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Material Science Internship Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

2026 Fall Engineering Intern

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$19.75 - $25.50/hr

... Material Science, Metallurgy or a related engineering field (or equivalent hands-on experience ... This is a paid internship based on-site at San Francisco. Equal Opportunity At Estes, we're ...

Materials Engineer

South San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$113K - $209K/yr

The team owns material characterization, hermetic packaging reliability, accelerated lifetime ... MS or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field. * 2+ years of hands-on ...

During the internship, you will support the Data team by analyzing data, building models ... materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not ...

An interest in political science is desirable. Communications Responsibilities include informing ... We will contact you once we have received all of your materials.

During the internship, you will support the Data team by analyzing data, building models ... materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not ...

Showing results 41-60

Material Science Internship information

See California salary details

$18.6K

$54.8K

$126.3K

How much do material science internship jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for material science internship in California is $54,837.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $28,887.00 and $70,014.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a material science internship?

A Material Science Internship is a temporary position, usually for students or recent graduates, that provides hands-on experience in the field of materials science. Interns work under the supervision of professionals to learn about the properties, development, and testing of materials such as metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites. These internships often involve laboratory work, research projects, and technical reporting. The goal is to gain practical skills and industry knowledge that will be valuable for a future career in material science or related fields.

What types of projects or tasks are typically assigned to a material science intern?

Material science interns often work on hands-on projects such as conducting material characterization tests, analyzing data from experiments, and assisting with the development or improvement of new materials. You may collaborate closely with research scientists and engineers, participate in lab meetings, and help document findings. Interns are also commonly involved in literature reviews and may have opportunities to contribute to technical reports or presentations. This role provides valuable exposure to real-world research and development processes within a multidisciplinary team environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a material science intern, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Material Science Intern, you need a solid grounding in materials engineering, chemistry, and physics, typically gained through coursework in a relevant undergraduate program. Familiarity with laboratory equipment, materials characterization tools (such as SEM, XRD), and data analysis software like MATLAB or Python is often expected. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help interns contribute to research and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams. These competencies are crucial for successfully supporting research projects, ensuring accurate results, and gaining valuable industry experience.

What is the difference between Material Science Internship vs Materials Engineer?

AspectMaterial Science InternshipMaterials Engineer
CredentialsTypically pursuing or recent graduate in materials science, engineering, or related fieldBachelor's or master's degree in materials science, metallurgical engineering, or related discipline
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, manufacturing facilities, or corporate R&D departments, often temporary or project-basedDesign, develop, and test materials in industrial or manufacturing settings, often full-time
Industry UsageInternship programs in aerospace, automotive, electronics, and research institutionsFull-time roles in similar industries, focusing on product development and quality control

While a Material Science Internship provides hands-on experience and exposure to the field, a Materials Engineer is a full-time professional responsible for designing and improving materials in industrial settings. Internships are ideal for gaining initial industry insight, whereas engineers lead ongoing projects and innovations.

What are the most commonly searched types of Material Science jobs in California? The most popular types of Material Science jobs in California are:
What job categories do people searching Material Science Internship jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Material Science Internship jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Material Science Internship jobs? Cities in California with the most Material Science Internship job openings:
Infographic showing various Material Science Internship job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 74% Full Time, 19% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 77% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 19% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $54,837 per year, or $26.4 per hour.

2026 Fall Engineering Intern

Estes Energy

San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

$19.75 - $25.50/hr

Other

Re-posted 18 days ago


Job description

2026 Fall Engineering Intern

Location: [On-site — San Francisco] ·
Term: Fall 2026 (Sept–Dec, dates flexible) ·
Type: Full-time or part-time internship

About Estes Energy

Estes develops and manufactures zero-emission power systems that unlock true scale and performance for the electrification of commercial vehicle and equipment markets. Our goal is to democratize electrification — delivering powertrain solutions at better cost and performance than diesel, for both high-volume OEMs and next-generation newcomers.
We work on transforming advanced materials into battery systems for industrial and commercial applications, most of which runs on diesel today.

The problem we're attacking is real. Roughly 3.9 million barrels of diesel (5.8 TWh of energy) are burned every day in the U.S., mostly by commercial vehicles and equipment — emitting 1.66 megatonnes of CO₂, 353 kilotonnes of NOx, and 9.92 kilotonnes of SOx daily. We exist to move the needle on transitioning a century-old diesel-burning industry to electric.

The Role

We're a small, deeply technical team with ambitious goals, and our interns do real engineering work (not pet projects). As an Engineering Intern, you'll own a meaningful slice of a live project, work shoulder-to-shoulder with senior engineers, and see your contributions make it into actual systems. You'll reason from first principles, let data drive your decisions, and design with cost and scale in mind from day one.

What you'll do

  • Contribute to the design, build, and test of components or subsystems within our power systems (mechanical, electrical, controls, battery, manufacturing, or systems engineering — depending on your focus)
  • Develop and run experiments to test hypotheses, then turn data into decisions
  • Build tools, models, fixtures, or analyses that help the team move faster
  • Document your work clearly and present findings to the team
  • Take ownership of a defined project and drive it to a measurable result by the end of your term

Who you are

  • Pursuing a degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Materials, Manufacturing, Systems, Material Science, Metallurgy or a related engineering field (or equivalent hands-on experience)
  • Curious and rigorous — you ask "why," challenge assumptions, and get to the root of a problem before building up
  • Comfortable with experimentation and data; you care about data integrity
  • Able to take ownership, work independently, and collaborate directly and honestly
  • Bias toward making things: hands-on project, lab, internship, research, or build-team experience is a plus

How we work — our core tenets

Reason from first principles · Only data can save us · Take deep ownership and excel at your craft · Design for cost and scale at every stage · Operate with good faith and accountability.

Compensation

Compensation is tailored to experience and role scope.
This is a paid internship based on-site at San Francisco.

Equal Opportunity

At Estes, we're building a team grounded in competence, character, and mutual respect, and we believe diverse perspectives are essential to solving the complex problems of our industry. We provide a workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, and we ensure equal opportunity in all employment practices.

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