As summer nears its end, hundreds of Sandia interns return to their respective high schools, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs, taking their on-the-job learnings with them.
Many people begin their internship journeys during the summer but stay with the Labs, as interns, part-time or full-time staff, for years. Throughout 2023, Sandia had 1,915 interns across its sites, with 586 completing internships this summer. Last year, more than 62% of eligible students converted to full-time employment in 2022, much higher than the industry conversion rate averaging 50%.
“Our student intern programs aim to offer interns unparalleled resources in hopes of paving a seamless pathway for the next generation,” said Tally Lobato, manager of employment, staffing and recruiting. “Interns are the heart of Sandia. As a former intern, I know that all students positively impact the mission.”
From research on enterprise security and industrial control systems to satellite electronics and administrative operational roles, all classifications including business, research and development, laborer, clerical, and technical interns contribute to a wide range of projects across all divisions supporting Sandia’s mission.
Behind the scenes, Student Intern Programs works year-round to offer students new programs and valuable networking resources, and to create opportunities for Sandians and retirees to support the internship community. Student Intern Programs introduces interns to Sandians of all backgrounds, provides professional development and mentoring, and links interns to a centralized intern platform.
Sandia’s annual Intern Symposium provides interns the opportunity to present and showcase the work they conducted during their internship, while connecting and networking with Sandia leadership, technical and recruitment staff.
New programs and resources
(Photo by Scottie Beth Fleming)
This year, Student Intern Programs rolled out two online resources. The intern housing and transportation and residential housing options websites assist interns who seek housing, roommate and transportation accommodations in New Mexico and California. Sandians and retirees are encouraged to post their rentals for occupancy.
Sandia also offers the Student Ambassador Program, which trains interns to act as brand ambassadors for the Labs by offering specialized training to work directly with recruiting teams on their campuses to attract future talent.
Open internship and cooperative education positions are posted online on a rolling basis.