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Department of Energy Seeks Input on Advancing AI for Science and Engineering Workforce Development and Genesis Mission Challenges

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The deadline for responses is March 04, 2026.

The Genesis Mission will transform science. DOE is seeking input on strategies for tackling the Mission’s challenges and building a skilled workforce.

The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit public and private sector input on strategies for meeting the technical challenges of the Genesis Mission. It also seeks input on developing a skilled American workforce to advance artificial intelligence (AI) in science and engineering.  

The Genesis Mission will mobilize DOE’s National Laboratories, industry, and universities to harness the nation’s leading capabilities in high performance computing, next-generation quantum computers, and AI to revolutionize science innovation in this nation.  

“The Genesis Mission will double the productivity and impact of American science and engineering in a decade and address some of the most challenging problems of this century. It will lead to new industries and highly skilled jobs for our next generation. We are going to prepare them for these opportunities,” said DOE’s Under Secretary for Science Darío Gil. 

Meeting the goals of the Genesis Mission will require rapid mobilization of the full capabilities of our nation’s S&T enterprise, with tightly coordinated efforts across DOE and its National Laboratories, universities, industry, and philanthropy to work on a single common effort. Further, a workforce of 100,000 American scientists and engineers will need to be trained over the next decade to lead the world in AI-powered science, innovation, and applications.   

DOE is seeking input via a Request for Information on innovations for forging research partnerships between DOE, institutions of higher learning, industry, and philanthropic organizations, as well as establishing an AI for Science and Engineering pipeline. This pipeline would span training at the undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, and post-doctoral levels. It will focus on establishing dual competencies in AI and a scientific/engineering discipline. These competencies would feed into rapidly expanding private and government sector jobs, as well as advanced degree educational programs.  

The RFI seeks input from:   

  • Educational institutions interested in partnering with DOE, private industry, and philanthropic organizations. These partners would form highly collaborative research teams to meet the aggressive goals of the Genesis Mission. They would also establish new curricula and experiences for training bachelor’s and master’s level students, in AI for Science and Engineering and the future AI workforce, as well as research experiences as part of doctoral and post-doctoral associate training.
  • Industrial institutions of all sizes interested in partnering with universities and DOE to advance science and technology needed for the Genesis mission. In addition, these groups would help define training requirements and support training to prepare a future American workforce.
  • Philanthropic organizations interested in supporting AI for Science and Engineering research and student training.
  • Think tanks and other research organizations. 

The deadline for responses is March 04, 2026.

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Office of Science Releases Annual Open Call

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Funding announcement covers Basic Energy Sciences, Fusion Energy Sciences, Nuclear Physics, and more

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $500 million in funding for basic research to advance the priorities of DOE’s Office of Science and its major programs. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), informally known as the “Open Call,” is issued annually at the beginning of each Fiscal Year (FY) to solicit applications in all research areas supported by the Office of Science. The NOFO, titled “FY 2026 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program,” can be found on the Office of Science funding opportunities page. DOE’s Office of Science is the nation’s largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences, funds research at hundreds of universities nationwide, and stewards 10 of DOE’s national laboratories.

Lawrence, High Energy Density Science Center, and Foster and Brown Postdoctoral Fellowships at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

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We invite you to join us on Friday, August 15, 10:30 AM – 12:00PM (Pacific Time) for an optional information session. 

Please register here

We are pleased to solicit applications for three prestigious postdoctoral fellowships: the Lawrence, High Energy Density Science Center, and Foster and Brown Postdoctoral Fellowships at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Please help us spread the word by encouraging talented students and collaborators to apply to these positions. 

Opportunity shared on behalf of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Details and Contact Information below.    
Dear Colleagues:
We are pleased to solicit applications for three prestigious postdoctoral fellowships: the Lawrence, High Energy Density Science Center, and Foster and Brown Postdoctoral Fellowships at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Please help us spread the word by encouraging talented students and collaborators to apply to these positions. 
  We invite you to join us on Friday, August 15, 10:30 AM – 12:00PM (Pacific Time) for an optional information session.  Please register here   Lawrence Fellowship The Lawrence Fellowship is a highly competitive postdoctoral position at LLNL that is open to all technical disciplines. Fellowships are awarded to candidates with exceptional talent, scientific track records, and potential for significant achievements. Fellows are free to pursue their own independent research agenda within an environment of subject matter experts who provide guidance and mentorship.              Salary: $146,820
           Term: Three years
           Application Deadline: October 1, 2025
           Reference Letter Deadline: October 15, 2025
           LLNL Posting: not up yet
           More information
           Contact: Michelle Perez-Robles, perezrobles1@llnl.gov                   
High Energy Density Science Center Fellowship High Energy Density Science is the study of matter and energy under extreme conditions, and we are looking for candidates with expertise ranging from atomic, plasma, nuclear, planetary, stellar, high pressure, and condensed matter physics to high performance computing, diagnostics, and instrumentation.  Applications need to include a CV, research proposal, summary slide, transcripts, and three references.               Salary: $145,980
           Term: Two years with the possibility of extension to a maximum of three years
           Application Deadline: October 6, 2025
           Reference Letter Deadline: October 13, 2025
           LLNL Posting
           More Information
           HEDS Center Website
           HEDS Research Areas
           Contact: Jessica Karlton, karlton1@llnl.gov  
John S. Foster, Jr. Postdoctoral Fellowship and the Harold Brown Postdoctoral Fellowship (US citizens only) Named after two renowned physicists, John S. Foster, Jr. and Harold Brown, these fellowships recognize individuals whose research aligns with the laboratory’s national security mission. These prestigious postdoctoral fellowships will allow you to take your skills to the next level and apply them to solving the nation’s most pressing science and engineering challenges.
           Salary: $145,980
           Term: Two years with the possibility of extension to a maximum of three years
           Application Deadline: September 29, 2025
           Reference Letter Deadline: October 6, 2025
           LLNL Posting
           More Information
           Contact: Tricia Marquez, marquez33@llnl.gov   Sincerely, Paul Grabowski, Ted Baumann, and Matthew Buckner

