Summer 2026 Modeling and Simulation Engineering Intern - Master's or PhD

The group you’ll be a part of

The Office of the CTO is where innovation takes center stage. We inspire our global technical community to take on grand challenges, understand emerging trends, identify the critical inflections, and drive our sustainability, Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices that will define the next generation of semiconductors and continued impact.

The impact you’ll make

The Semiverse® Methodology Team (SMT) is seeking a summer intern to support our virtual process development efforts at Lam Research using SEMulator3D® feature-scale modeling software. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of physics and chemistry fundamentals, and a working knowledge of the physical mechanisms that govern plasma‑based deposition and etch processes—such as ion energy and angular distributions, radical flux behavior, transport through plasma sheaths, and surface reaction kinetics.

In this role, you will work as part of the SMT engineering team, collaborating closely with process engineers to validate simulation results against experimental data, and with software developers to help improve modeling accuracy, robustness, and overall usability.

What you’ll do

• Develop physics‑based feature‑scale models of plasma deposition and etch processes using SEMulator3D®, incorporating key physical mechanisms into the models.
• Analyze simulation outputs and compare predicted results with experimental measurements in partnership with process engineering teams.
• Identify gaps or mismatches between simulated and experimental trends and propose model refinements.
• Collaborate with software developers to improve workflow robustness and ease‑of‑use.
• Prepare clear visualizations, summaries, and technical documentation to communicate modeling results and insights.
• Participate in technical discussions and design reviews to improve methodology and modeling best practices.
• Contribute to internal knowledge sharing by documenting learnings, challenges, and recommended modeling strategies.

Who we’re looking for

• Minimum MS in Physics, Chemistry, Material Science or related fields
• Strong foundational understanding of plasma physics, semiconductor processing, and reaction kinetics.
• Familiarity with ion/radical transport, sheath behavior, and plasma–surface interaction mechanisms.
• Strong analytical thinking and attention to detail when interpreting experimental and simulated data.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly, both verbally and in writing
• Excellent people skills with demonstrated ability to work effectively and efficiently with diverse teams, customers, internal and external partners.

Preferred qualifications

• Coursework or prior experience in plasma deposition/etch, process modeling, or virtual fabrication.
• Experience with scientific programming or data analysis tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB).
• Exposure to SEM, TEM, EDS, or metrology data interpretation.
• Experience with feature‑scale or reactor‑scale simulations.

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.

Lam Research ("Lam" or the "Company") is an equal opportunity employer. Lam is committed to and reaffirms support of equal opportunity in employment and non-discrimination in employment policies, practices and procedures on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. It is the Company's intention to comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Company policy prohibits unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees.

Lam offers a variety of work location models based on the needs of each role. Our hybrid roles combine the benefits of on-site collaboration with colleagues and the flexibility to work remotely and fall into two categories – On-site Flex and Virtual Flex. ‘On-site Flex’ you’ll work 3+ days per week on-site at a Lam or customer/supplier location, with the opportunity to work remotely for the balance of the week. ‘Virtual Flex’ you’ll work 1-2 days per week on-site at a Lam or customer/supplier location, and remotely the rest of the time.