Exploring Internship Opportunities at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) offers a range of internship programs designed to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. These programs provide valuable, practical experience and connect students and educators to cutting-edge fusion and plasma science. Through hands-on learning experiences, classroom-ready resources, teacher professional development, and sustained pathways, PPPL introduces students to careers in plasma, fusion, quantum, and AI.
Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) Program
The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program encourages undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences at the Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories. Selected students participate as interns appointed at one of 16 participating DOE laboratories, including PPPL.
Program Overview
The SULI program at PPPL is tailored for undergraduates interested in performing plasma physics and fusion energy science and engineering research. Students work under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists or engineers on projects supporting PPPL's research.
Key Features
- Research Experience: Interns gain hands-on experience in plasma physics and fusion energy research.
- Mentorship: Each student works with a mentor to develop a project suitable for the summer timeframe.
- Financial Support: All students receive a $650/week stipend; an additional housing grant is dependent on funding availability. Most travel-related costs are covered by the program. Housing costs are also covered by the program.
- Educational Opportunities: During the weeks of June 2nd-13th 2025, the students will participate in an intensive introduction to fusion energy and plasma physics course. The lectures will be given remotely by plasma scientists from different institutions throughout the country. During the summer term, distinguished speakers will give talks on a topic related to plasmas, PPPL, graduate school, etc.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the SULI program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Enrollment Status: Must be currently enrolled full-time or have recently graduated with an undergraduate degree.
- Currently-enrolled students: Must be currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at an accredited institution (including accredited community colleges and 2-year colleges) and have completed at least one semester as a matriculated undergraduate student at the time of applying. Students enrolled at colleges and universities on the quarter system must have completed at least one academic quarter. Grades for the completed semester must be shown on the submitted transcript(s). Applicants, including freshmen, must have completed at least 6 credit hours of postsecondary courses in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology disciplines, and must have completed at least 12 credit hours towards a degree by the time they apply. Credit hours and grades must be reflected on the submitted transcript(s). Advanced Placement credits or other undergraduate credits obtained prior to undergraduate enrollment cannot be applied to meet the minimum one-term completion requirement. Full-time enrollment status is determined by the number of hours or courses the school requires for full-time attendance (as defined by the Internal Revenue Service).
- Recent graduates: Applicants who will have completed their undergraduate degree prior to starting their internship may apply as a "Recent Graduate." This includes students who have graduated with an associate's degree or bachelor's degree, those who have completed a combined BS/MS program, and those who have completed an undergraduate degree and are now enrolled in a graduate studies program. The time period between receipt of an undergraduate degree and starting the SULI term must be two years or less.
- GPA: Must have a cumulative minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all completed courses taken as a matriculated student at the applicant's current (or recently-graduated) institution and at any institutions attended as a matriculated postsecondary student during the 5 years preceding the start of the most recent enrollment.
- Citizenship: Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status will be requested at the time an internship offer is accepted. Acceptable documentation includes a birth certificate (U.S. citizen) Abroad, or Certification of Birth.
Internship Terms and Dates
Applications for the SULI program are solicited annually for three separate internship terms:
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- Summer Term: 10 weeks (June through August). 2026 summer SULI dates (10-weeks):Application: Oct. 15, 2025 to Jan.
- Spring Term: 16 weeks (January through May). Fall and spring term students are responsible for finding housing in the local community.
- Fall Term: 16 weeks (September through December). Fall and spring term students are responsible for finding housing in the local community.
Participants should expect to spend 40 hours per week on activities and/or research related to their internships.
Community College Internships (CCI) Program
The Community College Internships (CCI) program at PPPL is designed for students interested in technical careers relevant to plasma physics and fusion energy research.
Program Overview
Students work under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists or engineers on projects supporting PPPL's research. Internship appointments will last 16-weeks during the fall/spring terms (respectively), 10-weeks in the summer, and students are offered a stipend of $650/week.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility for the CCI program requires that all applicants:
- Must be currently enrolled as a full-time student at a community college or accredited two-year college and completed at least one semester at the time of applying. A full-time student is defined as a student who is enrolled for the number of hours or courses the school considers to be full-time attendance (as defined by the Internal Revenue Service).
- Must have completed at least 6 credit hours in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology course areas, and completed at least 12 credits hours towards a degree.
- Must have an undergraduate cumulative minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all completed courses taken as a matriculated student at the applicant's current (or recently-graduated) institution and at any undergraduate institutions attended as a matriculated postsecondary student during the 5 years preceding the start of the current enrollment.
- Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status will be requested at the time an internship offer is accepted. Acceptable documentation includes a birth certificate (U.S. citizen) Abroad, or Certification of Birth.
Program Obligations
Selected students have the following program obligations:
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- Must have proof of coverage under a health insurance plan for the duration of their internship. It is the responsibility of each participant to secure insurance coverage before arriving at the appointment site.
- Participants must conduct their internship within the United States and its Territories.
- Must complete the full 10 - week program. Students should expect to spend approximately 40 hours a week, or the equivalent of 400 hours/term under a flex-schedule, working on their projects or participating in the provided training and professional development activities.
- Must complete all required program deliverables on time.
- Must complete the entrance and exit surveys through the online system provided at the beginning of the internship. Host laboratories may choose to withhold initial or final stipend payments until the surveys have been submitted.
- Must behave in a responsible and professional manner.
- In advance of completion of their appointment, CCI participants must make a poster presentation on the outcome of their CCI related project activities, and complete and submit a 6 â 8 page project report. Report requirements and submission instructions will be provided at the beginning of the internship period.
- To help maintain accountability and accuracy of its federally-mandated assessment and reporting functions, WDTS requires funded work to appropriately acknowledge its support in the presentations and publications resulting from its funding. The acknowledgment should read: âThis work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) under the Community College Internships Program (CCI).â
Internship Dates
- 2026 summer CCI dates (10-weeks): Application: Oct. 15, 2025 to Jan.
Operations Internship Program
In the Operations Internship Program, undergraduate and graduate students join staff at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory for 10 weeks in the summer. This program provides a valuable, practical experience performing tasks critical to the successful operations of a National Laboratory, outside of research and engineering. These tasks include, but are not limited to: accounting, energy management, records management, facilities, maintenance, and health physics.
Application Process
Jobs (projects) will be posted online on public job boards, on a rolling basis, as projects become available. If a âjobâ interests you, you will apply for it, and the process will flow like any other job opening. Please check the Princeton University Careers page and other job boards often for updated projects.
Compensation
Participants will be offered a competitive stipend and may be eligible for housing and travel to/from Princeton.
The Ronald E. Hatcher Science On Saturday Lecture Series
Science on Saturday is a series of lectures given by scientists, engineers, and other professionals involved in cutting-edge research. Held on Saturday mornings throughout winter, the lectures are geared toward high school students. The program draws more than 300 students, teachers, parents, and community members.
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