Materials Science Engineering INTERN

About the role

Join Microsoft’s Device Analysis Engineering (DAE) team as a Materials Science Intern and work on challenging materials, reliability, and failure‑analysis problems across Microsoft’s hardware portfolio, including Surface, Xbox, Cloud Hardware, and emerging technologies. You will conduct hands‑on research in materials characterization, corrosion science, electrochemistry, and reliability engineering, focusing on sustainable packaging materials, corrosion mechanisms, and electronic reliability of advanced hardware systems. The internship offers a hybrid work model with on‑site laboratory work and remote collaboration, providing exposure to the full product development lifecycle from materials selection through field reliability.

Responsibilities

• Conduct laboratory research involving materials characterization, corrosion analysis, electrochemical testing, and reliability evaluation.
• Design and execute experiments to investigate sulfur outgassing, corrosion mechanisms, electrochemical migration, and electronic materials reliability.
• Utilize advanced analytical techniques such as SEM/EDS, XRF, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, ion chromatography, gas chromatography, thermal analysis, and optical microscopy.
• Develop accelerated test methodologies and correlate experimental observations with material properties and failure mechanisms.
• Analyze and interpret complex scientific data, develop predictive models, and communicate findings through technical reports and presentations.
• Collaborate with engineers, scientists, and product teams to translate research findings into actionable engineering recommendations.
• Document experimental procedures, results, and conclusions while following established engineering and laboratory practices.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Chemistry, or a related field.
• Demonstrated research experience in materials characterization, corrosion science, electrochemistry, reliability engineering, or closely related disciplines.
• Experience designing and executing experimental research and analyzing technical data.
• Must have at least one additional quarter/semester of school remaining following completion of the internship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research experience involving corrosion, electrochemical migration, electronic materials, packaging materials, polymers, or reliability testing.
• Experience with characterization techniques such as SEM/EDS, XRF, FTIR, Raman, XRD, thermal analysis, ion chromatography, gas chromatography, or related methods.
• Experience with statistical analysis, data science, material modeling, or reliability modeling tools.
• Strong technical communication skills demonstrated through publications, conference presentations, or research reports.