INTERNSHIP DETAILS

Master thesis »High-throughput characterization of materials fatigue properties«

CompanyFraunhofer-Gesellschaft
LocationFreiburg im Breisgau
Work ModeOn Site
PostedAugust 25, 2026
Internship Information
Core Responsibilities
The student will develop an automated high-throughput characterization setup to test fatigue properties of thin-film and additively manufactured materials. Additionally, they will perform analytical characterization using electron microscopy and spectroscopy to study degradation phenomena.
Internship Type
full time
Company Size
295
Visa Sponsorship
No
Language
English
Working Hours
40 hours
Apply Now →

You'll be redirected to
the company's application page

About The Company
Fraunhofer IGD is the international leading institute for applied research in visual computing. Visual computing is image- and model-based information technology and includes computer graphics and computer vision, as well as virtual and augmented reality. In simple terms, the Fraunhofer researchers in Darmstadt, Rostock, and Kiel are turning information into images and extracting information from images. In cooperation with its partners, technical solutions and market-relevant products are created. Prototypes and integrated solutions are developed in accordance with customized requirements. In doing so, Fraunhofer IGD places users at the forefront, providing them with technical solutions to facilitate computer work and make it more efficient. Owing to its numerous innovations, Fraunhofer IGD raises man-machine interaction to a new level. Man is able to work in a more result-oriented and effective way by means of the computer and visual computing developments.
About the Role

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (www.fraunhofer.com) currently operates 76 institutes and research institutions throughout Germany and is the world’s leading applied research organization. Around 30,000 employees work with an annual research budget of 2.9 billion euros.

At the Fraunhofer IWM, 330 employees conduct research on materials and components with the aim of better understanding, developing, processing, and using them. In our projects, we bridge the gap between the properties of materials and the durability, safety and function of technical systems. 
We show ways and solutions for more energy efficiency and sustainability. After all, materials are crucial for climate neutrality, for the careful use of our planet's limited resources and for the sustainable transformation of our economy.

 

Be part of the change

In our meso- and micromechanics group, we deal with understanding materials degradation through advanced, small-scale characterization techniques. You will utilize a novel measurement setup which can characterize fatigue properties of materials at very high throughput. This approach significantly accelerates fatigue testing and enables the rapid identification of promising fatigue-resistant materials.


A wide variety of tasks await you:
As a master thesis student you will be directly involved in our day-to-day research. On one hand, the thesis entails developing the automated high-throughput characterization setup as well as applying and validating the methodology on thin-film and/or additively manufactured material specimens. On the other hand, the thesis comprises analytical characterization of the specimen through electron microscopy and spectroscopy to understand the underlying degradation phenomena. In addition, you will coordinate with collaborators on specimen fabrication and characterization and develop automated data analysis workflows for the large amounts of fatigue data generated.

Key Skills
Materials scienceFatigue testingHigh-throughput characterizationElectron microscopySpectroscopyData analysisThin-film characterizationAdditive manufacturingMicromechanicsMesomechanicsAutomationResearch methodology
Categories
Science & ResearchEngineeringManufacturingEnergyEnvironmental & Sustainability