Product Development Intern Automotive Coatings (1-Year Contract)

Henkel; Madison Heights (MI); On-site; USD 30,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Global project exposure

Access to 9,000+ courses

Networking events with leaders

Regular feedback discussions

Social events with interns nationwide

Job summary

Henkel’s Adhesive Technologies unit invites a junior/sophomore chemistry or chemical engineering student to intern in Michigan. You’ll perform lab experiments, evaluate raw materials, and support product development with data-driven insights.

The role emphasizes safety, instrument use, documentation, and collaboration with cross-functional teams, with potential for future full-time opportunities within Henkel.

Qualifications

• A current junior or sophomore student pursuing a degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering.
• Laboratory practices, safety protocols, and handling of chemical substances.
• Ability to gather, interpret and analyze data to support product development.
• Familiarity with instruments used in chemical analysis and testing.
• Strong written and verbal communication for collaboration and documentation.
• Troubleshooting experiments and proposing data-driven improvements.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop products for Automotive OEM market.
• Conduct laboratory experiments and pilot-scale processes to evaluate materials and formulations.
• Apply industrial chemistry techniques to support product development and optimization.
• Operate and maintain scientific instruments for testing and analysis.
• Document experimental results and contribute to technical reports and presentations.
• Continuously learn and apply new chemical processes and technologies relevant to automotive applications.

Skills

Lab skills

Analytical skills

Instrumentation

Communication

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Education

Pursuing degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering

Tools

Scientific instruments

Job description

About this Position

At Henkel, you’ll be part of an organization that’s shaping thefuture through innovation, sustainability and collaboration. With our trustedbrands like Persil®, ‘all®, Loctite®, Snuggle®, and Schwarzkopf® and ourcutting-edge technologies, you’ll have countless opportunities to explore newpaths and grow.
This position is with our Adhesive Technologies business unit –where we empower our people to transform industries and provide our customerswith a competitive advantage through adhesives, sealants and functionalcoatings.
Dare to learn new skills, advance inyour career and make an impact at Henkel.

What you’ll do

• Collaborate withcross-functional teams to develop innovative products for the Automotive OEMmarket
• Conductlaboratory experiments and pilot-scale processes to evaluate new raw materialsand formulations
• Apply industrialchemistry techniques to support product development and optimization
• Operate andmaintain scientific instruments for testing and analysis
• Documentexperimental results and contribute to technical reports and presentations
• Continuouslylearn and apply new chemical processes and technologies relevant to automotiveapplications

What makes you a good fit

• A current junioror sophomore student pursuing a degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering
• LaboratorySkills: Proficient in basic laboratory practices, safety protocols, andhandling of chemical substances
• AnalyticalSkills: Ability to gather, interpret, and analyze large data sets to supportproduct development and decision-making
• Instrumentation:Familiarity with scientific instruments used in chemical analysis and producttesting
• Communication:Strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively collaborate withteam members and document experimental findings
• Problem-Solving:Capable of troubleshooting experiments and proposing data-driven improvements
• Team Collaboration: Experience working incross-functional teams to achieve shared research and development goals

Some perks of joining Henkel as an intern

• Exciting projects that allow you to make real impact and collaborate with Henkel colleagues worldwide.
• Countless learning opportunities available through Henkel’s online learning platform with over 9,000 professional courses.
  
• Networking events with Henkel business leaders, experts and sustainability ambassadors.
  
• Ongoing feedback discussions throughout the internship that allow you to accomplish concrete goals.
  
• In-person and virtual social events to connect with other Henkel interns across the country.
  

Following your internship, you may be invited to join Henkel as a returning intern or full-time employee.

Additional information

• This internship is NOT eligible for a housing stipend or relocation support.
  
• This a one-year internship which has a duration of January 11th - December 24th
  
• Recruitment for our 2027 internships starts in September 2026 and runs through early March 2027 or until all our positions are filled
  
• If selected to move forward in our recruitment process, you will receive an email from our talent acquisition team.
  
• If a position you applied to is filled by another candidate, you will receive an email from our team alerting you that the position is closed.

The salary for this role is $22-27/hour. This is the rate that we in good faith anticipate relying on when setting wages for this position. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range. This salary range may also be modified in the future.

Henkel is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualifiedapplicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.