Intern - Strategic Assets Recovery Program Coordinator

 

Job Summary

 

Global Product Regulatory Compliance at Coherent ensures that the company’s diverse portfolio of products meet applicable regulations worldwide. The team plays a critical role in enabling safe, compliant, and sustainable product commercialization by minimizing hazardous substances, ensuring electromagnetic compatibility, and maintaining robust quality and regulatory systems aligned with global standards. Interns gain hands‑on exposure to real‑world regulatory strategy, cross‑functional collaboration, and the practical application of compliance, sustainability, and quality principles in a global manufacturing environment.

 

We are seeking a motivated and detail‑oriented Strategic Assets Recovery Research Intern to join Coherent’s Product Regulatory Compliance team for Summer 2026. This internship supports a high‑impact, currently unfunded initiative to evaluate whether Coherent’s retired manufacturing and test equipment can be repositioned from a regulatory end‑of‑life obligation into a managed asset class delivering financial, environmental, and supply‑chain value.

 

The intern will contribute to the development of a circular value‑recovery platform that prioritizes internal reuse, refurbishment, and high‑yield recovery of precious and critical materials—including gold and rare earth elements. Working alongside compliance, sustainability, and supply‑chain stakeholders, the intern will help assess feasibility, recovery economics, and ESG value creation aligned with Scope 3 emissions reduction goals.

 

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Conduct an initial feasibility assessment of treating retired manufacturing and test equipment as a managed asset class rather than generic e‑waste
• Evaluate value‑recovery pathways, including internal reuse, refurbishment, and material recovery of precious and critical materials
• Assess recovery economics, logistics, and operational practicality, including downstream processing considerations
• Support analysis of ESG and Scope 3 value creation, including avoided‑emissions potential and material recovery metrics
• Identify risk controls and compliance considerations associated with alternative end‑of‑life routing
• Compile findings into a final feasibility report with data‑driven recommendations for potential implementation at Coherent

 

Education & Experience

• Education Level Required: Bachelor’s, or Master’s (PhD candidates also considered)
• Preferred candidates:
  • Rising Juniors or Seniors (completed 2–3 years by start date), or
  • Graduate students in relevant fields
• Preferred Majors:
  • Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Materials, Industrial)
  • Supply Chain, Operations, or Industrial Engineering
  • Environmental Science, Sustainability, or Materials Science
  • Business Analytics or Economics with technical exposure
• Relevant coursework or experience in product lifecycle management, sustainability, circular economy, supply chain analysis, or materials recovery is a plus

Open to currently enrolled students or those who have graduated within one year of the internship start date.

Skills & Other Requirements

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to synthesize technical, operational, and sustainability data into clear written outputs
• Interest in circular economy, ESG, and sustainable manufacturing
• Proficiency with Excel, PowerPoint, and basic data analysis tools
• Comfortable working with cross‑functional stakeholders
• High attention to detail, time management, and documentation quality

 

Additional Information

• Internship Duration: 6 months.
• This internship is designed as a low‑risk, data‑driven feasibility study that will inform future leadership decisions. The role does not commit Coherent to implementation, but rather provides structured analysis to determine whether a scalable value‑recovery opportunity exists.
• At Coherent, interns are valued members of our team and have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions from day one. In addition to hands-on project experience, our internship program includes opportunities to connect with fellow interns and colleagues across the organization through virtual and in-person networking events, team-building activities and more. Interns are expected to actively participate in these events as part of their professional development and to fully immerse themselves in our collaborative and innovative culture.

Working Conditions

• This role will be based on-site in Onsite Santa Clara/Bay Area.
• Regular use of a computer and other office equipment is