About the role#
As an intern in the Mechanics, Materials, and Process Research Lab, you will advance computational materials science at continuum length scales. Your work focuses on accelerating the discovery, design, and deployment of materials for vehicle and manufacturing applications. You will propose research directions, build technical plans, and lead studies that connect material composition, microstructure, and performance to engineering requirements.
What you'll do#
- Plan and execute collaborative research in computational materials science.
- Develop physics-based models for composition-process-structure-property relationships, including phase evolution, transport, damage, fracture, fatigue, and thermal response.
- Build and apply continuum and mesoscale simulation methods such as finite-element analysis, phase-field modeling, or crystal plasticity.
- Integrate thermodynamics, kinetics, and mechanics into predictive computational workflows.
- Use high-throughput computation and data-driven methods to screen candidate materials and processing conditions.
- Partner with experimental researchers to interpret results, quantify uncertainty, and accelerate materials down-selection.
- Establish practices for model verification, validation, and sensitivity analysis.
- Connect computational insights to manufacturing processes and vehicle performance requirements.
- Prepare technical reports, presentations, software documentation, and invention disclosures.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment in an advanced degree program (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computational Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, or a related field.
- Strong foundation in thermodynamics, kinetics, mechanics, transport, and numerical methods.
- Experience developing or applying continuum-scale models to materials or engineering systems.
- Proficiency in scientific programming and data analysis using Python, C/C++, Fortran, MATLAB, Julia, or similar languages.
- Experience with numerical algorithms, high-performance computing, and version-controlled software.
- Ability to formulate research questions, translate physical assumptions into models, and communicate limitations clearly.
- Experience working in multidisciplinary research teams.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee, or refugee).
- Ph.D. is strongly preferred.
Location & details#
- Location: Warren, Michigan.
- Term: Summer 2027.
- Work Modality: Hybrid (expected to report to the office at least three times per week).
- Schedule: Full time, 40 hours per week.
- Note: This position does not provide immigration-related sponsorship.
About General Motors
General Motors is a public company based in Detroit, Michigan. It operates in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry. The company employs over 106,000 people. Its work spans the design and production of cars, trucks, and transportation technology, including software, electrification, and AI.
How to get in at General Motors
Securing an internship at General Motors requires a proactive approach to the application timeline. Because early applicants are often reviewed before the volume of candidates becomes unmanageable, Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published. This allows you to submit your materials among the first group of applicants. Reaching out to the right person can also change your outcome. Intern Insider surfaces the recruiters behind the company's roles, which lets you contact them directly to ask about the position or a potential referral. This direct connection often improves response rates compared to submitting an application into a general queue.
