Summer 2027 - Process Engineering Intern - DFBU Productivity - MS/PhD

Digitailor; Tualatin (OR); On-site; USD 28,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Lam Research in Oregon seeks a motivated MS/PhD student to join the Dielectrics Deposition Productivity group as a summer intern. You will work under mentorship on a defined project, run dielectric deposition experiments in a lab and clean-room, and apply data science techniques to improve tool uptime and throughput.

You will present results to the DFBU leadership and gain hands-on experience. The role emphasizes data analysis, modeling, and collaboration with experienced engineers.

Qualifications

• Must be an MS/PhD student in Chemistry, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Materials Science/Engineering with strong academic standing.
• Strong foundational understanding of physical sciences (Thermodynamics, Physical chemistry).
• Strong communication skills to convey project summary and results.
• Ability to work in a clean-room environment wearing PPE and clean-room attire.

Responsibilities

• Run experiments on dielectric deposition tools in lab and clean-room environments and analyze film and metrology data.
• Apply model-based and machine learning approaches to predict and prevent productivity losses.
• Analyze tool and fleet data (uptime, downtime, chamber recovery) to identify top improvement opportunities.
• Support root-cause investigations and preventive parts-replacement plans to reduce downtime and wafer scrap.
• Present findings and recommendations to engineering and leadership in a short technical memo.

Skills

Data science

Python

Machine learning

Experimentation

Education

MS/PhD student in Chemistry/Physics/Engineering

Tools

JMP

MATLAB

SEM/TEM

XPS

Job description

The group you’ll be a part of In the Global Products Group, we are dedicated to excellence in the design and engineering of Lam's etch and deposition products. Within it, the Dielectrics Deposition (DFBU) Productivity organization helps customers get the most from Lam’s deposition tools by raising capacity, reducing downtime and preventing wafer scrap. The impact you’ll make Y ou will help improve the productivity of Lam’s Dielectric Films Deposition products in customer fabs, working with a mentor and experienced engineers to diagnose issues that limit tool throughput and uptime. By summer’s end you will own a defined project and present your results to DFBU leadership. Example Summer Projects Each intern owns one primary project matched to business needs and background; Ph.D. interns take on larger, more open-ended work.

Typical projects include:

• Project What you would deliver Chamber recovery time reduction A study of the steps between maintenance and return to production, with data-backed proposals to shorten recovery and the qualification wafer runs to support them.
• Preventive parts replacement A ranked list of high-risk parts with recommended replacement intervals, built from field failure history and part-life data.
• Fleet productivity dashboard An automated view of uptime, downtime drivers and chamber matching across a tool fleet, with a short guide for the engineering team.

What You’Ll Do

• Run experiments on dielectric deposition tools in lab and clean-room environments, and analyze film and metrology data
• Apply model-based and machine learning approaches to predict and prevent productivity losses
• Analyze tool and fleet data (uptime, downtime, chamber recovery) to identify top improvement opportunities
• Support root-cause investigations and preventive parts-replacement plans to reduce downtime and wafer scrap
• Present findings and recommendations to engineering and leadership in a short technical memo

Who we’re looking for

• Must be an M.S. or Ph.D. student (Masters or Doctorate) in Chemistry, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Materials Science/Engineering with strong academic standing, returning to school after the internship
• Strong foundational understanding of physical sciences (Thermodynamics, Physical chemistry)
• Strong communication skills to convey project summary and results
• Ability to work in a clean-room environment wearing personal protective equipment, clean-room suit or smock
• Preferred qualifications Background in data science or AI/machine learning based process development
• Coursework or lab experience in thin films, CVD or plasma processing
• Experience with thin film analytical methods (e.g., SEM/TEM, XPS, XRD, ellipsometry)
• Familiarity with problem-solving methods such as SPC, DOE, 5-why or 8D
• Experience analyzing data with Python, JMP or MATLAB

Our commitment

We believe it is important for every person to feel valued, included, and empowered to achieve their full potential. By bringing unique individuals and viewpoints together, we achieve extraordinary results.

Our Perks and Benefits

At Lam, our people make amazing things possible. That’s why we invest in you throughout the phases of your life with a comprehensive set of outstanding benefits.