Graduate Marine Hydrokinetic Data Curation Intern

Posting Title

(Year-Round) Graduate Intern - Marine Hydrokinetic Data Curation

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Intern (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week

20

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Working at NLR

NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

The NLR Data Engineering Group is seeking a Graduate Intern to serve as a curator for the Marine & Hydrokinetic Data Repository (MHKDR) and support other related domain-specific data repositories. These data repositories provide public access to the outcomes of official Department of Energy (DOE) funded research in the geothermal and marine and hydrokinetic sectors as well as research and development activities in other technologies including water purification, the energy-water nexus, renewable energy systems, and alternative energy systems.  Work will consist of curating individual data submissions and advising researchers and scientists on better organizing their project data for submission. Submissions frequently relate to computational fluid dynamics, mechanical engineering, wave and current monitoring, structural testing, and various types of MHK energy converters.

Curation includes the review of metadata provided with each data submission for accuracy, completeness, and relevance to the submitted files.  Curation also includes the organization of disparate submissions, creating consistency amongst metadata fields, adoption and implementation of emerging data standards and requirements, and the addition of supplemental information that may assist the DOE in categorizing data submissions. When necessary, curators contact submitters directly to resolve any discrepancies or omissions detected during the review. Because many data submissions involve complex or open-ended organizational challenges, the intern should be comfortable working independently, evaluating datasets critically, and proposing practical data organization and metadata solutions. The intern may also have opportunities to support other energy research projects through data organization, analysis support, or documentation of datasets used in ongoing research activities. 
 
The intern in this position is expected to contribute an average of 20 hours per week during semesters and 40 hours per week during breaks, including summer.

Key Responsibilities 

Data curators review and enhance data submissions to ensure metadata quality, consistency, and usability. Responsibilities include: 

• Curate marine and hydrokinetic datasets for metadata completeness, accuracy, and alignment with repository standards. 

• Apply data standards and identify gaps or inconsistencies in submissions. 

• Coordinate with data submitters to resolve issues and improve data quality and usability. 

• Occasionally support energy research, including data management, analysis support, and literature review. 

Our Team 

The Data Engineering group is a multi-disciplinary team of data and software engineers, data scientists, and product developers that are at the forefront of developing advanced data solutions for strategic energy analysis at scale. Our work is focused on making energy data and software more accessible, usable, and actionable for researchers and engineers at NLR and beyond. You will join a team where everyone is striving to improve their knowledge of software development best-practices, while caring about creating the best possible solution to cutting edge problems.

Our team creates secure, reusable, and efficient code, while supporting a variety of teams: 

• A collaborative, fast paced, and fun work environment. 

• Endless opportunities to learn and grow from experienced professionals in both web development and renewable energy. 

• Work developing cutting-edge projects and contributing to research in the renewable energy industry. 

• A life-long desire to build better a future through technology and data. 

Mission and Vision 

NLR strives to achieve our vision of an affordable and secure energy future through our mission: leading research, innovation, and strategic partnerships to deliver integrated solutions for an affordable and secure energy future. 

As the energy systems laboratory, we bridge foundational research with practical applications to ensure various energy sources, storage, buildings, transportation, and emerging technologies work together to lower energy costs, drive economic growth, bolster national security, and deliver abundant energy.

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Basic Qualifications

Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.

Undergraduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Undergraduate: Earned a bachelor’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.

Graduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a master’s degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Graduate: Earned a master’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.
Graduate + PhD: Completed master’s degree and enrolled as PhD student from an accredited institution.

Please Note:
• Applicants are responsible for uploading official or unofficial school transcripts, as part of the application process.
• If selected for position, a letter of recommendation will be required as part of the hiring process.
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in or within 1 year after a graduate program (engineering, marine science, data science, or related field)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Demonstrated attention to detail and organizational ability 
• Ability to work independently and manage open-ended tasks 
• Interest in data management, curation, or scientific data workflow

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with datasets related to marine energy systems or other energy technologies, including: 
• Marine hydrokinetics (computational fluid dynamics, mechanical engineering, wave and current monitoring, structural testing, and various types of MHK energy converters); 

• Geothermal energy (geophysical, geological, geochemical, and geospatial datasets); 

• Other renewable and alternative energy systems (solar power, biofuel, hydrogen, building science, chemistry, grid modernization, wind power). 

• Coding experience (Python) 

• Customer service experience 

• Critical thinking and problem solving skills 

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $44,500 - $71,200

NLR takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; and sick leave (where required by law). NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Intern assignments extending beyond six months will be subject to this requirement.

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations

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