AI & Business Systems Automation Intern

Economy Polymers & Chemicals•Houston, TX

About The Position

This is a hands-on, project-oriented internship for students applying artificial intelligence, software integration, data analysis, and workflow automation to real-world business operations. Interns work with employees and department leaders to identify repetitive tasks, improve workflows, integrate AI with existing business systems, and build reliable automation 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, measure results, and demonstrate their work. The goal is to implement useful automations employees can incorporate into daily operations. The initial program runs for 12 weeks, with the possibility of an extension or transition to a permanent position based on performance, business impact, and organizational needs. The position includes process analysis; applied AI and intelligent automation; integrations with business systems; and automation projects across customer service, shipping and logistics, purchasing, inventory, sales, laboratory and manufacturing, accounting, and administration. Interns will test and document solutions, follow confidentiality, data-security, software-access, and change-management requirements, and provide demonstrations and technical handover materials. Background checks and/or drug screening may be conducted as part of hiring. The workplace is drug- and alcohol-free, and random testing is conducted. The opening is not available 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, large language models, 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 data analysis or visualization tools.
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, identify automation opportunities, document processes, and recommend practical solutions.
Prioritize automation projects based on business value, time savings, accuracy, implementation effort, cost reduction, and operational impact; establish baseline metrics and measure improvements.
Develop practical applications using AI tools, large language models, approved AI APIs, conventional programming, business rules, and structured data.
Automate document processing, email classification, information extraction, summarization, report generation, and AI-assisted workflows that reduce manual data entry.
Test AI-generated outputs for accuracy, consistency, reliability, and business suitability; implement human review and approval procedures for sensitive or consequential decisions.
Evaluate AI products and automation platforms for rapid implementation opportunities.
Integrate existing ERP, CRM, accounting, inventory, logistics, laboratory, and manufacturing systems using REST APIs, webhooks, SQL, Python, and approved automation platforms.
Extract, transform, validate, and organize operational data; automate data exchange, reports, notifications, alerts, and dashboards.
Troubleshoot integrations and implement logging, error handling, validation, and documentation for maintenance and future development.
Explore automation of order processing, email management, customer communications, order-status inquiries, customer follow-up, and information retrieval.
Generate, populate, validate, organize, and distribute Bills of Lading and other shipping documents using order, ERP, and logistics information; integrate document workflows with relevant business systems and reduce manual preparation.
Validate customer-facing communications and shipping documents against approved business rules, accuracy requirements, and review procedures.
Improve dispatch scheduling, shipment tracking, delivery coordination, shipment-status notifications, logistics data consolidation, and transportation-document workflows.
Automate storage, naming, retrieval, and distribution of logistics documents subject to authorization and approval requirements; explore AI-assisted extraction of shipment data from relevant documents and communications.
Develop logistics reports and explore improvements to delivery performance, scheduling, bottlenecks, and resource utilization.
Develop tools to compare supplier quotations, pricing, lead times, and terms; organize supplier data; analyze inventory, purchasing history, and consumption; and create inventory and supply alerts.
Support inventory reporting, supplier performance analysis, and purchasing decisions with better data visibility and automated reporting.
Improve CRM data quality, automate record maintenance and customer follow-up reminders, summarize customer interactions, and produce sales pipeline reports and dashboards.
Organize laboratory testing, quality-control, and manufacturing data; automate calculations, data consolidation, and report preparation; and identify missing data, unusual results, defects, and process trends.
Assist with production reporting and efficiency analysis, improve recordkeeping and traceability, and maintain validation and approval procedures for quality-critical records.
Extract and organize data from invoices, purchase orders, receipts, and related documents; support data entry, invoice processing, reconciliations, discrepancy review, and administrative reporting.
Maintain authorized approval controls for payments, journal entries, and other financial transactions.
Develop prototypes and working solutions, test representative scenarios and failure cases, refine solutions based on user 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 and prepare technical handover materials.