Molecular Biology Internship at National Laboratory of the Rockies, USA | Earn $63,400
If you are an active or recent biology, biochemistry, or bioengineering graduate looking to apply your metabolic engineering and synthetic biology skills within a world-class federal research environment, this full-time role is an exceptional opportunity. Located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado, this year-round position embeds you within the frontline generation of sustainable bio-economies. For research-driven scholars searching for a high-impact Molecular Biology Internship, this position offers hands-on ownership of synthetic operon design, plasmid construction, and C1 substrate bioconversion. It serves as an elite operational launchpad for a prominent Life Sciences Internship and stands out as a premier choice for anyone looking to secure an advanced, year-round Internship in USA within a leading Department of Energy (DOE) collaborative ecosystem.
- Job Position: Post Undergraduate/Graduate (Year-Round) Intern – Molecular Biology
- Location: Golden, CO, USA
- Job requisition ID: R14375
About The Organization
The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) serves as the nation’s primary laboratory for energy systems research and development. Driven by a mission to accelerate energy innovation through breakthrough foundational science and applied systems engineering, NLR hosts multidisciplinary research teams working within state-of-the-art facilities to address secure, affordable, and cost-effective energy solutions for the future. This internship is situated within the Synthetic Biology and Bioconversion group, a vital branch of NLR’s Renewable Resources and Energy Systems (RRES) Center. Joining this team embeds you directly into active industrial decarbonization pipelines. You will collaborate side-by-side with postdoctoral researchers and senior research scientists, transforming metabolic pathways into live solutions for renewable fuel and chemical manufacturing.
Molecular Biology Internship – Key Responsibilities
The Molecular Biology Intern will focus on metabolic engineering projects aimed at creating, screening, and optimizing engineered bacterial strains to validate physiological hypotheses.
Your core experimental, strain engineering, and documentation duties will include:
- Bacterial Strain Engineering: Generating, screening, and modifying engineered microbial hosts for the production of renewable chemicals and biofuels from biomass intermediates.
- Molecular Cloning Execution: Performing routine DNA cloning, plasmid extractions, polymerase chain reactions (PCR), and cellular transformation protocols to advance this Molecular Biology Internship.
- Microbiology & Sterile Maintenance: Culturing bacterial strains using strict sterile techniques, managing growth kinetics, and maintaining a clean laboratory environment with a zero-deviation approach to safety.
- Data Synthesis & Troubleshooting: Formulating scientific hypotheses, interpreting experimental results, and troubleshooting genetic assembly or bioconversion steps.
- Contemporary Curation: Documenting real-time experimental variations, protocols, and raw data outputs inside contemporary laboratory notebooks to support this Life Sciences Internship.
- Scientific Communication: Succinctly summarizing and communicating data-driven findings during cross-functional group meetings and peer research reviews.
Qualifications & Profile Requirements For Molecular Biology Internship
NLR seeks highly motivated, meticulous candidates who demonstrate strong critical thinking skills and the capability to work safely with minimal supervision under a defined task matrix.
- Basic Academic Frameworks:
- Minimum GPA: A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale across all collegiate coursework.
- Educational Enrollment Status (Must meet one of the following):
- Undergraduate: Enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited bachelor’s degree program.
- Post-Undergraduate: Earned a bachelor’s degree within the past 12 months (eligible for a 1-year internship duration).
- Graduate: Enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited master’s or PhD degree program.
- Post-Graduate: Earned a master’s degree within the past 12 months (eligible for a 1-year internship duration).
- Required Technical Baseline:
- Verifiable, hands-on wet-lab experience in molecular biology, specifically including DNA cloning and cellular transformation.
- Practical experience in microbiology, demonstrating mastery over sterile techniques and culture maintenance for an Internship in USA.
- Meritorious & Preferred Assets:
- Direct experience with the genetic engineering or metabolic manipulation of Cupriavidus necator.
- Practical knowledge designing synthetic operons and constructing custom plasmids.
- Familiarity or research experience working with the biological conversion of C1 substrates (such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or methane).
- Computational data analysis capabilities, particularly coding and statistical analysis utilizing Python or R.
Logistics & Employee Benefits
- Location: Golden, Colorado (100% On-Site Laboratory Base).
- Position Type: Full-Time (40 hours per week), Fixed-Term Intern.
- Job Requisition Identifier: R14375.
- Annual Salary Range: $39,600.00 – $63,400.00 USD (Determined based on educational level, training baseline, seniority, and internal pay alignment metrics in compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act).
- Health & Savings Packages: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options, paired with a 403(b) Employee Savings Plan featuring corporate matching incentives and sick leave allocations.
- Federal Access Requirements: Position is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. Candidates must be capable of obtaining and maintaining a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card, which mandates a favorable background investigation.
- Drug-Free Mandate: Applicants must pass a pre-employment drug screening. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal substance, and testing positive will result in the immediate withdrawal of an employment offer.
In short, the Molecular Biology Internship within the Synthetic Biology and Bioconversion group at NLR is a definitive route to transitioning your academic degree into a high-visibility, national laboratory asset. Securing a seat on this team allows you to move past simplified classroom exercises and take direct operational charge of the strain optimizations, plasmid designs, and C1 substrate bioconversions that drive global energy innovation. If you reside in or can relocate to Colorado, meet the strict GPA benchmarks, and possess verified cloning experience, apply today to secure this premier Molecular Biology Internship, launch a highly rewarding Life Sciences Internship, and lock in this outstanding Internship in USA.
