The Young Women in Science (YWIS) summer internship is a research-based educational experience. PNNL offers this summer internship opportunity for high school-aged applicants who are interested in educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). During this 10-week experience at PNNL, students work with a scientist-mentor in a specific research area. YWIS interns also participate in educational and leadership development activities involving laboratory demonstrations, field trips, communications, and career awareness workshops. We encourage you to view our Young Women in Science opportunities, including our salary range and Rockstar Rewards by visiting the PNNL careers page.
Key Dates: Internship positions are posted on the PNNL careers page as they become available. Be sure to check the job site often. Read individual job postings carefully for specific closing dates. Internships take place between June and August.
Applying for an Internship
Once postings are open, a list of all high school internships will be available on the PNNL jobs website— type “High School” in the search bar. Collect the items below and then bundle them into one PDF file. The system will only accept one uploaded file. Please be careful— if you make a mistake, you will need to create a new profile and start the process over.
Cover Letter: Explain why you are applying. Be specific. Why do you want a summer research internship opportunity? Convince the reader to look at your application. Your cover letter will be seen first; therefore, it must be well written and specific to the job for which you are applying.
Resume: Provide educational background and academic information. You may want to include advanced placement courses, a list of your computer programming courses or experiences, and/or office skills. Include two personal references.
Unofficial transcript: Ask your counselor or work-based learning coordinator for a copy of your transcript.
Personal Statement: Describe who you are beyond your academic achievements and potential. Offer information regarding the kinds of activities, leadership, or impactful experiences you’ve had that contributed to your interest in STEM.
Remember, if any of the application components are missing and not uploaded in one PDF file, your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. Learn how to combine documents using Adobe Acrobat. Learn how to combine documents using Apple Preview.
Unsure if you’ve created your document correctly or do you have other questions on the application? Please contact PNNL University Recruiting at careers@pnnl.gov and we'll be happy to help you out.