Job Description

The Naval Nuclear Laboratory has co-op opportunities for college students to spend much of 2026 getting great work experience, in great locations, supporting the world's greatest Navy

We are looking to hire Mechanical Engineering students for a unique co-op experience at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory (NNL)! The Naval Nuclear Laboratory is seeking a highly motivated Mechanical Engineering students to perform mechanical engineering evaluations (including finite element analysis, heat transfer, materials science, and/or computational fluid dynamics) associated with nuclear reactor plant components for the submarines and aircraft carriers in the United States Navy.  Cognizant areas may include planning, methods development, modeling, analyzing, and documenting results regarding the thermal, structural, and material performance of system components and equipment.  Responsibilities may also include manufacturing evaluations, analytical support for product and/or test hardware development, job automation, data mining, and integration with various testing communities and other engineering disciplines.  In this position, the successful candidate will be empowered to improve their analytical and collaboration skills through challenging work assignments, mentoring, and in-house training programs and provide them with an opportunity to directly impact both the current and next generations of plant components. 

Preferred candidates will possess a basic understanding of mechanical engineering, including engineering mechanics, finite element analysis (FEA) methods, heat transfer, materials science, and/or computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

Program highlights include: 

• Final presentation to management, peers, and other NNL employees 
• Meet directly with NNL General Manager and Executive Leadership 
• Partnership with a mentor 
• Opportunity to tour local NNL site facilities 
• Trip to a Naval Shipyard for a guided tour 
• Extensive networking opportunities 

The NNL Co-op program is an approximate 30 week program starting in January 2026. 

A co-op position may result in a return internship or full-time employment offer (based on student eligibility) upon successful completion of the program. 

Required Combination of Knowledge and Skill

Candidates for Mechanical Engineering co-op positions must be: 

• Pursuing Mechanical Engineering or related BS, MS and/or PhD engineering degrees from an accredited college or university
• Must have completed at least first full year of college by January 2026
• Enrolled/continuing in a degree program throughout this co-op assignment

Students must attach most recent unofficial college transcripts and resume to the employment application. 

Preferred Skills

• Cumulative minimum GPA 3.4/4.0
• Prior related internship, co-op or work experience (paid or volunteer)
• Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DOD) or Naval Nuclear Program experience
• Strong problem solving, teaming, and communication skills.  
• Willingness to be trained and learn new skill(s)
• Previous experience with or exposure to fluid, structural, and/or thermal analysis with a commercially-available software package.
• Programming/scripting experience with Matlab, Python, and/or other languages is a plus.

Compensation and Benefits

NNL offers an outstanding Compensation and Benefits package for co-ops which includes:

• Competitive Salary
• Defined Contribution Retirement Plans:
  • 401(k) Plan with company match
  • Capital Accumulation Plan (CAP) with company contribution
• Flexible work schedules and 9/80 work schedule option (every other Friday off). Hybrid work schedule may be available
• Stipend for qualified applicants (school and home address must be >50 miles from assigned work location

Pay Range

$23.50/hour-$41.00/hour

Salary information provided is a general guideline only. Hourly rate is based upon candidate education and job discipline, as well as market and business considerations.