Summer 2027 Intern-Research Intern for Polymers

Momentive•Pearl River, NY

About The Position

The intern will gain hands-on experience in plastics formulation, processing, testing, and data-driven product development. Under the guidance of a mentor, the intern will design and conduct experiments to evaluate the effects of processing additives on various plastics, analyze and interpret experimental data, and use AI and machine learning tools to support formulation optimization and product innovation.

Requirements

Pursuing a degree in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Plastics Engineering, Data Science, or a related field.
Basic laboratory and data-analysis experience, including proficiency with Microsoft Excel or similar tools.
Ability to follow laboratory safety requirements and experimental procedures.
Interest in learning plastics processing, material characterization, and AI/ML-assisted formulation optimization.
The candidate must be actively enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at the time of application and for at least one semester following the conclusion of the internship.
The candidate is expected to be available 40 hours a week for a period of 10-12 weeks between the months of May and August.

Nice To Haves

Experience with statistical analysis, Python, R, MATLAB, JMP, Minitab, or machine learning tools is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Receive hands-on training from a mentor using plastics processing equipment, including extruders and blown-film lines.
Prepare polymer formulations containing processing additives and evaluate their performance.
Develop and refine testing protocols for evaluating polymer formulations on film-processing equipment.
Improve characterization methods used to quantify polymer processing-aid performance and impact on material properties.
Work with the mentor to apply AI, machine learning, and data-analysis tools to experimental datasets.
Use data-driven methods to identify trends, predict formulation performance, and optimize product compositions.
Document modeling approaches, results, and recommendations to support future product-development activities.