Process Research Engineer - Intern

At Materialise Medical, we believe that better healthcare starts with solutions designed around the individual patient. If you’re passionate about bringing personalized care to every patient, you’ll love being a part of this team. Through the technology we develop, researchers, engineers, and clinicians are revolutionizing personalized treatment — helping improve and save lives daily. 

This internship focuses on developing an experimental and computational approach to evaluate the mechanical behavior of a novel implant design under clinically relevant loading conditions. The work will involve material characterization of implant materials, creation of a simplified phantom model with relevant mechanical characteristics, mechanical characterization of the implant under relevant clinical loads and creation and validation of a simplified computational model.

Responsibilities

• Material characterization
  Testing and analysis of tensile and compressive properties of different 3DP materials. The intern will define the optimum material properties and give input to Materialise on the optimum material and printer combinations.
• Creation of simplified phantom model
  The work will include the selection of suitable materials for constructing a simplified anatomical phantom that can reproduce relevant mechanical characteristics. The intern will then design and fabricate the phantom.
• Mechanical characterization of the implant
  The intern will implant selected implant designs within the phantom model and apply controlled loads representative for the clinical reality. The experimental study will assess implant deformation, retained shape changes, and possible failure modes. These results should provide insight into how the surrounding environment influences implant response compared with stand-alone mechanical testing.
• Computational modelling
  Finally, the intern will develop simplified finite element models of the phantom–implant system. The models will be used to simulate and predict implant deformation. The experimental data will then be used to validate and refine the simulations.

The outcome of the internship will be a combined experimental–numerical workflow that supports the selection of worst-case testing conditions, improves understanding of implant, and contributes to the development of future implant verification strategies.

Profile

• Mechanical, biomedical or material engineering background with a strong interest in both experimental and computational characterization of 3D printed medical devices
• Must be able to provide a university internship contract (no internships after graduation).
• Student visa permitting internships in Belgium.
• Period: Minimum of 6 weeks, starting at the end of August.

What’s waiting for you 

Work that matters
The technology we build at Materialise pushes the boundaries. You’ll find pride in building something that matters, whether you designed it, printed it, or shipped it. No matter your role, we unlock new possibilities to build a better and healthier world every day.  

At Materialise, we expect you to think about the customer, not just the task. You push for better solutions and care about the difference your work makes. 

A people-centered space
When you join Materialise, you join a group of colleagues invested in you, not just your work. From your own team to a department across the world, you’ll find a sense of belonging with people who help without being asked, challenge you, and have your back.  

At the same time, we expect you to invest in the people around you — not just your own work — to make the group stronger than the sum of its parts. 

An environment of trust
As a company of innovators, we know how crucial autonomy is in your work. When we hire you, we trust in your expertise, giving you space to organize your tasks, work flexibly, and make your own calls.  

At Materialise, we expect you to deliver on that trust and keep your commitments. 

A career ready to build
When you see opportunities for your career to grow at Materialise, we encourage you to go for them. People shape a fulfilling career at their own pace here.  

At Materialise, we expect you to take initiative in your own development. Don’t wait for someone else to plan your career. Step into the space and make it count. 

Make a difference together with the Medical team.