SRNS Intern Ryan Lundqvist, presents his internship program experiences to fellow interns during the ‘Farewell and Showcase’ event at the Savannah River Site.

With over 2,000 applicants this year, the SRNS internship program provides a highly valued opportunity that connects students to real world experiences and a chance to network with industry leaders. Out of the 180 interns that were accepted into the program, 146 were local to South Carolina and Georgia. In

July, 50 full-service offers were extended to students who engaged in a variety of disciplines within SRNS.

A rising senior at North Carolina State and Criticality Safety Engineer, Aaliyah Zuniga, said she was thrilled to experience the nuclear industry outside of the classroom and plans to move to South Carolina after accepting a full-time position in engineering.

“I was able to present my STEM-related work to Site employees, enhance my technical writing and grow my professional skills all in one summer,” said Zuniga. “I am so thankful to have interned for an industry leader, for my mentors who supported me along the way and for the chance to start fresh after college in a new state with a full-time job.”

SRNS Intern Aaliyah Zuniga presents her internship project validating SCALE 6.2.4, a code system, to other interns and management during the ‘Farewell and Showcase’ event.

“This program helped grow my confidence both inside and outside the office,” said Brantlea “Makenzi” Kuglar, Health & Safety Program Management Intern from University of South Carolina Palmetto College. “After completing my OSHA-10 and Edventures training, I have made safety a priority in my work and home life. I hope I can return to SRS in the future as a full-time employee.”

Over 100 interns completed the OSHA-10 construction certification which further emphasized the SRNS safety culture with lessons in hazard identification, avoidance, control and prevention. Students also learned the mission, vision and core values of the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility (SRPPF) after completing the “Edventures in Learning” workshop. Incorporating this training into the

internship experience exposed students to potential job opportunities in support of SRPPF missions and the future state of SRS.

Ryan Fyalkowski, a rising senior at the University of Pittsburgh and HR Data and Analytics Intern, accepted a full-time position with SRNS and will relocate from Pittsburgh to South Carolina in December.

“The programming techniques I’ve learned from my mentors could have never been found in a textbook,” said Fyalkowski. “I’d recommend this program to anyone looking for the next big step forward in their career, and I can’t wait to support SRS missions in December.”

SRNS plans to expand and grow the internship program and apprenticeship occupations. This process will further improve the depth and value of each student’s experience at SRS as they transition from student to full-service employee.

“This group is part of the next generation that will aid in our transformation from EM to NNSA,” said Bryan Ortner, Manager, SRNS Talent Acquisition and Analytics. “SRNS has grown by 20% in the last three years in part due to the internship program that encourages students to come work for us and see how we keep the world safer through innovation, nuclear material operations, nuclear deterrence and environmental cleanup.

Click here for more information about the internship program opportunities available for students.

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, a Fluor and HII partnership company, is responsible for the management and operations of the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, located near Aiken, South Carolina.