R&D PhD Summer Intern – Polymer Synthesis

About the role

This PhD internship is a 12‑week paid position in the Corporate Function R&D team at Procter & Gamble’s Mason Business and Innovation Center, running from May (potentially early June) to August 2027. Interns will work on understanding structure‑property relationships in polymeric materials, synthesizing and characterizing well‑defined polymer systems, investigating how molecular architecture influences material behavior, and comparing experimental data with computational model predictions. The role involves close collaboration with experimental polymer scientists and computational modelers, providing experience at the interface of materials development and simulation.

Responsibilities

• Synthesis of a series of polymer materials with controlled molecular architectures using established internal and published methods.
• Structural characterization of synthesized materials using relevant analytical techniques.
• Preparation and testing of materials to evaluate key physical and mechanical properties.
• Comparison of experimental results with computational model predictions to assess model accuracy and identify opportunities for refinement.

Requirements

• Working toward a PhD in Polymer Science, Polymer Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated expertise in a broad range of polymer synthesis and modification techniques, including the functionalization of polysaccharides and other natural materials.
• Ability to independently select, execute, and interpret polymer characterization methods, including NMR, SEC/GPC, FTIR, rheology, thermal analysis, and related analytical methods.
• Experience preparing and testing materials to evaluate physical, mechanical, and performance properties.
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan and execute laboratory research, including polymer synthesis, characterization, data analysis, and interpretation.
• Ability to troubleshoot experimental challenges and solve complex technical problems.
• Experience documenting, analyzing, interpreting, and communicating scientific data and results.
• Ability to work onsite at the Mason Business and Innovation Center a minimum of 3‑5 days per week.

Skills

• Familiarity with polymer physics, soft materials, molecular modeling, molecular simulation, coarse‑grained modeling, self‑consistent field theory, or other computational approaches used to predict polymer structure‑property relationships.
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment spanning experimental and computational research.
• Proficiency with Python‑based scientific computing and data analysis tools for processing, visualizing, and interpreting experimental and computational datasets.

Pay

$60.57 - $60.57 per hour

Schedule

Full‑time, 12‑week internship (May – August 2027), onsite at Mason Business and Innovation Center minimum 3‑5 days per week.