Los Alamos National Laboratory

Positions & APPIC Program Code: TBD

Living in Los Alamos:

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is nestled on a mesa at the foot of the Jemez mountains. Outdoor activities abound with plenty of hiking (over 200 miles of developed trails), mountain biking, rock climbing, and our own ski hill in the winter. Other recreational offerings include an Olympic-sized pool, leisure pool and water slide, and the Los Alamos Ice Rink that converts to a roller derby venue in the summer. Learn about the real-life history of Los Alamos and Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer through a guided tour or learn about the Ancient Puebloans at Bandelier National Monument. Two other national parks: The Valles Caldera National Preserve and the Manhattan Project National Historic Park are also a short drive from Los Alamos.
Our location is ideal for someone who would like to experience a more rural community that is also close to the larger cities of Santa Fe (45 mins) and Albuquerque (2 hours). Our generous benefits package includes:

• PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
• Dental and vision insurance
• Free basic life and disability insurance
• Paid childbirth and parental leave
• Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
• Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)v
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs
• Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

The Internship Experience:

Psychologists at LANL function as part of an interdisciplinary team housed within the Occupational Medicine clinic, which includes social workers, case managers, medical providers, and physical therapists conducting ergonomic evaluations. Internship at LANL offers a unique opportunity to learn about the work of a clinical psychologist in a multidisciplinary clinic in the laboratory complexes that exist around the country and function under the administration of the Department of Energy (DOE). Interns support the Behavioral Health Group, which operates within the Laboratory’s Occupational Health Division. Interns participate in three primary rotations, which occur concurrently and are year-long. Elective rotations are selected based on the intern’s training needs, goals, and career aspirations. Throughout the year, interns closely interact and collaborate with other disciplines throughout LANL such as laboratory legal staff, human resources personnel, as well as with community mental health providers. The LANL internship will provide interns with a broad exposure to a vast array of psychological concerns in our employee population. This is a unique internship that will assist interns in experiencing the mixture of clinical and assessment roles that psychologists perform. Our program is committed to educating clinicians in the theoretical and practical aspects of risk assessment while simultaneously providing an invaluable service to the Department of Energy (DOE) and matters of national security. Please note that the internship experience at LANL is designed to be comprehensive and well-rounded; however, opportunities for assessment outweigh those for intervention.

Primary Rotations:

Human Reliability Program (HRP)

HRP has been active at the laboratory for more the 20 years and services more than 2,500 employees. HRP helps safeguard personnel, information, and operations at the laboratory through a continuous evaluation process that helps ensure employees enrolled in the program meet high standards of reliability and mental suitability. Interns support HRP at least twelve hours a week by conducting psychological testing and clinical evaluations with participating employees. HRP employees who are having workplace or other life problems may have regular follow-up contacts with the intern to provide monitoring, recommendations, referrals, or brief, solutions-focused intervention for behavioral health concerns.

Fitness for Duty Program (FFD)

Interns support the Fitness for Duty (FFD) Program by completing psychological evaluations with referred employees to determine if the employee is psychologically fit to perform assigned work. Employees may be referred to FFD due to substance misuse, mental health concerns, following a hospitalization for mental health and/or substance use issues or because of medication the employee is taking during working hours. Interns support the FFD program at least eight hours per week. Over the course of the year, interns conduct at least four comprehensive fitness for duty evaluations and complete initial evaluation reports and closing summaries for these cases.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

More than 18,000 employees and their adult dependents have access to up to 8 free, confidential counseling appointments each year through the laboratory’s EAP. Many employees commute long distances for work or reside in remote Northern New Mexico communities and would have little or no access to mental health care without the assistance of the EAP. Employees may seek the services of the EAP due to work-related concerns or personal problems that do not stem from the workplace. Counseling formats include individual, couples/family, or group sessions, and services are provided through in-person or telehealth appointments. Interns support the EAP at least six hours a week. In additional to counseling clients, interns co-facilitate at least one of the EAP’s ongoing 6–8-week psycho-educational groups focused on alcohol awareness and education, maintaining changes for sober living, grief support, or other behavioral health challenges (this group’s content rotates) with the expectation that interns will serve as the primary facilitator for at least one 6–8 week group over the course of the year.

Special Project

The intern will also be expected to engage in a year-long special project of their choosing. Intern’s career goals will be discussed in the first few weeks of internship to assist with developing or expanding on ideas for a special project. Opportunities exist in the three rotations themselves or in the elective rotations mentioned below.

Elective Rotations:

Neuropsychological Screening and Comprehensive Evaluation

The Neuropsychological rotation provides screening and/or comprehensive evaluation of LANL employees for concerns related to cognitive impairments that may impact their ability to complete their work in a safe and secure manner. Referrals include assessment of cognitive functioning following a traumatic brain injury, stroke or heart attack, or because of undiagnosed sleep apnea, among others. Opportunities also exist to conduct medication evaluations that may impact cognition to determine fitness for duty. Screenings or comprehensive assessments are completed based on complexity of the case. Interns gain experience and independence with all aspects of the assessment process including clinical interviewing, test selection, test administration and scoring, case conceptualization and report writing, and provision of feedback.

Behavioral Health Response Team (BHRT)

The BHRT provides post-event intervention to employees and others impacted by critical incidents to help mitigate distress and promote a return to functioning. The intern supports the psychologist who serves as the coordinator and community liaison for the BHRT. The intern helps plan and facilitate monthly training meetings and other special events for behavioral health staff, first responders, and community volunteers who make up the BHRT. Interns who elect this rotation also receive training in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and provide individual and group support to laboratory employees and community members impacted by a critical incident.

Risk Assessment and pre-Employment Psychological Screening

Pre-employment psychological screening with fire fighters and security police officers.

Health Promotion and Wellness

Interns can help with the mental well-being expo, neurodiversity guest speaker series, and/or brain health awareness week based on interest. Opportunities to present on topics such as health promotion, work/life balance, psychological first aid, and suicide prevention also exist.

Independent Research

Opportunities exist to complete research with various groups around LANL or within Occupational Medicine. Interns interested in conducting independent research will meet with LANL psychology supervisors in their first weeks of internship to determine research interests and feasibility.

LANL Psychological Supervisors:

Lauren M. Smith, PhD (University of North Texas). Director of Clinical Training, Occupational Psychologist, Vice President Los Alamos DWI Prevention Council.
Expertise/Interests: Neuropsychology; Traumatic Brain Injury; Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine; Stress Management; Chronic Disease; Health and Wellness Promotion; Workplace Risk Assessment; Forensic Assessments.

Alice K. Bodelson, PhD (Louisiana State University). Assistant Director of Clinical Training, Occupational Psychologist, Los Alamos Public Safety Association (LAPSA) President, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Coordinator and Expert.
Expertise/Interests: Neurodiversity; Crisis intervention; Pediatric and Developmental Psychology; Child, Adolescent, and Family Psychotherapy.

Alicia Justus, PhD (Indiana University Bloomington) Lead Occupational Psychologist, Group Leader Occupational Health.
Expertise/Interests: Parent training; Family therapy; Neuropsychological and Psychological testing; Supervision and Training; Alcohol and Addiction Treatment; Employee well-being.

Elizabeth B. Maines, PhD (California School of Professional Psychology) Occupational Psychologist, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Expert.
Expertise/Interests: Medical & Health Psychology; Chronic pain and Chronic illness; Crisis Intervention; Psychopathology and Criminality; Psychological & Forensic Assessment; Health and Wellness Promotion.