Processing Intern

Primary Purpose

This internship will support Processing Operations by evaluating opportunities to reduce water usage and packaging waste within the facility.  Working closely with Processing, Operations, Engineering, and Sustainability teams, the intern will analyze current processes, identify areas of inefficiency, and develop recommendations that support continuous improvement, cost savings, and environmental stewardship.  The project will focus on improving resource utilization while maintaining operational performance and product quality.

Project Highlights

1. Analyze water consumption and packaging waste data to identify opportunities for resource conservation, cost savings, and continuous improvement
2. Evaluate processing and packaging operations to develop practical recommendations that improve efficiency, reduce waste, and support sustainability initiatives.
3. Collaborate with Processing, Engineering, and Operations teams to gain hands-on experience solving real-world manufacturing challenges.
4. Develop and present data-driven recommendations that contribute to environmental stewardship and operational excellence.
5. Gain meaningful exposure to the poultry manufacturing industry through mentorship, professional development, and project ownership.  Mountaire invests in its interns with the goal of building future talent pipelines and creating opportunities for students to return after graduation and build long-term careers with the company.

Qualifications

• Must be currently enrolled and pursuing a degree in Poultry Science, Animal Science, Agribusiness, or related field with an interest in poultry processing and manufacturing operations.
• Strong work ethic demonstrated through academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, leadership experiences, employment, or other responsibilities.
• Ability to collect, organize, and analyze data to support process improvement initiatives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work across operational teams.
• Self-motivated, dependable team player with a commitment to continuous improvement, safety, and operational excellence.
• Valid Driver's license.
• Must pass the Mountaire Motor Vehicle Record check.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Word and Excel.

Internship Program Requirements

• Complete assigned project identified by department mentor.
• Attend weekly seminar series across different Mountaire facilities.
• All interns must be able to travel to Delaware during the last week of the program for final presentations (August 2-6, 2027).
• All interns are required to complete a 10-minute presentation on their project at the conclusion of summer.  Presentations will take place in Millsboro, DE at the Administrative Building during the week of August 2-6.
• All interns must complete a mid-way evaluation (week 5) along with a final evaluation (week 10).

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