UCLCC Launches a New Pilot Program: High Energy Density Science Summer School

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By Caroline Liu (UCLCC Communications Intern 2025)

UCLCC Successfully Pilots HEDS Summer School to Meet a Growing and Critical Need

This August, the University of California Livermore Collaboration Center (UCLCC) launched a High Energy Density Science (HEDS) Summer School aimed at encouraging the next generation of scientists to pursue degrees and careers in this emerging and important discipline.

HEDS – the study of matter under extreme conditions of high pressure, temperature, and energy density, such as those found in stars and planets – is essential for fields that are critical to the country’s future and security, such as clean energy, astrophysics and material science. Since 2022, when Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) became the first facility to achieve fusion ignition, the demand for a talented HEDS workforce has dramatically amped up. Yet HEDS remains underrepresented in academia and relatively unknown to many talented young scientists.

The UCLCC summer school sought to address those concerns by introducing undergraduates from across the UCs to HEDS-related fields. A high-powered collaboration among UC campuses and LLNL allowed the program to successfully expose students to current research and experimental facilities at LLNL, offer tips for applying to graduate school, and facilitate networking with UC professors, LLNL scientists, and fellow students.

A Comprehensive Introduction to the Field

Over the course of one week, 24 undergraduates and post baccalaureates from UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz and UC San Diego participated in lectures, hands-on learning activities and small group discussions. The HEDS-related topics – taught by experts from UC and LLNL – ranged from shock and plasma physics to laboratory astrophysics and planetary science.

Those sessions also offered a chance for students to interact closely with HEDS scientists, a rare and fulfilling experience. “I did not have much exposure to this many scientists before,” said Anushka Rajasekhar, a junior at UC Berkeley. “Talking to scientists made me understand my career path.”

To that end, the students also participated in professional development workshops that included tips on resume writing and discussions about careers at the national labs. Many also attended tours at LLNL and even had time for self-organized social activities, such as rock climbing.

A Powerful Collaborative Effort

The program demonstrates the power of growing collaborations among the UC campuses and the national labs.  Federica Coppari, Ph.D., from LLNL,  Camille Bibeau, Ph.D., from UC Office of the President, Franklin Dollar, Ph.D., from UC Irvine, David Stubbe, Ph.D., from UC Merced and Farhat Beg, Ph.D., from UC San Diego led the effort.

Christopher Zhen, an incoming junior at UC San Diego believes, “the HEDS Summer School program has opened multiple pathways in exploration of plasmas, lasers and fusion. I greatly appreciate the speakers I’ve listened to, the facilities I’ve toured, the knowledge and connections I have made here.”

He also appreciated the opportunities to connect with UC students from different campuses interested in the same field, adding, “I have made such good friends here and it was overall a great experience.”

As the importance of programs and careers in HEDS continues to grow, filling the pipeline with brilliant young scientists will be essential. The HEDS Summer School offers one exciting example of just how that work can get done.

DOE’s Office of Science Is Now Accepting Applications for Spring 2026 Undergraduate Internships

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Students will conduct scientific and technical projects at national laboratories

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science is now accepting applications for the Spring 2026 term for two undergraduate internship programs: the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program and the Community College Internships (CCI) program. The application deadline is October 1, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EDT.

Through SULI and CCI, undergraduate students and recent graduates delve into science and technology careers at the DOE national laboratories. They gain new knowledge, skills, and professional experience to further their educational and career goals. Interns work directly with national laboratory scientists, engineers, and technical professionals. They assist these experts with science or technology projects that support the DOE mission, including new frontiers in artificial intelligence, quantum, nuclear energy and technology, critical minerals and materials, and fusion science and engineering.

SULI is open to full-time undergraduate students attending 4-year institutions and community colleges or recent graduates within two years of receiving their bachelor’s degree or associate degree. CCI is dedicated to supporting community college students. Both programs are stipend-based and offered three times annually in Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.

Two workshops are planned to introduce each program, including the application process and strategies for submitting a compliant application. 

In addition to the workshops, the program office invites applicants and letter of recommendation writers to attend office hours. At these times, DOE staff members will answer administrative questions such as those pertaining to uploading transcripts, submitting letters of recommendation, and general inquiries. Office hours are scheduled on September 4th, 11th, 18th, and 24th from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT. Registration (on the CCI and SULI webpages) is required for attendance. SULI and CCI are managed by the Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) in the Office of Science. More information can be found at https://science.osti.gov/wdts