Summer 2027 R&D Intern

Dairy Farmers of America • Springfield, MO

2h

About The Position

This internship offers a learning opportunity in product development, including pilot plant operations, dry blending, sample preparation, and ingredient inventory management. Interns will also gain experience in sensory services, formula creation and adjustment, and prototyping. The role involves presenting weekly updates to a supervising manager and a final presentation to the management team. A key aspect of the internship is identifying and potentially leading an improvement project within the R&D or Innovation Center.

Requirements

• Junior, Senior or enrolled in a Master's program
• Degree focus in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biochemistry or related.

Responsibilities

• Learn and assist with all product development including pilot plant spray dryer operation, dry blending, sample prep, and ingredient inventory management
• Learn and assist with sensory services including sensory concepts and application, panel preparation, data entry in Compusense software or other applicable software
• Learn and assist Development and Application scientists with formula creation, formula adjustments, existing formula adaptation, application creation. Understand and utilize the Project Cost Management database
• Learn and assist Research and Innovation Scientist(s) with prototyping, application creation
• Present weekly to the Supervising manager tasks and concepts learned
• Officially present to management team, tasks and concepts learned after each phase of internship
• Identify and propose to management team one Improvement project for R&D and/or Innovation Center related processes/tasks, or other contributing project related to any of the above tasks or departments. If approved, Lead execution of the project if timeline allows.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern