Intern/Co-op Refining Materials Science Engineer Summer 2026

An exciting career awaits you

At MPC, we’re committed to being a great place to work – one that welcomes new ideas, encourages diverse perspectives, develops our people, and fosters a collaborative team environment.

Job Description

Responsibilities:

As a Material Science Engineer at a Marathon refinery, you can expect to become familiar with process equipment fundamentals and best practices, build critical thinking skills, and gain an understanding of how all engineering disciplines work together as a cohesive team. You will also gain knowledge of various aspects of a refinery by working with a team of professionals who run a specific portion of the refining process. Most often, Chemical Engineers will have an opportunity to work on more than one area of the refinery, leading to a broad understanding of how the plant operates. Finally, you will have the opportunity to expand your written and verbal presentation skills in a professional work environment.

Most Chemical Engineering co-ops and interns enter into the following positions:

Process / Technical Service Engineers may work on a variety of projects in the Technical Services Department together with your mentor that put your classroom experience as a Chemical Engineer into practice. The vast majority of our Chemical Engineering interns/co-ops work in this area. The experience will expand your understanding of the refining environment and technical aspects of the refinery. Past projects/duties include: develop and lead test runs to optimize refinery operations; perform process engineering calculations concerning the various process technology (or equipment) in the refinery; monitor and make recommendations in regards to catalyst and adsorbents; complete projects and provide recommendations for improvements to the refinery process and equipment.

Operations Research Engineers may help develop planning, blending, scheduling, and process models for refinery engineers. The models are used to optimize crude oil purchasing, refinery production, blending and finished product scheduling, and optimization of refinery production. Typical college co-op assignments include: validation of production data and mass balancing, process modeling, and development of graphical interfaces of refinery process units.

Environmental Engineers work on projects that involve the compliance of the entire refinery, and you will be exposed to the majority of process units in the refinery. You will be applying the engineering principles and calculations to various environmental projects and will also give you a broad knowledge of the various environmental laws that are applicable to refineries and what it takes to maintain compliance with those laws. Past projects/duties include: perform process calculations for the Risk Management Plan, including taking physical surveys of refinery process units; work on various process engineering projects within a Wastewater Treatment Plant; participate in inspections and/or testing that is conducted by federal, state, or local officials.

Products Control / Economics Engineers may work on a wide array of projects including operations, blending, and refinery economics. You will gain an understanding of how a tank farm is operated and how gasoline and other products are prepared and shipped to customers. In addition, you will gain some exposure to the overall economics of the refinery and how operating decisions are made based upon these economics. Past projects/duties include: analyze refinery process flow data and compare to recommended optimum levels, this will help in identifying equipment failures which cause variances in capacity from the optimum levels; update information on gasoline blends and tank samples in preparation for an annual blender waiver audit; develop applications to better present process data for refinery operating decisions.

Qualifications:

• Candidates must be majoring in Material Science
• Strong academic performance
• Candidates must be authorized to work in the US on a full-time indefinite basis without the need for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.
• Positions are available spring, summer, and fall semesters
• Availability for multiple work terms is preferred
• A valid driver's license is required
• Concurrent enrollment in a degree seeking program
• Military experience a plus
• MIN - $32.92 per hour / MAX - $41.67 per hour

Learn More About Marathon Petroleum’s Benefits At

As an energy industry leader, our career opportunities fuel personal and professional growth.

Location:

Detroit, Michigan

Additional locations:

Job Requisition ID:

00020514

Location Address:

1300 S Fort St

Education:

Employee Group:

Part time

Employee Subgroup:

Intern

Marathon Petroleum Company LP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, reproductive health decision-making, age, mental or physical disability, medical condition or AIDS/HIV status, ancestry, national origin, genetic information, military, veteran status, marital status, citizenship or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. If you would like more information about your EEO rights as an applicant, click here.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process at Marathon Petroleum LP, please contact our Human Resources Department at [email protected]. Please specify the reasonable accommodation you are requesting, along with the job posting number in which you may be interested. A Human Resources representative will review your request and contact you to discuss a reasonable accommodation. Marathon Petroleum offers a total rewards program which includes, but is not limited to, access to health, vision, and dental insurance, paid time off, 401k matching program, paid parental leave, and educational reimbursement. Detailed benefit information is available at hired candidate will also be eligible for a discretionary company-sponsored annual bonus program.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Veteran / Disability

We will consider all qualified Applicants for employment, including those with arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws. In reviewing criminal history in connection with a conditional offer of employment, Marathon will consider the key responsibilities of the role.