Intern - Wafer Thin Film Development (Vacuum Deposition) Summer 2025

About Our Group

The HAMR Product Materials Group is responsible for delivering new material and deposition process solutions to Seagate’s advanced recording head development effort. As part of the wafer process team, we develop best-in-class films using vacuum- and electrochemistry-based deposition methods, and partner with integration teams to introduce these films into new recording head designs. As an enabler of head performance and reliability advances through materials innovation, we help Seagate lead in technology and time-to-market.

About The Role - You Will

• Help develop novel metal thin films for next-generation heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) heads
• Develop new vacuum-deposition and/or electrodeposition processes to achieve controlled nucleation and growth in platinum group/noble metal films
• Investigate structure-process-property relationships for polycrystalline and epitaxial films including detailed microstructural and physical property assessment
• Work with engineering staff to pattern and validate new films using wafer-level optical and transport test structures
• Perform work with team of PhD engineers in lab and clean room environments using different experimental techniques including sputtering, ion-beam deposition, plating, atomic layer deposition, XRD, ellipsometry, wafer curvature, adhesion testing, SEM/TEM, 4pt probe, etc.
  
  

About You

• You are self-motivated, able to work independently, and have excellent attention to detail.
• You are a team player capable of working in partnership with and communicating effectively with a diverse group of engineers and technicians.
• You are able to maintain thorough documentation of results and be able to clearly discuss them with other staff members in engineering forums.
  
  

Your Experience Includes

• Graduate course work with hands-on experience in thin film deposition and characterization, with particular consideration given to backgrounds in metal materials, plasma physics, electrodeposition, nucleation and growth, microstructural evolution, and optical/transport/thermal property testing
• Prior experience in an industrial R&D environment is a plus
• Knowledge of basic analysis and presentation software (Excel, Powerpoint, JMP…)
• Pursuing a Masters or PhD degree in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Applied Physics, or similar degree
  
  

Location:

Our Normandale campus spans two suburbs, Edina and Bloomington, and serves as the Recording Head development and manufacturing arm of Seagate. Located in the heart of a bustling community, Seagate offers an on-site café, or if you prefer, you can drive to one of many restaurants just minutes away. Need to grab a gift over lunchtime? Shopping is abundant in the area. If working out is your thing, the on-site fully equipped fitness center hosts wellness programs, outdoor activities, tournaments, and group workouts. Looking for something more laid back? Reset in one of our meditation rooms, or simply take a walk around our indoor walking path. On-site cultural festivals, celebrations, and community volunteer opportunities also abound. #internship

Location: Normandale, United States

Travel: None