AI & Business Systems Automation Intern

Economy Polymers & Chemicals•Houston, TX

About The Position

This is a hands-on, project-oriented internship for students focused on applying artificial intelligence, software integration, data analysis, and workflow automation to real business operations. Interns work with employees and department leaders to identify repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, integrate AI with existing systems, and develop solutions intended to improve productivity, accuracy, turnaround time, and operating costs. Work may span customer service, dispatch and logistics, purchasing, sales, laboratory and manufacturing operations, and accounting. Interns are expected to understand business problems, develop and test solutions using existing software and data, and demonstrate results. The goal is to implement useful, reliable automations that employees can incorporate into daily operations. The initial program runs for 12 weeks. An internship extension or transition to a permanent position may be possible based on individual performance, demonstrated business impact, and organizational needs. The role includes analyzing processes; developing applied AI and automation solutions; integrating business systems; supporting customer service, logistics, purchasing, sales, laboratory, manufacturing, and accounting workflows; testing and documenting implementations; and following company requirements for confidentiality, data security, software access, and change management. Applicants must be currently enrolled as a junior, senior, or graduate student in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related discipline. The organization may conduct background checks and/or drug screening as part of hiring and conducts random drug and alcohol testing in the workplace. The opening is not open to staffing agencies or third-party recruiters.

Requirements

Currently enrolled as a junior, senior, or graduate student in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related discipline.
Working knowledge of Python programming.
Familiarity with SQL, relational databases, and data manipulation.
Understanding of APIs, JSON, and basic software integration concepts.
Interest in applied AI, large language models, machine learning, or workflow automation.
Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Ability to break business problems into manageable technical tasks.
Ability to communicate effectively with technical and nontechnical colleagues.
Willingness to learn existing business systems and collaborate with operational teams.
Strong attention to detail, initiative, reliability, and a results-oriented mindset.

Nice To Haves

Experience integrating ERP, CRM, accounting, inventory, logistics, or manufacturing software.
Experience using AI APIs, LLMs, prompt engineering, and structured AI outputs.
Familiarity with Microsoft Power Automate, n8n, Zapier, or similar automation platforms.
Experience with Python libraries such as pandas and tools for data analysis or visualization.
Familiarity with Git, version control, testing, and software documentation.
Exposure to cloud services, scheduled jobs, database integrations, or application deployment.
Knowledge of machine learning, forecasting, anomaly detection, or optimization.
Previous internships, academic projects, research, or personal projects involving software development, AI, or automation.
Ability to demonstrate a working project, code sample, or relevant technical portfolio.

Responsibilities

Work with employees and department managers to understand workflows and operational challenges.
Identify repetitive, manual, time-consuming, or error-prone processes that may benefit from automation.
Evaluate automation opportunities using AI, Python, APIs, SQL, and workflow automation tools; document processes and recommend solutions.
Prioritize projects by potential time savings, accuracy, implementation effort, cost reduction, and operational impact; establish baseline metrics and measure results.
Develop practical applications using AI tools, large language models, and approved AI APIs for document processing, email classification, information extraction, summarization, and report generation.
Combine AI capabilities with conventional programming, business rules, and structured data; test AI outputs and implement appropriate human review and approval procedures.
Evaluate AI products and automation platforms for potential implementation.
Integrate ERP, CRM, accounting, inventory, logistics, laboratory, and manufacturing systems using REST APIs, webhooks, SQL, Python, and approved automation platforms.
Automate data exchange, extract, transform, validate, and organize operational data, and develop reports, notifications, alerts, and dashboards.
Troubleshoot integrations and implement logging, error handling, validation, and documentation to support maintenance and future development.
Explore customer-service automation, including order processing, email management, customer communications, email categorization, information extraction, order-status inquiries, reminders, and follow-up workflows.
Generate, populate, validate, organize, and transfer order and shipment information into Bills of Lading (BOLs) and other shipping documents, following business rules and review procedures.
Improve dispatch scheduling, shipment tracking, delivery coordination, and interdepartmental communications; consolidate logistics data and develop operational reports.
Automate creation, completion, updating, storage, retrieval, and distribution of BOLs, packing lists, shipping labels, delivery paperwork, and other transportation documents, subject to authorization and approval requirements.
Integrate shipping-document workflows with order management, inventory, ERP, warehouse, and transportation systems; validate shipment information and identify discrepancies.
Analyze supplier quotations, pricing, lead times, purchasing terms, inventory, purchasing history, and consumption patterns; create alerts and support supplier and inventory reporting.
Improve CRM data quality, automate record maintenance and follow-up reminders, summarize customer interactions, and develop sales pipeline reports and dashboards.
Organize laboratory, quality-control, and manufacturing data; automate calculations and reporting; identify missing data, unusual results, recurring defects, and process trends; support traceability and appropriate review procedures.
Develop accounting and administrative automation for invoices, purchase orders, receipts, data entry, reconciliation, reports, reminders, and exception notifications; flag discrepancies for review while preserving authorized financial approvals.
Develop prototypes and working solutions, test representative scenarios and failure cases, refine solutions based on feedback and measured performance, and document code, integrations, workflow logic, dependencies, and procedures.
Follow confidentiality, data security, software access, and change-management requirements; demonstrate completed work to stakeholders and prepare technical handover materials.