Summer Intern - AFM Software and Data Analytics Development

Our advanced materials and surface-analysis team develops nanoscale measurement capabilities that support HDD transducer technology and manufacturing process development.

We work at the intersection of software, data analytics, atomic force microscopy, materials science, and process engineering. This internship is designed for a student with a strong software background who is interested in applying programming and analytical skills to scientific instrumentation and materials applications.

You will develop software and data-analysis methods for real-time monitoring of AFM probe wear during tapping-mode scanning, helping improve measurement reliability and operator decision‑making.

• Work with AFM scientists, materials specialists, software engineers, and process engineers to translate measurement needs into software requirements and experimental plans.
• Identify tapping-mode AFM signals that are sensitive to probe sharpness or changes in tip radius, and develop algorithms to detect probe degradation during scanning.
• Develop a software-based approach to acquire and analyze selected AFM parameters in real time, identify indications of tip wear, and notify the operator when probe replacement may be needed.
• Build data-processing and visualization methods for AFM topography, instrument signals, probe‑condition indicators, and time‑series measurements.
• Develop reliable data pipelines, feature‑extraction methods, statistical analyses, and decision thresholds for experimental and time‑series data.
• Work hands‑on with AFM measurements, reference samples, and controlled experiments to validate software outputs against probe condition and changes in tip radius.
• Investigate relationships among scan conditions, probe wear, image quality, and measurement stability to improve detection robustness.
• Document the software, methods, validation results, and recommendations, and present findings to technical stakeholders.

• You have a strong interest in software development, data analytics, and solving technical problems with code.
• You are excited to apply software skills to laboratory instruments, nanoscale measurements, and materials applications such as AFM.
• You are comfortable learning unfamiliar scientific concepts and working with domain experts to convert physical problems into measurable signals and software solutions.
• You approach open‑ended problems through structured experimentation, careful data analysis, and iterative software development.
• You take ownership of your work, independently drive progress, and communicate evidence‑based conclusions clearly.
• You enjoy collaborating across software, microscopy, materials science, process engineering, and manufacturing.

• Strong programming and software‑development skills using Python, MATLAB, C++, or similar languages.
• Experience with data structures, algorithms, signal processing, data visualization, statistical analysis, machine learning, real‑time data acquisition, or application development through coursework, research, internships, or projects.
• Ability to organize, process, visualize, and interpret image, spectral, sensor, or time‑series data.
• Experience writing maintainable code and using good development practices such as version control, documentation, testing, and structured debugging.
• Interest in applying software and analytics to scientific instrumentation, laboratory experimentation, materials characterization, or manufacturing technology. Prior materials‑science or AFM experience is helpful but not required.
• Experience with AFM, microscopy, instrument control, graphical user interfaces, databases, or scientific computing is…