Intern: Paint Process (Fall 2026)
About The Position
Transport is at the core of modern society. Imagine using your expertise to shape sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions for the future. If you seek to make a difference on a global scale, working with next-gen technologies and the sharpest collaborative teams, then we could be a perfect match. This internship focuses on supporting the optimization of automotive paint color groups to achieve improved appearance quality at lower film build targets. You will assist in evaluating the relationship between film thickness, color position, and overall appearance performance across various paint colors, including metallic and other effect colors. The role involves collecting, recording, and analyzing appearance data using Byk Gardner measurement equipment, and participating in spray application trials to assess the impact of process parameters on film build consistency and appearance. You will collaborate with R&D engineers to identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary paint overbuild while maintaining or improving appearance standards, and investigate how paint material properties and spray settings influence transfer efficiency and final coating performance. Support will also be provided for studies evaluating the effects of topcoat oven parameters on final paint appearance. The intern will analyze test results and summarize findings to help identify colors that perform well under optimized process conditions, and contribute to process improvement initiatives by documenting observations, maintaining accurate records, and presenting recommendations to the project team. This internship offers hands-on experience with paint application technology, appearance measurement methods, and manufacturing process optimization in a research and development environment.
Requirements
- Applicants must be pursuing a Mechanical Engineering or Chemical Engineering degree at an accredited school and have completed 30 semester hours prior to the start of the intern program.
- Minimum GPA of 2.75.
- Computer Programming
- Microsoft Office Application
- Applied Statistics
Nice To Haves
- Fall interns may work up to 30 hours per week.
Responsibilities
- Support the optimization of automotive paint color groups to achieve improved appearance quality at lower film build targets.
- Assist in evaluating the relationship between film thickness, color position, and overall appearance performance across various paint colors, including metallic and other effect colors.
- Collect, record, and analyze appearance data using Byk Gardner measurement equipment.
- Participate in spray application trials to assess the impact of process parameters such as flow rates, bell speed, shaping air, and paint rheology on film build consistency and appearance.
- Collaborate with R&D engineers to identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary paint overbuild while maintaining or improving appearance standards.
- Investigate how paint material properties and spray settings influence transfer efficiency and final coating performance.
- Support studies evaluating the effects of topcoat oven parameters on final paint appearance.
- Analyze test results and summarize findings to help identify colors that perform well under optimized process conditions.
- Contribute to process improvement initiatives by documenting observations, maintaining accurate records, and presenting recommendations to the project team.
- Gain hands-on experience with paint application technology, appearance measurement methods, and manufacturing process optimization in a research and development environment.
- Record appearance data using Byk Gardner equipment.
- Study the influence of Topcoat oven parameters on paint appearance.
- Organize and document appearance measurement results for selected process conditions.
- Support analysis of relationships between process settings and appearance outcomes.
- Help identify process windows that improve appearance consistency and quality.
- Prepare a summary of findings for the paint process engineering team.
Benefits
- Housing assistance, when applicable
- Countless career opportunities / internal mobility across our global organization
- Training and personal development
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
Associate degree
