An intern’s passion meets purpose with help from her summer internship at SRMC
- Colleen Hart
- Jun 16
- 2 min read
AIKEN, S.C. (June 16, 2025) — College senior Amelia Cashion is excited to combine her creative knack with her knowledge of mechanical engineering through her internship with Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC).
SRMC, the liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site (SRS), is committed to cleaning up Cold War-era radioactive tank waste while maintaining the highest levels of safety, security, and environmental stewardship, which Cashion says initially caught her eye.
“I first heard about Savannah River Mission Completion at a job fair at my school,” Cashion said. “Aside from an interest in what the company itself did, its dedication to being sustainable and environmentally friendly really stood out to me.”
Cashion is going into her final semester at the University of Georgia where she is majoring in mechanical engineering, which she said uses two of her favorite things: creativity and numbers.
“I love problem solving, especially in engineering,” Cashion said. “There is something about when all of the equations add up just right — it’s like putting the last piece of a puzzle. I have also always appreciated understanding the ‘why’ behind how things work and using my hands to figure it out myself.”
At SRMC, Cashion works as a melter engineering intern where she is participating in process improvements, recording and observing data, and collaborating with professionals in her field. The melter is considered the “heart” of the Defense Waste Processing Facility; it’s the critical equipment that converts the highly radioactive sludge waste into molten glass, which is then poured into stainless steel canisters to harden into a form safe for transportation and long-term disposal.
One of her favorite aspects of the job so far has been integrating her passions with her work.
“Working at the Defense Waste Processing Facility has introduced me to the vast number of steps taken to ensure environmental and public safety,” Cashion said. “There is never ending attention to detail to ensure that the environment and all its occupants are protected. I am honored to be part of a group that is so dedicated to environmental safety.”
SRMC comprises parent company BWX Technologies, Inc. with partners Amentum and Fluor. Its team brings the capabilities necessary to accelerate cleanup at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site through safe nuclear operations, optimized and integrated mission execution, and strong corporate governance.
Media Contact:
Colleen Hart
(803) 208-2428