diff --git a/scripts/hpc_install.sh b/scripts/hpc_install.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76512d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/hpc_install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# hpc_install.sh — Run once on a login node to set up the project environment.
+# Usage: bash scripts/hpc_install.sh
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# -- Storage: put the venv on $VSC_DATA ---------------------------------------
+mkdir -p "$VSC_DATA/venvs"
+ln -sf "$VSC_DATA/venvs" "$VSC_HOME/venvs"
+
+# -- Load built-in HPC modules to save space ----------------------------------
+# Loading these will automatically load Python 3.11.3 + CUDA + GCC 12.3.0
+ml load jax/0.4.25-gfbf-2023a-CUDA-12.1.1
+ml load Flax/0.8.4-gfbf-2023a-CUDA-12.1.1
+ml load Optax/0.2.2-gfbf-2023a-CUDA-12.1.1
+ml load wandb/0.16.1-GCC-12.3.0
+ml load matplotlib/3.7.2-gfbf-2023a
+ml load PyYAML/6.0-GCCcore-12.3.0
+ml load FFmpeg/5.1.2-GCCcore-12.3.0
+
+export VENV_PATH="$VSC_DATA/venvs/sel3_${VSC_INSTITUTE_CLUSTER}"
+
+# -- Create venv with system-site-packages so it sees the loaded modules ----
+python -m venv --system-site-packages "$VENV_PATH"
+source "$VENV_PATH/bin/activate"
+
+# -- Install only the missing lightweight packages ---------------------------
+# We bypass uv here to strictly adhere to the user's storage limits requirement.
+pip install --upgrade pip
+pip install biorobot==0.4.2 evosax==0.2.0 mediapy==1.2.6 tyro>=1.0.10 \
+    cleanrl>=0.4.8 gymnasium>=1.2.3 PyOpenGL>=3.1.10 PyOpenGL-accelerate>=3.1.10
+
+# -- Register as Jupyter kernel -----------------------------------------------
+python -m ipykernel install --user --name="sel3_${VSC_INSTITUTE_CLUSTER}-kernel"
+
+echo "✅ Environment created at $VENV_PATH"