Laboratory Intern

The Materials Research Institute (MRI) at Penn State is seeking exceptional candidates for a SCIA-STRIVE Laboratory Intern position. This opportunity supports the Silicon Carbide Innovation Alliance (SCIA), a Penn State initiative dedicated to advancing silicon carbide semiconductor research, technology development, and workforce training, and STRIVE (Semiconductor Training and Research Initiatives for Veterans in Engineering), a program designed to prepare veterans for careers in the semiconductor industry through hands-on technical training, mentorship, and industry engagement.

The successful applicant will be responsible forhelping the laboratory staff and graduate students with the silicon carbide growth process and this process will be followed by synthesis, slicing, polishing, and characterization processes. This role requires hands-on involvement in the SCIA projects.

Responsibilities:

• Help SCIA lab staff and graduate students with facility operations, including synthesis, slicing, polishing, and characterization of silicon carbide materials, 

• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and environmental regulations,

• Followappropriate health and safety protocols and procedures to mitigate risks,

• Follow and report problems to lab staff to track progress of scientific tests, 

• Ready to learn new equipment and testmethodologies,

• Help lab staff to keep lab environment clean,

• Help lab staff with equipment maintenance and service activities,

Education and Experience:

• Minimum of high school graduate,

• U.S. military veteran

• Able to work up to 20 hours per week,

• Able to follow Penn State EHS training and regulatory requirements,

• Experience in working in a research environment, with preferred expertise in silicon carbide synthesis and processing,

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work in a scientificenvironment,

• Ability to adapt to a dynamic work environment.