# Sandia National Laboratories High School Internships Sandia National Laboratories — one of the U.S. Department of Energy's largest national labs — hires high school students as paid year-round interns, primarily in Albuquerque, New Mexico (with occasional openings in Livermore, California). It is one of the few ways to work inside a national laboratory before college. ## What You'll Do - Work in R&D, technical, business, or operations-support roles as a non-exempt hourly employee - Put in up to 25 hours per week during the academic year and up to 40 hours per week during school breaks - Earn competitive pay set by classification and completed credit hours, with eligibility for benefits such as Sandia's Total Health Plan for qualifying year-round interns - Learn professional norms inside a working national-security laboratory ## Who Should Apply Students at least 16 years old who maintain full-time enrollment at an accredited high school. R&D, technical, and business positions require a 3.0/4.0 cumulative GPA (2.5 for clerical and labor roles). Most roles suit students living in the Albuquerque area. Openings post to Sandia's Careers tool year-round; apply at least three months before your desired start date. ## Outcomes High school interns earn a real national-lab employment history, professional references from working scientists and engineers, and an inside track to Sandia's much larger undergraduate internship and co-op pipeline.