Mastered new skills in an unfamiliar discipline. The environment is pretty positive and progressive.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Print and Digital Media Specialist
June 2017 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
I like the team I work with.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Biomedical Engineering Intern
June - September 2019 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
Great environment with tons of research collaboration, networking opportunities and access to amazing scientific technologies.
What I wish was different
Nothing other than a longer summer to keep working on my project!
Advice
Talk to your mentor about getting exposure to as many parts of the lab as possible.
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Cybersecurity Intern
June - August 2023 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
The work environment was really welcoming and relaxed. Everyone was really friendly and there were a lot of fun intern events during the workday. My project was also really interesting; it involved building an optimization algorithm.
What I wish was different
My commute from my house was pretty long, I wish they had paid for housing.
Advice
Work here if you really care about the impact of your work above all else- all the projects here are for social good and will make a big impact on the world if successful.
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Computing Intern
June - August 2019 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
HR was very friendly, had a challenging project that i worked on all summer
What I wish was different
better housing opportunities
Advice
might want to contact your mentor ahead of time to discuss the project
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Summer Scholar
June - August 2019 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
In the LLNL Summer Scholar program, students are given their own project to complete under the guidance of a mentor. At the end of the summer, they have a lab-wide poster symposium and all the students create posters to present what they learned
What I wish was different
I wish I had gotten to do more hands-on work. The work that I did was primarily on the computer.
Advice
Take initiative and don't be afraid to ask questions!
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Summer student intern
June - September 2019 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
The Lab is like a playground for world-class, groundbreaking, mind-blowing science and technology research. The staff are all passionate about what they do. There is a high degree of diversity and an inclusive work culture that leaves little to be desired.
What I wish was different
Advice
Get the most out of the time you have available in these kinds of environments. With such access to published papers, career scientists, and other resources, there is no shortage of ways to learn and develop one’s skills.
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Film Analyst
June - September 2019 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
I liked doing research and having independence in my own work. I liked that the lab paid me well and helped me write a scientific paper. I appreciated the time that scientists there took out of their days to give me a tour of their facilities and to educate me on what they were doing. Finally, I appreciated the laid back yet incredibly intelligent work environment at the Lab. I felt that I fit right in.
What I wish was different
I can honestly say that nothing should have been different. The job was awesome and the workplace was perfect.
Advice
I would say that anyone going into working at the Lab should check it out as much as possible. It is not like UC Davis. Only special people have access to the research and knowledge going on there and anyone that is deemed fit for this category should take advantage of the opportunity. Also, networking is huge. There are so many jobs there that contacts need to be made over the summer internship. So make an effort to connect with potential employers.
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Intern
June - August 2017 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
The people and the atmosphere.
What I wish was different
My project.
Advice
Clarify what your tasks are with your bosses with as much detail as you can. Always ask your mentor for help with any sort of conflict. Once assigned a task, try it out extensively before asking a question.
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Data Science Intern
May - August 2018 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
• Interesting Data Science Work
What I wish was different
• Location was very expensive
Advice
• Get internships with places you would like to work long term early on as it helps build a connection there.
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Software Developer
June 2018 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
Great people, great pay, great location
What I wish was different
Nothing
Advice
Take charge of your project
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Software Developer Intern
June - September 2018 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
Really friendly environment
What I wish was different
Nothing really
Advice
Nothing
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Computations Intern
April - August 2018 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
The lab has strong intern programs that enabled students to learn about the newest discoveries of science and technology in structured settings with reliable mentors, regular seminars, and a plethora of resources. With around 1000 summer interns on site, there is a lot of networking/collaborating opportunity through organized social events including lunch concerts, bqqs, etc. Certain departments offered a 9/80 schedule where employees (including interns) could take off every other Friday. I only had positive encounters with lab employees; They all seemed to be very happy.
What I wish was different
Although Livermore is very safe and quaint, it is not the most exciting for a college student. The Lab does not provide or compensate for student housing.
Advice
The Lab is a place of academia. If going into a lab internship, be ready to learn. There are so many resources on site. Find a project that interests you most and work on it.
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Computation Scholar
June - September 2018 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
Great job integrating interns with the greater lab. Lots of events and seminars to network and learn. I felt like I was working on an important project that the lab actually needed.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Laser Diagnostics Engineer
June - September 2018 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
Work was interesting and challenging. Worked with great, intelligent people
What I wish was different
I wish I had more time to continue contributing
Advice
Ask questions
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Intern
May - August 2018 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
What I wish was different
Advice
Come in ready to push the project forward on your own. You will likely work for a grad student who may or may not be motivated to push the project forward. Recommend extra experiments to perform to get better results and be persistent about recommendations.
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Computation Intern
June 2017 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
I liked the people and the environment. I was given a lot of tools to learn and a lot of opportunities to implement what I learned.
What I wish was different
Wish there was more interaction with other interns across departments.
Advice
Go to as many learning sessions as possible. And use as many tools as you can while on the job.
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Mickey Leland Energy Fellow
June - August 2018 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
The research I did was very cool and the fellowship program included an opportunity to meet and network with other interns and department of energy staff from different national labs and DOE sites.
What I wish was different
I wish the actual research portion was longer; 9 weeks felt very short.
Advice
There a lot of cool, we’ll paying programs like Mickey Leland which take a bit of effort to find and apply for but are definitely worth it.
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Software Developer Intern
May - August 2018 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
Overall, my team organized my project ahead of time, which helped me succeed overall in my project for the summer. They were supportive of my efforts and were always available to talk and discuss the solution I was crafting. The department was diverse and welcoming. The directorate was well organized and always had (and encouraged participation in) seminars and events. Lastly, the lab at large was a great place to be!
What I wish was different
I wish that I took a more active role in planning and code reviewing on my part to help tailor my solution to the requirements and overall vision set by my team.
Advice
Be sure to apply early (usually in September or early October) so that you can go through all the paperwork, interviews, offer review, drug testing, find housing, etc. in a timely manner. Also, you are not chained to your desk - be sure to go to seminars and events in your department, directorate, and throughout the lab. You are not there to just code, but to learn and see what's going on in numerous fields of science, research, and technology.
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Materials Engineering Intern
May - August 2019 • Livermore, CA
What I liked
I learned a lot of techniques that I had not previously known how to do. For example, I have a background in chemistry and physics, but most of the summer I worked with biomaterials. I learned how to code using MATLAB, and I was immersed in the LLNL culture.
What I wish was different
I had the best experience working at LLNL. From working with the most impactful group of women in science to having an amazing mentor that guided me throughout the summer, I wouldn't change a thing.
Advice
Network! I applied to every internship opening at LLNL because I knew that I wanted to work there. I also had a really amazing letter of recommendation sent from a previous LLNL employer that had been my boss the summer before.
