LBNF/DUNE Internship in South Dakota

An LBNF/DUNE, SD intern is an undergraduate engineering student majoring in an engineering field who is interested in working at a major underground construction project. Eligible students must be enrolled in 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. The selected candidate(s) work directly under the mentorship of an LBNF FSCF employee.

Intern(s) are placed at the Sanford Lab in Lead, SD.

Eligibility

• Undergraduate sophomore or junior at time of application (entering Junior or Senior year at end of summer)
• 4-year U.S. college or university enrollment
• 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 – January 16, 2027
• Offer Date: February 19, 2027
• Acceptance Date: March 17, 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

Drug-Free Workplace & Pre-Employment Screening

Fermilab is dedicated to fostering a safe, productive and drug-free environment. An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check and drug screening.

Foreign Government Sponsored Activities

Fermilab employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. Such individuals will be asked to disclose any participation for review by Fermilab's Office of General Counsel.

REAL-ID Requirement for access to Fermilab Campus

Fermilab requires all members of the public to produce a REAL-ID, or equivalent, to access the Fermilab Campus for interviews or career events. A list of acceptable forms of ID can be found here: https://get-connected.fnal.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/REALID-Documents.pdf. If a candidate is selected for an interview but does not possess any of the equivalent documents, we may schedule a virtual interview.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Fermilab is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.