The candidate must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student pursuing a science, engineering, or math major with a minimum GPA of 3.0. They must be able to work full-time during the summer and have U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. Desired qualifications include a degree in Physics or Nuclear Engineering, self-motivation, teamwork skills, and experience with programming tools like MATLAB and Python. Completion of the CRANE program is also desired.

The candidate will research fusion experiments and hydrodynamic instabilities, model Z experiments, shadow experimenters, and work individually and as part of a team at Sandia National Laboratories.

Research & Development

Science

United States

Albuquerque

Large

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier DOE science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation. Our team of scientists, engineers, researchers, and business specialists apply their knowledge and skill toward delivering cutting-edge technology in an array of areas. 

Across our main sites in Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA, our research ranges from nuclear defense and homeland and global security to innovative work in biotechnology, environmental preservation, energy, and cyber security. 

Our teams have shared some of the reasons they enjoy working at Sandia:  

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
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• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Work-life balance with flexible work schedules, competitive benefits, and convenient on-site amenities

Manufacturing & Electronics

Sandia National Laboratories

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<ul><li>We are seeking an undergraduate&nbsp;summer&nbsp;intern to help develop a methodology to derive an electrical current pulse that is capable of reproducing measured radial trajectories of hydrodynamic instability experiments on the Z machine. Successful modeling of these experiments is critical for correctly modeling inertial confinement fusion experiments. Hydrodynamic instabilities weaken the inertially confining tamper while introducing contaminants into the fusion fuel via mixing.</li><li>﻿Ongoing experiments on the Z Machine studying the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) have produced high quality data (https://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/5.0087215), but detailed comparison to simulations has been challenging due to an underestimation of the target’s implosion velocity when using the experimentally measured electrical current pulse as an input to the simulations. As part of this project, you will help develop a methodology to derive or “unfold” a current pulse that reproduces the experimental radial trajectories (e.g. liner position) using semi-analytic models and/or MHD simulation tools. This methodology will be applied to more intensive 2D MHD simulations of the experimental configuration in order to better compare the evolution of the RMI instability.</li></ul>

Currently Studying

Undergraduate

We are seeking an undergraduate summer intern to help develop a methodology to derive an electrical current pulse that is capable of reproducing measured radial trajectories of hydrodynamic instability experiments on the Z machine. Successful modeling of these experiments is critical for correctly modeling inertial confinement fusion experiments. Hydrodynamic instabilities weaken the inertially confining tamper while introducing contaminants into the fusion fuel via mixing.﻿Ongoing experiments on the Z Machine studying the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) have produced high quality data (https://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/5.0087215), but detailed comparison to simulations has been challenging due to an underestimation of the target’s implosion velocity when using the experimentally measured electrical current pulse as an input to the simulations. As part of this project, you will help develop a methodology to derive or “unfold” a current pulse that reproduces the experimental radial trajectories (e.g. liner position) using semi-analytic models and/or MHD simulation tools. This methodology will be applied to more intensive 2D MHD simulations of the experimental configuration in order to better compare the evolution of the RMI instability.

Intern - Fusion Experiments - R&D Undergraduate Summer

Requirements

Responsibilities

Sandia National Laboratories

Mission & Purpose