Job Type: Internship, on-site
Location: Brookhaven National Laboratory and SUNY ESF - Suffolk County, Long Island, NY
Application Deadline: January 7, 2027
Description:
Looking for a summer internship focused on the use of newer and cleaner technologies for forest management? Join our innovative project to explore the use of Air Curtain Burners (ACB) in the Long Island Pine Barrens. ACB is a device that burns wood waste (logs, fallen trees, branches, standing dead or dying trees, twigs), trapping smoke particles from wood burning, reburning them and potentially reducing emissions of CO2 and PM2.5 while also producing useful biochar. Biochar is a charcoal-like material that can be added to soil to improve nutrient content and water retention. It also stores carbon, representing one potential solution to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Partnering with Brookhaven National Laboratory and SUNY ESF, this internship offers hands-on experience in assessing ACB to remove deadwood left by the Southern Pine Beetle. You will acquire experience in field ecology and data collection, including fuel loading assessments, tree regeneration studies, and air quality monitoring, while contributing to research that informs sustainable forest management.
Responsibilities:
Conduct fieldwork evaluating ACB effects.
Collect and analyze ecological data in controlled, OPB, and ACB-treated sites.
Assist in implementing and managing ACB applications during field operations.
Requirements:
Current enrollment as an undergraduate or recent graduate in forestry, ecology, environmental science, or a related field.
Ability to work outdoors in various conditions and hike about 3 miles daily (flat terrain).
A GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred.
Program Benefits:
Weekly stipend and free housing for non-local participants
Opportunities to engage with experts in environmental protection, air quality, and wildfire management
Potential academic credit (consult your academic institution)
Questions:
Please contact Ricardo Martinez Ordoñez (mmartinez3@esf.edu) with interest or questions regarding this position; subject line should reference to this notice (i.e., “2027 ACB Internship Interest”). ***Please include a resume***
To Apply:
Please note that all applications MUST be submitted through the DOE’s Office of Science Portal. Instructions on how to do this will be provided to those who reach out to Ricardo, but can also be found here: https://science.osti.gov/wdts/suli/How-to-Apply
The official DOE application portal opens on October 16, 2026
Applications are accepted until January 7, 2027, at 5:00 pm (ET)
When applying, candidates should take care to list BNL as their “first choice” internship location. Join us in Pioneering Sustainable Solutions with Air Curtain Burners!
