Computational Material Science Intern Spring 2027 Santa Clara CA

Nissan USA; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development

Mentored internship

Job summary

Nissan USA invites a PhD candidate in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or related field to join the Materials Informatics Team in Santa Clara, CA as a Computational Materials Science Intern. You will apply AI, electronic structure methods, and high-performance computing to advance battery tech and vehicle materials.

You’ll work with researchers and data scientists on material discovery, perform structure calculations, and build data pipelines, while communicating results through reports

Qualifications

• Must be currently pursuing a PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• Demonstrated research excellence through publications, conference presentations, patents, or other significant research contributions.
• Advanced understanding of inorganic and/or organic chemistry, reaction kinetics, and surface reactions.
• Experience performing electronic structure calculations using tools such as VASP, Gaussian, or similar platforms.
• Experience automating high-throughput calculations on HPC systems.
• Experience with machine learning and statistical modeling techniques.
• Advanced Python programming skills with ML frameworks such as TensorFlow and scientific libraries including NumPy, SciPy, and pandas.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and quantitative research skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.

Responsibilities

• Perform electronic structure calculations to investigate material behaviors.
• Train and fine-tune ML interatomic potentials for MD simulations.
• Build and maintain materials databases from open-source datasets and HPC results.
• Conduct descriptive analytics to identify trends in large materials datasets.
• Summarize and present research findings in reports and talks.
• Collaborate with data scientists, researchers, and experimental teams to accelerate discovery.

Skills

Python

Machine learning

TensorFlow

NumPy

SciPy

Pandas

Data analysis

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in Materials Science

PhD in Chemistry

PhD in Physics

Tools

VASP

Gaussian

HPC scripting

MATLAB

Job description

Location(s): Santa Clara, CA
Job Schedule: 12-week program
Degree Level: PhD Level Students
Preferred Degree: Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or related field

Shape the Future of Mobility at Nissan: Launch Your Career, Drive Innovation

We are currently looking for a Computational Materials Science Intern to join our Materials Informatics Team in Santa Clara, CA. With a focus on mobility, operational excellence, customer value, and vehicle electrification, the Materials Informatics team brings together computational materials scientists, data scientists, and experimental researchers to accelerate the development of next-generation materials for automotive applications.

This internship offers the opportunity to contribute to fundamental research focused on improving the performance of critical vehicle components through advances in materials science, machine learning, and data-driven discovery. You will work alongside leading researchers to apply computational modeling, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing to real-world challenges in materials development and battery technology.

A Day in the Life:

• Perform electronic structure calculations to investigate the fundamental mechanisms behind experimentally observed material behaviors.
• Train and fine-tune machine learning interatomic potentials to support large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of complex material systems.
• Build and maintain materials databases using open-source datasets and internally generated high-throughput computational results.
• Conduct descriptive analytics to identify trends, relationships, and opportunities within large materials datasets.
• Analyze, summarize, and communicate research findings through technical presentations, reports, publications, and stakeholder discussions.
• Collaborate with data scientists, materials researchers, and experimental teams to accelerate materials discovery efforts.

Who We’re Looking For:

Required:

• Must be currently pursuing a PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated research excellence through publications, conference presentations, patents, or other significant research contributions.
• Advanced understanding of inorganic and/or organic chemistry, reaction kinetics, and surface reactions.
• Experience performing electronic structure calculations using tools such as VASP, Gaussian, or similar computational chemistry platforms.
• Experience automating high-throughput calculations on high-performance computing (HPC) systems.
• Experience with machine learning and statistical modeling techniques.
• Advanced Python programming skills with experience using machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow and scientific computing libraries including NumPy, SciPy, and pandas.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and quantitative research skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.

Preferred:

• Experience with state-of-the-art generative AI models for battery material discovery and screening.
• Strong foundation in electrochemistry, organic chemistry, and surface kinetics.
• Experience with molecular dynamics simulations and materials informatics workflows.
• Familiarity with MATLAB and additional scientific computing environments.
• Passion for empirical research and solving complex scientific challenges using data-driven approaches.

What You’ll Look Forward to at Nissan :

Connection and Collaboration: We offer Business Synergy Teams (ERGs) and opportunities for our employees to strengthen relationships and connect with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, fostering a culture of belonging.

Professional Training and Development: Expand your knowledge and skills through Nissan’s rich innovation offerings, seminars, learning platforms, and leadership development programs.

Nissan is committed to a drug-free workplace. All employment is contingent upon the successful completion of drug and background screenings in accordance with Nissan policies and in compliance with federal, state, and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act and the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance. Nissan will consider qualified candidates with arrest or conviction records for employment in a manner consistent with these laws.

It is Nissan’s policy to provide Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, gender, military status, disability, or any other status protected by law. Candidates for this position must be legally authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire; Nissan uses E-Verify to validate employment eligibility.

NISSAN FOR EVERYONE

People are our most valuable assets, and Nissan seeks to maximize the power of each individual member of our team. When everyone belongs, the power of NISSAN is undeniable. Nissan aims to improve business results through a workplace and business that meets the needs of our employees and customer base.

Nissan is committed to creating a culture where everyone belongs and employees, customers, and partners feel respected, valued, and heard. We have Business Synergy Teams (BSTs) across the Americas that are open to all employees and seek to connect employees through common interests and foster a company culture where all employees feel supported and included.

Nissan also values inclusion in our business as we respect and recognize the diversity of our customer base and the communities where we do business. We are committed to procuring innovative goods and services, retailing our products, and communicating from a position that will help us continue to offer our customers competitively designed, market-driven products.

Join us as we carry our commitment to our employees and customers into the future.

Santa Clara California United States of America