Analytical Technologies Intern

The Analytical Technologies team at Johns Manville tackles whatever problem arises across all three of JM’s businesses (Engineered Products, Roofing Systems and Insulation Systems) as well as supporting R&D efforts and product development through measurement science ranging from physicochemical properties analysis of raw materials to product testing and characterization. The team is looking for a Materials Science focused Analytical Chemistry or Engineering student with an interest in materials characterization for projects related to polymer engineering. This intern will be expected to employ fundamental concepts of polymer chemistry and physics in a wholistic, hands-on approach to support product development and operational excellence in line with JM’s sustainability goals of increasing recycled waste streams as raw materials. This work will include pre-planned laboratory-scale measurements using analytical instrumentation. The internship is designed to provide flexibility for the intern to help progress the project by following what they’ve learned and to guide the scientific experimentation based on their initial results with the ultimate project goal in mind.

Upon completion of the summer internship, this JM intern is expected to present their work within the context of their scientific study, business relevance and sustainability to senior management. The leadership team then provides valuable feedback and insight for interns as they continue their careers.

Requirements:

• Enrolled in a B.S. program in Materials Science, Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Physics or related field, and have completed analytical and/or instrumental chemistry.
• Have a strong mathematics background (preferred to have completed Differential Equations Course) and interest in polymer characterization.
• Experience with analytical data analysis software such as Microsoft Excel, Origin, Matlab, etc.
• Ability to work within a team, communicate effectively and clearly provide honest constructive feedback.
• Have a creative mindset for exploring problems beyond the immediate task at hand, intrinsic drive to push beyond road-blocks that hinder progress in a project, and ability to pivot from initial experimental trajectories when unexpected results are encountered

Day-to-Day Activities:

• Perform relevant analytical measurements using scientific instrumentation and interpret the results.
• Consider how laboratory scale results from scientific instrumentation can be extrapolated to industrial scale production in relation to a specified product.
• Take an active part in weekly meetings to discuss various Advanced Materials involvement in support of plant operations, R&D efforts, product development projects, raw materials characterization, and associated experimental planning.
• Provide services or recommendations for the use of appropriate scientific instrumentation to measure the properties of materials required by a project lead.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with laboratory scale scientific analytical instrumentation to characterize materials. May include Differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, oscillatory shear and/or capillary rheology, thermogravimetric analysis, gas chromatography, pyrolysis-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography, gel permeation chromatography, Fourier transform infrared or Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, Instron mechanical properties testing, cone calorimetry, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, or other instrumentation.
• Experience with safely handling polymer materials in the melt state, chemical raw materials for polymer synthesis, or laboratory grade solvents.