Local College Co-op - Research & Development

At Dow, we believe in putting people first and we’re passionate about delivering integrity, respect and safety to our customers, our employees and the planet.  

 

Our people are at the heart of our solutions. They reflect the communities we live in and the world where we do business. Their diversity is our strength. We’re a community of relentless problem solvers that offers the daily opportunity to contribute with your perspective, transform industries and shape the future. Our purpose is simple - to deliver a sustainable future for the world through science and collaboration. If you’re looking for a challenge and meaningful role, you’re in the right place. 

Dow has an exciting part-time cooperative education job opportunity available in Midland, MI. This position is open to qualified and highly-committed college students enrolled in a fully accredited college or university located very close to the Midland Dow site. Unlike a short-term internship project outside of school terms, this particular role is a long-term, year-round, undergraduate student position -- at least one full year in duration -- while the student is simultaneously taking classes toward an undergraduate degree. This opportunity offers the student valuable professional work experience in a dynamic, multi-national corporation interfacing with colleagues and leaders in many different roles. This program is designed for academically successful students who meet ALL of the specific job and co-op program requirements listed below and who can simultaneously succeed both in school and in a professional work environment.

   

Job Purpose

The position exists to provide research and development support to the Materials Processing organization within Core R&D.

Key Job Responsibilities

This role will be in a technical environment with key responsibilities including, but not limited to, conducting laboratory experiments, data analysis, reporting and presentation of the results and conclusions. Additional responsibilities may include the following:

• Engage with researchers on the planning of new experiments, designed studies, and/or related materials testing.

• Equipment maintenance and set up for experiments – including equipment configuration, cleaning & teardown, material disposal, lab housekeeping and organization.

• Execute materials transformation and characterization experiments using a wide variety of techniques and keep accurate records of the data.

• Data management (including electronic notebooks) & data analysis, including results reporting (research reports).

• Receipt and warehousing for raw materials and samples.

• The ability to handle multiple projects at one time and prioritize work with the assistance of other project team members is necessary.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to safety in all job responsibilities and work activities, including meeting all compliance requirements and policy guidelines and ownership of group and building safety activities.

Qualifications

• There is no required course of study for this position, but students that are majoring in a science curriculum (engineering, chemistry, physics, other science majors will be considered) will be the best fit for this position.

• Student must be able to deliver a quality work product, pay attention to details, prioritize tasks, and follow through on details to completion.

• Student must be efficient and productive and be able to keep up with deadlines committed to.

• Student should be able to take initiative on work that needs to be done, ask for clarity or additional instruction when needed, and be able to work independently as well as cooperatively with the team.

• Student should be flexible, cooperative and have a positive attitude.

Preferred Skills

• Problem Solving

• Time management

• Microsoft Applications (Excel, PowerPoint)

• Communication

• Collaboration​

Critical Requirements of the Local Student College Co-Op Program

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• High school diploma/GED and already enrolled at an accredited college or university located close to the Midland site, pursuing an undergraduate degree.
• In Lieu of a High School Diploma or GED enrollment in at least 6 college credit hours is acceptable. (Dual enrollment, Early college program etc.)
• Successfully complete a minimum of 6 credit hours per term during both the Fall and Winter terms (~Sept-Apr).
• Seeking high performing student with strong GPAs of 3.000+ is preferred
• Able to begin work very soon, usually within 3 weeks of the job offer, and work year-round at least 16 hours each week ONLY during our regular business hours (8am-5pm, Mon-Fri…max 8 hours/day and 30/week during school).
• Commit to the role for at least 1 full calendar year (BEFORE completing classes for your stated undergraduate degree or BEFORE transferring out of the area).  Students available longer than one year before completing their degree program are preferred and advantaged. 
• Reliable attendance and punctuality in commuting to work daily or at least 2 days a week; therefore, dependable transportation, dedication and time management skills are absolutely required. 
• Since this is a Local Co-op position, candidates must live within 50 miles of the Dow site to which they are applying
• Any current Dow college co-ops wishing to transfer into this role must have been in their current role at least one full year, must have at least one full year left before graduating or transferring out of the area, and must have supervisor approval before applying to each Dow co-op job posting.

Candidates who receive a job offer will be required to pass a background check and drug screen/medical evaluation and will verify school-related requirements and I-9 documentation before being hired into Dow.

A minimum requirement for this U.S. based position is the ability to work legally in the United States.  No visa sponsorship/support is available for this position, including for any type of U.S. permanent residency (green card) process.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employ approximately 36,000 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. ​​​​Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

As part of our dedication to inclusion, Dow is committed to equal opportunities in employment. We encourage every employee to bring their whole self to work each day to not only deliver more value, but also have a more fulfilling career. Further information regarding Dow's equal opportunities is available on www.dow.com.

Dow is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to providing opportunities without regard for race, color, religion, sex, including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity, national origin, age, disability and genetic information, including family medical history. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may call us at 1-833-My Dow HR (833-693-6947) and select option 8.