Membrane Engineering Intern (Deep-Tech Startup)
Membrane Engineering Intern (Deep-Tech Startup - Clean Energy & Advanced Materials)
Company: Membravo, Inc.
Location: Menlo Park, CA
Duration: 3 months, Full-time
Start Date: April–May 2026
Position Overview
This is an exceptional opportunity for highly motivated engineers and scientists seeking hands-on experience in a deep-tech startup environment. The intern will support the development, fabrication, and characterization of advanced hollow fiber membranes, working at the intersection of materials science, chemical engineering, and real-world industrial deployment.
This role is ideal for students in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field who are excited about translating cutting-edge research into practical hardware. You will work directly with the founding team on core technology development, gaining exposure to experimental design, engineering decision-making, and early-stage product development. In addition, you will collaborate with leading researchers and principal investigators at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and other partner institutions.
Throughout the internship, you will gain hands-on experience developing industrial membrane technology, operate within a small and fast-moving startup team, and take on meaningful technical responsibility. This position offers direct mentorship from the startup’s founders, executive leadership, and experienced scientists and engineers, as well as exposure to startup execution and commercialization strategy, and the opportunity to contribute to high-impact clean energy and separation technologies.
Responsibilities
- Assist in fabrication of hollow fiber membranes
- Prepare polymer solutions and assist in fiber spinning experiments
- Support module assembly
- Help develop fixtures and experimental setups
- Conduct membrane performance testing (gas and/or liquid separation)
- Collect, analyze, and document experimental data
- Maintain organized lab records and technical documentation
- Support general lab operations
Qualifications
Required
- Senior undergraduate, master’s student, Ph.D. student, or recent grad in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Mechanical Engineering or a related field
- Strong interest in hands-on experimental work
- Experience working in a laboratory environment
- Detail-oriented and organized
- Ability to work independently in a startup environment
- Reside in the Bay Area, California during the internship period.
Preferred (Not Required)
- Experience with membranes or materials processing
- Experience with HPLC, IC, or chromatography
About Membravo
Membravo is a venture-backed deep-tech startup based in Menlo Park, California, developing next-generation membrane technology that dramatically improves the efficiency of industrial chemical separations.
Our hollow fiber membranes enable cost-effective gas purification, solvent recovery, helium separation, and advanced chemical processing across industries including semiconductors, clean fuels, energy, and industrial gases.
The company was spun out of SRI International based on membrane technology developed with U.S. Department of Energy funding. Membravo is part of the Activate Fellowship and the Cyclotron Road program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, two of the world’s premier platforms for commercializing breakthrough energy technologies.
Our technology is already attracting strong industry interest, and we are currently working with paying customers across multiple countries while preparing for large-scale pilot deployments.
Membravo’s core team operates from Menlo Park, CA, at the heart of the Silicon Valley deep-tech ecosystem.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a resume via email to careers@membravo.com with the subject line “Membrane Engineering Intern Application.”
Equal Opportunity
Membravo is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds.