Kennedy Valve-Production Process Intern

Kennedy Valve • Elmira, NY

4d • Onsite

About The Position

Kennedy Valve is currently seeking a professional, self-motivated individual to fill the role of Production Intern. This position reports directly to the Finishing Manager and works closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Production Leadership, and Value Stream teams across CNC machining and assembly operations. The primary focus of this role is supporting production run time accuracy through hands-on cycle time studies, process observation, and manufacturing data collection. The intern will perform detailed process reviews across machining and assembly operations to help validate standards, identify variation, and support continuous improvement initiatives tied to labor routing accuracy, capacity planning, and operational efficiency. This role requires strong attention to detail, professionalism on the production floor, and the ability to communicate effectively with operators, supervisors, planners, and engineering personnel. Success in this position is measured by the quality, accuracy, and consistency of production data collected and the intern’s ability to support data-driven manufacturing improvements.

Requirements

• High school graduates planning to attend college or students currently enrolled in a degree program related to Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or other applicable technical programs.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, especially Excel.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to accurately collect, organize, and analyze production data.
• Strong observational and analytical skills with the ability to recognize process variation and inefficiencies.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work effectively across multiple departments and organizational levels.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Professional presence and willingness to spend significant time on the production floor interacting with operators and supervisors.
• Technical curiosity and willingness to learn manufacturing processes, machining operations, and assembly workflows.
• Consistent, reliable, and organized approach to assigned tasks and projects.

Nice To Haves

• Interest in manufacturing operations, production systems, process improvement, and industrial engineering concepts preferred.

Responsibilities

• Promote a people-first environment where the expectation is to keep each other safe.
• Perform cycle time studies across CNC machining and assembly operations using established time study methods and data collection standards.
• Observe and document manufacturing processes, operator sequences, machine utilization, setup activities, downtime, and workflow interruptions.
• Work directly with Manufacturing Engineering to collect and validate production run time data used to support labor standards, routings, costing, and capacity planning.
• Support process reviews and operational assessments to identify inefficiencies, variation, bottlenecks, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Collect, organize, and maintain production data using Excel and other company systems.
• Assist in validating standard work instructions and ensuring process documentation reflects actual production conditions.

Benefits

• Highly Competitive Salary- $20 Hourly for Interns
• Two weeks’ vacation, prorated for the first year of employment.
• 12 Paid Holidays and Paid Sick Leave
• Retirement: 401(k) & Roth IRA – 100% match on first 2% of employee contribution, 50% match on next 2%
• Educational Reimbursement after one year of service
• Employer-paid life insurance with the option to supplement
• Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental plan options

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: High school or GED