRA scope
- Completion of project-specific training, networking, and mentorship
- Delivery of an end-of-summer project, which may be added to a resume
Eligibility
PNNL and DTRA are looking for smart, creative, and motivated undergraduate and graduate students interested in applying cutting-edge research to making our nation safer and stronger. Students of all backgrounds and levels of experience are encouraged to apply. Virtual internship options available.
To be eligible, students must meet the following criteria:
- U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain a future security clearance
- Currently enrolled/matriculated in an accredited college in either an undergraduate, master’s, OR PhD program
- Taking at least six credit hours or have recently graduated
- Preferred candidates will be pursuing undergraduate degrees at a minority-serving institution
- Cumulative GPA requirements by level
- Undergraduate students: 2.70 GPA
- Master’s students: 3.00 GPA
- PhD students: 3.00 GPA
Educational focus areas
- Analytics: Political science, public policy and international relations, economics, and criminal justice.
- Biology/Chemistry: Biology, radiochemistry, and actinide chemistry.
- Concept and Application Evaluation: Physics, mathematics, statistics, data science, and quantitative evaluation and assessment.
- Cyber/Computer Science: Computer coding/engineering, cybersecurity, and computer science focusing on secure systems.
- Engineering: Chemical, nuclear, mechanical, civil/environmental, material, and electrical.
Application
To be considered for DID, three items (resume, unofficial transcript, and 300-word essay) are required and must be uploaded to the PNNL application per the following instructions:
- Upload your resume or CV in the “Resume” section only. If applying to multiple positions, the resume uploaded will be the resume used for all positions to which an applicant applies.
- Combine the following two documents into one PDF document titled “DTRA-DID”. This combined document MUST be uploaded into the “Additional Documents” section.
- Current unofficial transcript, including your cumulative GPA.
- 300-word essay describing how your specific interests pertain to national security. Examples can include but are not limited to college course projects, personal projects, volunteer activities, hobbies outside of class, or any other activity to help you gain extra experience in your field beyond textbook knowledge.
An application lacking the three components uploaded per the instructions listed will be considered incomplete.
Electronic applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (PST) on the posting close date. Our application for 2022 internships is now closed. Please check back soon to learn about our 2023 internship opportunities.
Schedule
Application acceptance begins each fall and runs through early spring.
- August/September 2021 – Application opens
- March 2022 – Application closes
- March/April 2022 – Selection committee reviews applicants
- May 2022 – Internship begins
- July/August 2022 – Internship complete
Upcoming Events
The DID team travels nationally to find the best and brightest minds to assist in DTRA’s mission. Stay tuned for upcoming recruitment events!
