Fall 2026 PhD Battery & Sustainability Intern - Physics-Based Battery Modeling

Hybrid: This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the successful candidate is expected to report to the Research Administration Building at our Global Technical Center in Warren, MI three times per week, at minimum. At General Motors, our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process, we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen, but to be felt. We’re turning today’s impossible into tomorrow’s standard - from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design, intelligent software, and next-generation safety and entertainment features. Every day, our products move millions of people as we aim to make driving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale. Why GM Battery Research & Development? At GM, your work won’t sit on a shelf – you’ll see it power real vehicles on the road. You’ll move ideas from first principles → validated models → vehicle impact, working at the intersection of fundamental physics, advanced simulation, and real-world EV systems. Our Research team offers the opportunity to: Work alongside leading experts in electrochemistry, materials science, and Multiphysics modeling Solve fundamental battery science problems across transport phenomena, kinetics, and degradation Leverage advanced experimental data, high-fidelity instrumentation, and high-performance computing Develop and apply state-of-the-art physics-based models grounded in first principles Be supported to publish and present original research in leading journals and conferences Collaborate with tier 1 research universities, national labs, suppliers, and federally funded research programs Seeing your models directly influences battery design, safety, and performance in GM EVs Grow within a deep technical environment across expert and research leadership tracks The Role As a Fall Intern, you will develop and advance first-principles, physics-based battery models that capture the underlying mechanisms governing battery behavior. Your work will focus on understanding and predicting electrochemical performance, degradation, and improved cell design through rigorous Multiphysics modeling across scales. What You’ll Do Develop and validate physics-based methods to battery models across a range of chemistries, cell designs, and formats Develop and implement finite-element method to complex battery electrode microstructures and process x-ray tomographic understanding of electrode materials Build coupled electrochemical and mechanical models to capture electrochemical and mechanical responses, mass transport, and heat generation in battery electrodes Investigate degradation mechanisms (e.g., volume expansion, particle fracture) through Multiphysics mechanistic modeling Apply modeling to understand and predict performance, lifetime, and safety behavior under real-world operating conditions Translate model outputs into actionable guidance for cell design, materials selection, and system-level decisions Integrate models into multi-scale and system-level simulation frameworks and develop simulation toolkits Lead and contribute to deep technical problem solving, grounded in physical intuition and rigorous analysis Influence technical direction through scientifically grounded arguments and modeling insight Publish and present your work through peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and internal reviews Contribute to intellectual property and patents in battery modeling and design Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications) Ph.D. student (expected graduation by 2028) in Physics, Mathematics, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computational Materials Science or a closely related field with a focus on electrochemistry or battery modeling Experience developing physics-based finite-element battery modeling and electrode microstructure simulation for battery applications Strong foundation in