Adhesive Chemistry Intern — Lab Formulations & Research

Wacker Chemical Corporation USA; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Paid Time Off

Paid parental leave

401(k) with company match

Education Assistance Program

Career development opportunities

Flexible hybrid work arrangements

Job summary

WACKER is seeking an Adhesive Chemistry Intern to join our Allentown, PA team for a 12‑week summer internship. You will work with application chemists and technicians in the polymers industry, learning vinyl acetate ethylene dispersion chemistry used as adhesives and contributing to formulation development.

You will gain hands-on lab experience with instruments like DSC, rheometers, and Instron, while designing tests that connect lab results to real‑world performance.

Qualifications

• Rising junior or senior
• Preferred majors: Material Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science and Technology, Chemistry
• Candidates must be available to work full-time for 12 weeks of the summer at our Allentown, PA location
• Candidate needs to be able to follow laboratory procedures, work independently, and follow all safety practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop and evaluate adhesive formulations for paper and packaging applications to enhance product performance and sustainability.
• Gain hands‑on experience with advanced laboratory instruments, including rotational rheometers, differential scanning calorimeters (DSC), and Instron universal testing systems.
• Design and optimize test methods that connect laboratory measurements to real-world application and performance outcomes.
• Build technical, problem‑solving, and project management skills through independent research and collaboration with experienced scientists and engineers.
• Summarize and present findings to the group.

Skills

Laboratory procedures

Safety practices

Independent work

Education

Material Science and Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Polymer Science and Technology

Chemistry

Job description

WACKER is seeking an Adhesive Chemistry Intern to join our Allentown, PA team for a 12‑week summer internship. You will work with application chemists and technicians in the polymers industry, learning vinyl acetate ethylene dispersion chemistry used as adhesives and contributing to formulation development.

You will gain hands-on lab experience with instruments like DSC, rheometers, and Instron, while designing tests that connect lab results to real‑world performance.