Summer Internship - Materials Scientist

Type One Energy Group is mission-driven to provide sustainable, affordable fusion power to the world. Established in 2019 and venture-backed in 2023, the company is led by a team of globally recognized fusion scientists with a strong track record of building state-of-the-art stellarator fusion machines, together with veteran business leaders experienced in scaling companies and commercializing energy technologies.

If you are searching for the best new ideas and share our vision, join us as a Materials Scientist Summer Intern on the ceramic breeder fabrication team
. This is what you need to know:

Location: Knoxville, TN

Salary: $25-$35/hour, 40 hours per week

Reporting to: Sr. Director Nuclear & Fuel Cycle Engineering

Type One Energy is seeking a motivated materials science summer intern on the to support the development and manufacturing of advanced ceramic breeder materials for fusion energy systems.

The intern will work directly with scientists and engineers to fabricate, characterize, and test lithium-containing ceramic materials used for tritium breeding applications. This position provides extensive hands-on laboratory experience in powder processing, ceramic fabrication, high temperature processing, materials characterization, and thermo-mechanical testing. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of scalable manufacturing methods for ceramic breeder pebbles and components while supporting the advancement of fusion blanket technologies.

• Assist in the fabrication of experimental lithium-containing ceramic breeder materials through powder processing, mixing, forming, sintering, and other ceramic processing operations.
• Participate in the production of ceramic breeder pebbles and other ceramic components using laboratory-scale manufacturing techniques.
• Operate and maintain high-temperature furnaces and thermal processing equipment used for calcination, sintering, and heat treatment.
• Support safe handling and processing of lithium-containing materials and associated laboratory chemicals.
• Perform materials characterization using techniques such as density measurements, particle size analysis, optical and electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and mechanical property testing.
• Conduct thermo-mechanical testing to evaluate material performance under conditions relevant to fusion energy applications.
• Build and operate high-vacuum equipment to fabricate and characterize new materials
• Collect, analyze, and interpret experimental data to assess processing-property relationships and identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Assist in developing and documenting standard operating procedures, experimental plans, and technical reports.
• Maintain organized laboratory records and contribute to a safe, clean, and efficient working environment.
• Present technical findings and project updates to the broader materials development team.

• Currently pursuing a degree in materials science and engineering, ceramic engineering, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, or a related field.
  Rising juniors, seniors, graduate, and PhD students are encouraged to apply.
• Interest in ceramics, powder processing, manufacturing, and experimental materials development.
• Familiarity with fundamental materials science concepts, including phase transformations, diffusion, microstructure, and mechanical behavior.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Desire to work in a fast-paced and dynamic startup R&D environment
• Ability to work safely in a laboratory environment and follow established procedures.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.

• Prior laboratory, undergraduate research, or internship experience involving ceramics, powders, metallurgy, or advanced materials.
• Experience with powder processing, pressing, extrusion, drop-tower fabrication, granulation, or sintering methods.
• Familiarity with materials characterization techniques such as SEM, optical microscopy, XRD, particle size analysis, or density measurements.
• Experience performing mechanical testing or thermo-mechanical characterization of materials.
• Experience using data analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, Origin, or Excel.
• Interest in fusion energy, nuclear materials, advanced manufacturing, or clean energy technologies.

Type One Energy applies proven advanced…