The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Fossil Energy Office. It's a research facility that does both on-site projects and contracted research with universities - including HBCUs - and industry. "We are the primary fossil energy research site for the U.S. Our technology development supports the future of the U.S. energy infrastructure," says Kathy Fear, director of the lab's HR division.
NETL's 543 federal employees work primarily at three main sites, in Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV and Tulsa, OK, but there are NETL folks at locations across the U.S. "We even have an office in Alaska," Fear reports. Another 550 people work for NETL through its contractors.
NETL's work includes the science that helped reduce the threat from acid rain. In addition to its work with coal, oil and gas energy, it is involved in research on alternative fuels like hydrogen.
Student employment programs are very important to NETL, says Fear. "Our student programs are feeders into permanent Federal employment. We are always on the lookout for high-quality students and try to bring them here whenever we can."
Engineering, chemistry and geology majors are the current targets. "We sometimes look for CS majors too," Fear says.
The lab has a wide range of student employment programs. One of the most recent is the Minority Mentoring and Intern Program (MMIP), started in 2001. The program is designed to offer intern opportunities and intensive mentoring support to students from underrepresented minority groups. "We are very proud of the MMIP, and we want to bring it to students who might not be aware of it," says Nancy Vargas, NETL's manager of EEO and diversity.
"We started the program to help us recruit more minorities," says Donna Isaac, a human resources specialist who works with MMIP. The program will bring in its third set of interns in 2004. "They can start any time," Isaac says, "working part time during the school year and full time during school breaks."
As in all NETL student programs, MMIP students are recruited to work on specific research projects. "We put out a call to our employees in December, asking for volunteer mentors. And we talk to the people who are leading big projects and want interns," she explains.
The interns get lots of attention and exposure, since only one intern works on each project. Each one has a technical mentor, someone who is working on the same project and can guide the student. Students may be able to use their research as a senior project or thesis topic.
Students who have worked for at least 640 hours at NETL by the time they graduate can move directly into full time jobs if an appropriate slot is available. One MMIP intern now works in the Morgantown gas power projects division, and another in the Pittsburgh IT division, Isaac says.
Internships are also available under the DOE's Student Career Experience Program (SCEP). SCEP is a Federal government authorized flexible work-study program open to anyone. It can involve summer or year-round part time work, and may span several years. It can accommodate students from high school to PhD level.
NETL participates in the DOE's Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship program, a ten-week summer internship aimed at students from HBCUs, Hispanic-serving and tribal colleges. Forty to fifty students are selected DOE-wide each summer, and one or two generally work on NETL projects, Isaac says. "They work on everything from fuel cells to oil wells," she notes. Other students come to NETL through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE, Oak Ridge, TN). "We have as many as twenty-five ORISE students during the school year," Fear says. That can jump to fifty in the summer.
If a student doesn't fit one of NETL's intern slots, the lab will network with other DOE departments to find a fit, Fear notes.
The lab occasionally has permanent opportunities for new grads. Positions are at the GS 7-9 level, which require a BS or MS with "superior" academics: a 3.0 or 2.95 GPA.
The lab has chapters of several networking or "special emphasis" groups: the Federal Women's Group, Blacks In Government, and other groups that focus on the concerns of Hispanics, Native Americans and people with disabilities. The groups bring in speakers on all sorts of topics. "We have a couple of speakers each month," says Vargas. "The programs help our folks get acquainted with the different aspects of the community."
The lab has two diversity committees, one made up of federal employees and one that involves employees of the lab's contractors. "That's another kind of diversity here, of course," Vargas comments. "We meet together every month. It's important to keep the contractor community aware of what the federal side is doing, and vice versa."
Of the lab's federal employees, more than half have advanced degrees, and almost 60 percent are scientists and engineers. Students and employees alike enjoy being part of a world-famous research organization. "If you mention fossil energy research anywhere in the world, it's likely you'll find people who know about NETL," Fear declares.
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www.netl.com
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Location: |
Pittsburgh, PA; Morgantown, WV; Tulsa, OK |
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Employees: |
543 Federal 550 contractors |
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Annual budget: |
$750M |
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Mission: |
Research on fossil fuels (oil and gas) and alternatives |
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