Research and Development Intern - Magnetic Materials

Job Description

The Role: 

As a valued Intern in the Mechanics, Materials and Process Research Lab at General Motors Research and Development, you will innovate in magnetic materials for next-generation vehicle and manufacturing applications. You will propose new research directions, establish technical research plans, and lead collaborative studies spanning magnetic materials discovery, computational modeling, processing, characterization, and validation.

You will generate new insights into the relationships among composition, crystal structure, microstructure, magnetic behavior, thermal stability, manufacturability, and system performance. Your work will guide experimental efforts, accelerate materials down-selection, and help translate research results into practical solutions for motors, sensors, actuators, power systems, and other GM applications. You will document and communicate results through high-quality technical reports, external publications, presentations, and records of invention.

What You’ll Do:   

• Plan and execute collaborative research in magnetic materials, generating new knowledge and enabling innovative materials solutions.

• Apply physics-based modeling, simulation, and data-driven approaches to magnetic-materials discovery, design, and performance prediction.

• Investigate structure–property relationships involving magnetization, coercivity, remanence, permeability, loss, temperature dependence, phase stability, and degradation.

• Partner closely with experimental researchers to guide synthesis and processing, interpret characterization data, and accelerate materials down-selection.

• Evaluate magnetic materials and material systems for applications including electric machines, sensors, actuators, power electronics, and manufacturing processes.

• Connect computational predictions with experimental validation using appropriate magnetic, structural, thermal, electrical, and mechanical measurements.

• Drive internal and external collaborations with GM engineering teams, universities, national laboratories, suppliers, and research partners.

• Maintain awareness of the state of the art in magnetic materials, computational materials science, materials characterization, and related disciplines.

• Prepare timely, high-quality technical reports, presentations, publications, and invention disclosures to communicate research outcomes.

• Generate intellectual property to protect new inventions and research results.

• Assist and mentor other employees in accomplishing project and research goals.

Required Qualifications:  

• Pursuit of an Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in one of the following areas: Materials Science and Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field.

• Must be a current student
• Strong foundation in materials thermodynamics, kinetics, crystallography, phase transformations, magnetism, and structure–property relationships.
• Experience with magnetic materials such as permanent magnets, soft magnetic alloys, ferrites, magnetic composites, magnetocaloric materials, or related functional materials.
• Experience with computational modeling and simulation of materials, including electronic-structure, atomistic, mesoscale, micromagnetic, phase-field, finite-element, or continuum methods.
• Proficiency in scientific programming and data analysis using tools such as Python, C/C++, MATLAB, or similar languages.
• Experience analyzing materials data and connecting composition, processing, microstructure, and magnetic performance.
• Experience working in multidisciplinary research teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to work effectively with GM internal and external collaborators.

• Able to work fulltime, 40 hours per week during the summer months

Preferred Qualifications:   

• Ph.D. strongly preferred.
• Experience with DFT/electronic structure, atomistic or micromagnetic modeling, ICME, machine learning, materials informatics, magnetic-property measurement, materials synthesis and processing, or microstructural characterization.
• Experience coupling computational predictions with experimental validation.
• Demonstrated publication record and/or intellectual property generation.
• Experience transitioning computational or experimental insights into applied engineering or manufacturing solutions.
• Knowledge of design-for-manufacturing, supply-chain considerations, critical-materials strategy, or sustainability in magnetic-materials systems.

GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc).

Work Arrangement:

Hybrid: This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the successful candidate is expected to report to Warren, MI three times per week, at minimum [or other frequency dictated by the business]. 

The position is subject to export control restrictions and requires the successful candidate to be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee).

GM will provide a one-time lump sum taxable stipend payment to eligible students selected for the 2027 Student Program - to help facilitate administration of relocation benefits, please apply using the permanent address you would move from.

Start dates for this internship role are May 24th & June 14th of 2027. 







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