Materials Science | Mechanical Engineering internship: PFAS-free polymer benchmarking

Be part of progress at ASML

Join the Tribology and Surface Science group within ASML Design & Engineering.

We provide expertise in friction, wear, and surface interactions to enable cutting-edge technology in ASML’s scanners. This internship supports ASML’s commitment to sustainability by exploring alternatives to PFAS-based materials.

Your assignment

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been widely used for decades due to their unique properties. However, upcoming regulations aim to restrict or ban these materials because of environmental and health concerns. PTFE, commonly known as Teflon, is a PFAS-based material used in tribological applications for its low friction and durability. To ensure compliance and maintain performance, ASML needs to identify PFAS-free alternatives.

Your key responsibilities will be:

• Research PFAS-free polymers suitable for tribological applications.
• Design and perform experiments to benchmark alternative materials against current PFAS-based polymers.
• Analyze tribological and defectivity performance data.
• Collaborate with engineers and domain experts to validate and improve solutions.
• Document findings and present results to stakeholders.

This is a master’s internship or thesis project for a minimum of 5 months, minimum 4 days per week (hybrid). The start date of this internship is as of February/March 2026.

Your profile

To be suitable for the internship, you:

• Are enrolled in a master’s degree in mechanical engineering or materials science.
• Bring hands-on experience in experimental testing and data analysis.
• Are collaborative, analytical, and proactive in problem-solving.
• Communicate effectively in English, both written and spoken.
• Knowledge and experience with microscopy, surface characterization techniques, and tribology testing is a plus.

Other requirements you need to meet:

• You are enrolled at an educational institute for the entire duration of the internship.
• Attach your cover letter with a clear motivation why you are interested in this internship assignment in particular.
• You need to be located in the Netherlands to perform your internship. In case you are currently living/studying outside of the Netherlands, your CV/motivation letter includes the willingness to relocate.
• If you are a non-EU citizen, studying in the Netherlands, your university is willing to sign the documents relevant for doing an internship (i.e., Nuffic agreement).

ASML is a leading supplier of lithography equipment, used by the world’s top chipmakers to print microchips that are increasingly powerful, fast and energy efficient. Working at ASML is inspiring, no matter what field you're in. That’s because we push the boundaries of technology: if it’s moving the world forward, chances are, we’re behind it. In fact, we’re probably a part of the electronic device you’re using right now. We’re a global team of more than 32,000 people from 122 different nationalities and counting. Headquartered in Europe’s top tech hub, the Brainport Eindhoven region in the Netherlands, our operations are spread across Europe, Asia and the US.