Young Women in Science

Learning on the job

Based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to comply with the Washington State Governor’s order to close all K–12 schools through the end of the 2019-20 school year, PNNL will not allow high school students to work on our campus for the remainder of the school year and will not host any high school interns through the summer. We are exploring remote internship options if K–12 education continues online-only instruction for the 2020-21 school year.

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.

Restrictions may apply: Due to PNNL policy, students under 18 years of age are not eligible to work in laboratory spaces and may be restricted from certain kinds of field work.

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.

Eligibility: If you meet the criteria below, please apply! To be considered for an internship, students must:

  • be enrolled in a public or private school and interested in pursuing a career in STEM or a related field
  • be 16 years of age at the time the appointment begins
  • be a sophomore or junior at the time of application
  • have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (from 9th grade to current standing)
  • be free of obligations or plans that will interrupt research during the course of the 10-week internship. No vacations are allowed.

Preference will be given to students who have completed advanced placement courses. However, all applicants are welcome.

Young Women in Science

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.