Open Positions

  1. Student Volunteers
    The Plastic Lab always looks for undergrad students to volunteer in the lab. Volunteers will be actively involved in daily processes like washing, sorting, or shredding of plastics. Volunteers are not paid for their work but will get insights into the processes of waste management, plastic recycling, material handling, etc. This is an outstanding learning experience that is particularly essential for students interested in graduate school in the broad fields of design, engineering, and environmental studies.
  2. Student Research Assistants (SRA)
    We are constantly integrating NYUAD students from different fields of study into our research. Students working with us come from the fields of mechanical engineering, civil engineering, psychology, economics, computer science, or media design, just to name a few. The Plastic Lab’s interdisciplinary team always looks for talented, self-motivated undergraduate SRAs working during the Fall/Spring-semester, or during the summer break, to add a certain something to the lab. Students are paid a non-negotiable stipend of AED 30 per hour with a maximum of 15 hours per week, irrespective of class level, or the number of assistantships held. January Term and Summer Term assistantships are limited to 10 hours per week. SRAs will be actively involved in project work; we especially want students to engage in advanced research and apply critical thinking to find and assess possible solutions to existing tasks and problems. Prospective applicants may be trained in the crossover of sustainability and innovation, design and technology, project management, and communication.  (Find more information on the Student Assistantship Program here). Please note: Only those applicants will be considered for an SRA position that have volunteered in the Plastic Lab for a semester. You should apply a semester in advance.
  3. Summer internships at our partner institutions
    We are working with a network of partner institutions that offer our SRAs summer internship positions in the fields of plastic recycling, and social entrepreneurship. Former internships: Precious Plastic Sarajevo (2018, 2019). We are only able to support SRAs with internships.
  4. Visiting Undergraduate Research Program
    Check out the Visiting Undergraduate Research Program. It provides an opportunity for undergraduate students currently based at NYU New York, NYU Shanghai, and external UAE-based universities (!), to take part in research during Summer terms (usually June – July), under the supervision of NYUAD faculty. The costs (meals, housing, local transport and flight) associated with these positions are covered by the Office of Undergraduate Research. Check out more information here.
  5. Internships for high school students
    The Plastic Lab successfully piloted a program with Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, hosting two interns in the Plastic Lab for five months. Such internships are training and educationally oriented. Interested students should reach out to the school coordinator to contact the lab’s director.