An LBNF/DUNE, South Dakota intern is an undergraduate engineering student majoring in mechanical, electrical, industrial or related fields who is interested in working on a major underground construction project in support of a world-leading particle physics experiment located in the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. Eligible applicants must be currently enrolled in their sophomore or junior year at a four-year college or university in the United States.
This internship provides students with the opportunity to gain experience and understanding of infrastructure design, underground construction, project management, and international collaboration. The intern will work on a wide variety of projects with the Building and Site Infrastructure (BSI), Integration and Installation (I&I), and Surveying and Alignment teams by overseeing and documenting construction progress, supporting procurement and management activities, assisting in the layout and design of facility and experiment infrastructure, developing plans for underground installation, and assisting with surveying and field layout of ongoing installations. In the field, interns will provide engineering support for material movement to and around the underground space, installation of temporary power systems, installation of cryogenic piping, and conducting as-built checks to components as they are installed. In the office, interns will assist with designing structures to support scientific equipment, create layouts for cryogenic piping and electrical conduit, work with the install team to develop plans for the installation of complex structures, and collaborate with scientists and engineers across the world to ensure the needs of the experiment are being met. The selected interns will work under the direct mentorship of a BSI or I&I engineer.
Intern(s) are placed at the Sanford Lab in Lead, SD.
Skills and Attributes for Success :
Detail Oriented and Organized
Safety Minded
Good Communication Skills
Self-motivated and eager to learn
Experience with working in a multidisciplinary team environment
Experience with 2D and 3D modeling
Working knowledge of engineering fundamentals in their chosen field
Eligibility
Undergraduate sophomore or junior at time of application (entering Junior or Senior year at end of summer)
Enrolled in accredited 4-year U.S. college or university
Majoring in Engineering or related field
3.0 grade point average or above on a 4.0 scale
Eligible to work in the United States
Application Procedure
Before applying, have all requirements ready. Once submitted, access to the application will no longer be available to upload any missing requirements.
Online application – Application Walkthrough Video Guide
Resume
Unofficial transcript (upload under the Resume Section)
Brief (~200 words) statement discussing interest in this opportunity (Upload under the Resume Section)
Internship Details
Program Dates: May 17 – August 6, 2027
Application Dates : November 2, 2026 – February 12, 2027
Offer Date: March 5, 2027
Acceptance Date: March 12, 2027
Salary: $20/hr.
Housing: Not provided. Affordable housing options available.
Transportation: Not provided
Location: Onsite work schedule
Deliverables
Oral presentation
Poster presentation
If you have any questions or encounter any issues, feel free to reach out to internships@fnal.gov .
Why Fermilab:
Fermilab is America’s premier laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. We support discovery science experiments in Illinois and locations around the world, including deep underground mines in South Dakota and Canada, mountaintops in Arizona and Chile, CERN in Europe and the South Pole.
Pre-Employment Screening:
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