Research and Development Co-Op

Brown-Forman Corporation • Louisville, KY

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Supports B-F R&D projects by performing testing and experimentation related to product/process development or research on a lab, pilot plant, and production level. Uses established scientific tools and procedures to successfully complete work assignments. Solves routine and standard problems that may occur during lab or pilot plant trials. The Co-op will gain experience through pilot/lab/production testing and gradually take more ownership of projects with increasing levels of autonomy and increasing participation in preparation for, execution of, and resulting analysis of projects. Co-op will work cross-functionally with a variety of B-F departments in terms of safety initiatives, production support, product development support, daily lab upkeep, and research project completion and presentation.

Requirements

• Enrolled in a Chemical Engineering degree program or related Engineering
• Completed a minimum of 48 credit hours
• Completed co-op seminar
• Above a 3.0 GPA
• Strong computational skills relevant to discipline (Google Docs/Sheets, Microsoft Office)
• Basic lab equipment knowledge
• Hands on attitude and capability
• Strong collaborative skills
• Capitalizes on learning opportunities

Responsibilities

• Carries out R&D lab and pilot experiments, performing lab processing and pilot plant operations trials.
• Supports production sites with supervision when needed.
• Analyzes technical data for decision making in the context of his/her responsibilities.
• Completes a structured education program including B-F company structure education, 3 individualized presentation projects around research, engineering projects, and product innovations, site visits, safety team participation and production shadowing.
• Gains experience to participate increasingly in all facets of experimentation with varying degrees of supervision: experimental procedure writing, experiment execution, data analysis and recommendation of next steps.
• Collaborates with Process Engineers to individually perform lab/pilot plant/production experiments, routine testing, and structured work assignments.
• Effectively communicates with supervisor and project manager throughout work assignments.
• Collects, analyzes and interprets data from experiments or outside production facilities using established methods and issues reports to supervisor or project manager.
• Monitors and maintains lab instruments and pilot plant equipment.
• Troubleshoots product and process issues using standard procedures.
• Completes trainings (safety, analytical, etc.), educational sessions (B-F Engineering career opportunities and company structure), and projects (research, engineering project, whiskey innovations project) outlined in the Co-op Education program.

Benefits

• Equitable pay structures for individual and company performance
• Premium employee experience
• Range of premium benefits that reflect company values and meet the needs of a diverse workforce

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level