Staff, postdocs, and student interns engage in exciting, multidisciplinary research at LLNL’s Energetic Materials Center.
They design and produce new energetic materials and multi-material systems. They also develop new experimental techniques and computational models to predict and evaluate the safety and performance of mission-critical energetic systems.
EMC research teams include physicists, chemists, materials scientists, engineers, advanced manufacturing experts, diagnostic developers, predictive science experts, and data scientists.
Explore how you can be part of this world-class research environment.
Internships and Other Student Programs
Gain hands-on, real-world research experience during a paid internship over the summer or during the academic year. You can also take part in a specialized learning experience through one of our summer institutes, including LLNL’s Materials and Chemistry Institute.
LLNL’s military education programs are also a great resource for active military personnel who want to participate in research projects at LLNL, including projects at our Energetic Materials Center. For example, LLNL’s ROTC internship program and our Military Academic Research Associates Program enable cadets and midshipmen from universities to complete summer assignments at our Laboratory.
In addition, programs offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to gain research experience at LLNL and other DOE laboratories. For example, DOE’s Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) Program coordinates student internship opportunities in multiple science disciplines, including energetic materials. DOE’s Visiting Faculty Program provides opportunities for faculty to enhance research capabilities and strengthen STEM education by collaborating with scientists at a DOE laboratory. The Visiting Faculty Program includes the option to invite students to participate in the research project.
“Come with an open mind, be ready to meet the smartest people you have ever encountered, make an effort to learn something new every day, and have a [literal] blast.”
—Hannah Fletcher, 2021 ROTC intern at the EMC
As an LLNL intern, you’ll work alongside our expert staff as you explore opportunities to connect your career interests with evolving research areas at LLNL. You’ll be able to enhance your learning journey by networking with other interns, attending seminars, and touring LLNL experimental facilities. LLNL also hosts faculty mini-sabbatical opportunities, which can incorporate internship opportunities for students.
Learn more about LLNL’s student programs.
Postdoc Program
LLNL provides an exciting postdoctoral program that includes several named fellowship opportunities, such as the Lawrence Fellowship. More than 280 postdocs currently work at LLNL, where they are part of multidisciplinary research teams who are tackling challenging scientific problems. As an LLNL postdoc, you can also take advantage of opportunities to connect with mentors who can help you expand your research portfolio and your professional network. You’ll also benefit from career development opportunities such as attending workshops hosted by top experts and participating in our annual postdoc poster symposium.
Postdoctoral appointments at LLNL typically last 1 or 2 years, with the possibility of a third year, and most of our postdocs benefit from a rapid, streamlined process to transition to a staff position. Learn more about LLNL’s postdoc program and browse current openings for postdoctoral researchers.
Staff Opportunities
If you’re interested in exploring new challenges in an environment where you can collaborate with other innovators and access world-class facilities, we invite you to learn more about career opportunities in LLNL’s unique research environment. For example, we offer the flexibility to transition to new projects and pursue new types of research, while contributing to pioneering science.
“Working in energetic material synthesis at LLNL is a unique and rewarding experience. We think broadly to understand the fundamental properties of materials, and to anticipate future needs.”
—Nate Zuckerman, Synthetic Organic Chemist
Check out current job opportunities using the LLNL job search. If you are interested in searching for postings related to energetic materials research, use the search terms “Energetic Materials Center,” “Energetic Materials & Design,” “energetic,” or “high explosive.”
