Research Scientist Intern, Advanced Materials for Flexible Electronics (PhD)

Meta’s Reality Labs Research is seeking innovative Research Scientist interns with a passion for technology to join our materials, manufacturing, and integration team at the research location in Redmond, WA. These roles are focused on the research and development of advanced materials, architectures, and interconnect technologies for next-generation of flexible and wearable electronic devices. The ideal candidate will be a senior PhD student with a strong background in materials science, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or related fields, and a passion for advancing the state of the art in flexible electronics.

About Reality Labs: Reality Labs is Meta’s research and development division dedicated to building the future of immersive technologies. Our mission is to advance the state of the art in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and wearable devices to build systems that enhance human capabilities through intelligent machine collaboration and enable people to connect, collaborate, and experience the world in entirely new ways.

Our internships are twelve (12) to twenty-four (24) weeks long and we have various start dates throughout the year.Research Scientist Intern, Advanced Materials for Flexible Electronics (PhD) Responsibilities

• Design, model, and fabricate novel interconnect structures with engineered geometries and surface chemistries to improve wetting, adhesion, and mechanical reliability of interconnect technologies.
• Conduct literature reviews and materials exploration to identify promising chemical formulations and manufacturing processes.
• Design and conduct experiments in a lab environment and potentially a clean room to integrate new interconnect technologies in prototype devices.
• Develop and characterize test vehicles using microfabrication, additive manufacturing, or other advanced techniques and perform experimental evaluation of electrical, mechanical, and environmental reliability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in documenting and communicating experimental plans, results, and recommendations to both small and large groups of engineers and scientists.

Minimum Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or a related technical field
• 2+ years of hands-on experience in a laboratory environment, with a focus on soft materials/robotics, flexible electronics, printed electronics, interconnects, wearable devices, or related areas
• Demonstrated experience with microfabrication techniques and working in cleanroom environments, ideally focusing on semiconductor device processing, fabrication, and/or packaging
• Experience with materials characterization and/or metrology techniques (e.g., surface analysis, microscopy, spectroscopy, mechanical testing)
• Must have or be able to obtain work authorization in the country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of advanced packaging technologies and proficiency in microfabrication techniques, including photolithography, etching, and deposition processes
• Familiarity with surface modification techniques (e.g., plasma treatment, self-assembled monolayers, metal oxide coatings) and materials characterization methods (e.g., electron microscopy, spectroscopy)
• Hands-on experience with clean room environment and fabrication tools such as mask aligners, spin coaters, wet benches, and plasma etchers
• Previous experience with sintering methods, processing, and characterization of metal powders or composite materials for electronic applications
• Proven track record of research excellence as demonstrated by grants, fellowships, patents, as well as first-authored publications at leading workshops, conferences, or prestigious journals
• Experience working and communicating cross functionally in a team environment

For those who live in or expect to work from California if hired for this position, please click here for additional information. About Meta Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and vi