Co-Op, Materials Science, Heterogeneous Catalysis

Location: Cambridge, MA USA Department: Autonomous Science Platform

Your Impact at LILA

As a Co-Op in Materials Science, Heterogeneous Catalysis, you will join Lila's Materials Science team at our Alewife site to help build and run high-throughput workflows for catalyst synthesis, characterization, and performance testing.

You will work hands-on in the lab: preparing catalyst samples, running reactor tests, and analyzing the resulting data for trends in structure, composition, and catalytic performance. You will work alongside scientists, automation engineers, and data scientists, and you will see how experimental work connects to AI-guided materials discovery.

This is a practical, lab-based co-op suited to a graduate student who wants real ownership of experiments and exposure to automated, data-rich science.

What You'll Be Building

Synthesize heterogeneous catalysts and prepare samples for performance testing

Run batch and flow reactor tests, measuring activity, selectivity, and stability

Characterize materials using techniques such as XRD, BET, TGA, or chemisorption

Analyze experimental data to identify structure and composition trends

Support automated and high-throughput synthesis workflows with the engineering team

Document protocols and results, and present findings to the team

What You'll Need to Succeed

Currently enrolled in a Masters or PhD program in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field

Hands-on laboratory experience with materials synthesis or catalyst testing

Working knowledge of common characterization techniques (XRD, BET, TGA, FTIR, or similar)

Ability to handle chemicals safely and follow lab safety protocols

Strong attention to detail in experimental execution and record keeping

Clear written and verbal communication of experimental results

Bonus Points For

Experience with batch or flow reactors, or gas sorption measurements

Exposure to high-throughput experimentation or lab automation platforms

Data analysis or scripting in Python, R, or MATLAB

Coursework or research involving zeolites, MOFs, or other porous materials

About LILA

Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves.

LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy. Learn more at www.lila.ai.

Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance. If this sounds like an environment you'd love to work in, even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply.

We’re All In

Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

Information you provide during your application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy.

A Note to Agencies

Lila Sciences does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Lila Sciences or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Lila Science’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Lila Sciences, and Lila Sciences will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.