Richemont Research & Innovation Intern — Coatings Development (Horology)
- Location
- Employment
- Internship
- Seniority
- Intern
- Industry
- Fine Watches & Horology
- Posted
- Apr 21, 2026
About Richemont
Richemont is a Swiss-based luxury goods group that houses several prestigious maisons active in high-jewellery, watches and accessories. As an employer it combines traditional artisanal savoir‑faire with industrial excellence and a strong emphasis on product quality, technical innovation and heritage preservation across its maisons.
Richemont — La Chaux-de-Fonds: Research & Innovation intern for coatings development and industrialisation in horology.
Role & Responsibilities
- Design and execute laboratory experiments to develop novel decorative coatings and surface finishes for watch components.
- Characterize coating composition, microstructure and performance using surface-analytical techniques and mechanical testing.
- Translate laboratory formulations and processes to pilot or production-representative conditions to support industrialisation.
- Collaborate with internal manufacturing, quality and procurement teams and with external suppliers to assess scalability and process robustness.
- Document protocols, prepare technical reports and present findings to R&I and product teams; contribute to process control and transfer dossiers.
Qualifications
- Enrolled in a Master's or engineering programme in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Surface Science, Physics or equivalent.
- Strong practical laboratory experience with thin-film/coating processes or surface treatments gained through coursework or internships.
- Demonstrable ability in materials characterisation and data analysis, with rigorous attention to reproducibility and safety.
- Fluent written and spoken communication in technical English; ability to produce clear experimental reports and presentations.
Skills
Experience
Prior hands-on laboratory experience in coatings, surface treatments or materials characterisation is required; previous internships or project work involving process scale-up or transfer to pilot lines is strongly advantageous.
Education
Pursuing a Master's degree or engineering diploma in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Surface Science, Physics or a closely related discipline.
Workplace
The role is situated in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchâtel, Switzerland — conveniently close to Neuchâtel.
Culture
Richemont blends deep respect for artisanal craft with systematic technical development, offering multidisciplinary teams where scientific rigour and aesthetic excellence intersect. The workplace values long-term product quality, collaborative problem-solving and incremental innovation within heritage-driven brands.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Richemont, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Coatings R&D Intern — Watchmaking Finishes», «Materials Science Intern — Surface Treatments (Watches)», «Surface Engineering Intern — Horological Decoration», «Innovation Intern — Industrialisation of Coatings», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.