The Community College Internship Program at NREL
The Community College Internship (CCI) program is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science undergraduate education and research program.
Participation in the CCI program at NREL is designed to complement academic programs and provide students with valuable, hands-on technical and research experience. NREL provides the opportunity for interns to train as technicians or scientific researchers in world-class laboratory facilities under the direction of staff who serve as research advisers and mentors.
What Interns Do at NREL
NREL conducts research in about 50 areas of scientific investigation, including photovoltaics, wind energy, biomass-derived fuels and chemicals, building efficiency, advanced vehicles, industrial processes, solar thermal systems, hydrogen, fuel cells, geothermal, distributed energy resources, energy integration, measurement and testing of renewable energy systems, hybrid systems, basic energy research, scientific computing, and energy analysis.
Interns spend their term engaged in a research project focused in these areas under the guidance of a laboratory scientist or engineer. Interns attend enriching professional development activities such as laboratory tours, speakers on scientific developments at NREL, and workshops that provide guidance and development of professional skills in writing technical research papers, oral presentations, and posters.
There are two types of CCI interns:
- CCI participants who are pursuing certification programs in specific technician areas such as HVAC, solar installer, etc., and
- CCI students who are getting an associate’s degree with the intention of pursuing a four-year degree.
Both work on technologies, instrumentation projects, or in major research facilities supporting the Department of Energy’s mission, under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists or engineers.
If your permanent address is more than 50 miles from NREL: Up to $500 for travel to and from NREL (airfare or personal car mileage).
CCI Program Overview
Are you a community college student seeking opportunities to expand your technical skills and expertise while exploring career pathways in STEM? Then the Community College Internship (CCI) program is for you!
Each year, students from around the country participate in CCI at one of the 17 participating Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories/facilities. In this internship, you’ll be part of a team that’s working together to advance one of the many science and technology areas that underpin the DOE mission. This is an opportunity for you to develop your knowledge and skills in a major state-of-the art facility, while discovering where your STEM interests can take you in the future!
Program Information
CCI is a paid internship opportunity that is sponsored and managed by the DOE Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) in collaboration with DOE laboratories/facilities. Students participate in a 10-week summer internship (May–August) or in 10-week internship during the semester (August–December or January–May).
Our participating DOE laboratories/facilities offer a variety of technical areas. You’ll want to check out each lab to see which has opportunities most aligned with your interests.
The Community College Internships (CCI) Program is now open for applications for the Fall 2025 Term. Applications are due May 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM ET.