R&D PhD Summer Intern – Bio-functionality Of Polymers

About the role

Research and Development (R&D) internship at Procter & Gamble, the world's largest consumer packaged goods company. The internship is designed for PhD candidates developing proficiency in microbiology, chemical biology, or polymer/material chemistry. You will work on a project to develop and evaluate functional materials, including biopolymer synthesis, chemical modification, microbiological assays, and data interpretation to support applications in consumer products, paper products, or textiles. The 12‑week paid internship runs from May (potentially early June) to August 2027 at the Mason Business Innovation Center.

Responsibilities

• Production of Biopolymers with Pre‑Defined, Integrated Functionality: synthesize biopolymers where specific functional groups are covalently incorporated during bacterial fermentation (in‑situ modification) and produce functionally modified biopolymers via ex‑situ chemical modification of pre‑formed biopolymers.
• Expanded Application Space for Biopolymers through Tailored Properties: create a diverse library of biopolymers exhibiting new or enhanced properties (e.g., hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, adhesion, biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, specific binding sites) and test them for efficacy; make recommendations for antimicrobial efficacy and broader applications relevant to P&G.

Requirements

• Working towards a PhD in microbiology, chemical biology, or polymer/material chemistry.
• Microbiological laboratory proficiency: aseptic technique, bacterial culturing, basic microbiological assays, adherence to laboratory safety and best practices (chemical & biological).
• Organic synthesis & reaction skills: proficient in setting up, running, and monitoring chemical reactions.
• Agile R&D contributor with advanced problem‑solving: proactively drives project outcomes, analyzes results, identifies issues, devises technical solutions, troubleshoots across chemical and microbiological contexts, and adapts to changing project scope.
• Available to work a 12‑week internship from May/early June to August 2027, 5 days a week in office at the Mason Business Innovation Center.

Skills

• Chemical characterization techniques: ability to perform and interpret data from FTIR, NMR, XRD.
• Polymer science fundamentals: understanding of polymer structure, properties, and how modifications affect material characteristics.

Pay

Starting pay: $60.57 – $60.57 per hour.

Schedule

Full time.