Undergraduate Biomaterials R&D Internship

PROGRAM DETAILS

Carbonwave invites motivated students to participate in our Upcycled Biomaterials R&D Program. This is a hands-on opportunity to work inside an applied materials lab environment, developing and executing studies of our biomaterials and developing new products. Projects may also include mass balance calculations of an operational unit and/or testing performance of sargassum products.

Students will gain practical exposure to:

• Applied extractions of seaweed polymers
• Conducting polymer characterization and functionality tests
• Data collection and analysis of input/output streams
• Process efficiency evaluation and optimization
• Translating academic concepts like mass balance into material science applications

This program is designed for students interested in sustainability, industrial biotechnology, or polymer science who want to bridge classroom knowledge with real-world application.

RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT

Carbonwave is a global leader in transforming Sargassum seaweed into sustainable materials, from bio-based emulsifiers and agricultural biostimulants to alternative leathers and advanced materials. Students will be immersed in an active industrial setting, working side-by-side with our R&D, QC and operations teams.

Please note: Because of the industrial and proprietary nature of our work, students must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) prior to starting. Results and data generated during the internship cannot be shared externally.

ELIGIBILITY

An undergraduate student is defined as one enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a bachelor’s degree. Students who will have graduated prior to the summer program are not eligible. However, students transferring between institutions who are not enrolled during the intervening summer may participate. High school graduates who have not yet enrolled, as well as students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree and are no longer enrolled as undergraduates, are not eligible.

LOGISTICS

Program runs on-site at Carbonwave’s Carolina Puerto Rico facility.

Safety training and protective equipment will be provided.

TO APPLY

To apply to the program, you must email the following to our emails: edinis@carbonwave.com, liz.diaz2@upr.edu, and zc6846@princeton.edu.

• a CV or resume
• a personal statement (maximum 200 words)
• a statement on what technical specialization you would like to pursue (e.g. graduate degree, maximum 200 words)
• unofficial transcripts
• two to three references (including name, position, institution, and email)

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Priority consideration will be given to those who apply early.

Launch your career in sustainable materials by learning how industrial processes operate in practice. Join us at Carbonwave, where science meets sustainability!