Research & Development Summer Intern - Development of Trial Planning Platform

Continental•Winchester, VA

About The Position

Research & Development Summer Intern - Development of Trial Planning Platform will focus on developing an integrated digital tool that consolidates global trial requests, raw material forecasting, and trial‑readiness documentation into a single, streamlined platform. The tool will support up to a three‑month planning horizon, deliver semi-automated raw material demand forecasts, and include a short‑term priority system to highlight trials planned within the next month. By combining several existing processes—including the Global Trial Batch Request tool and the current tracer kickoff / pre‑production / post‑production questionnaires—the intern will create a unified solution that improves visibility, efficiency, and planning accuracy across the organization. Project Objectives: 1. Build a Forecast Tool for Raw Material Demand Develop an automated system to explode trial formulations into raw material requirements Generate material forecasts up to three months in advance Provide visibility to supply chain and plant teams to ensure material readiness 2. Integrate a Trial Priority Model Implement a dynamic priority scoring system for trials scheduled in the upcoming month Highlight urgent, strategic, or customer‑critical requests Provide a simple dashboard view for leadership decision‑making 3. Combine with Global Trial Batch Request Tool Consolidate data inputs to eliminate duplicate forms and conflicting trial information Ensure trial requests link seamlessly to material forecasting 4. Incorporate Trial Questionnaire Digitize and embed the tracer kickoff, pre‑production, and post‑production meeting questions directly into the workflow Create a consistent data record that follows each trial from initiation through closeout Enable automated reporting and documentation generation 5. Deliver a Unified Interface Provide a single portal or dashboard for trial planners, development engineers, plant personnel, and technical managers Improve cross‑functional transparency and reduce communication gaps Project Deliverables: Functional Prototype of the integrated forecasting and planning tool in Mendix Documentation on system Architecture, data flow, and user instructions Dashboard showing: Forecasted Material demand for upcoming Trials Priority Ranking for Near Term Trials Trial Status and Questionnaire Completion Recommendations for long-term implementation and hand off to development team End‑of‑Internship Leadership Presentation — Deliver a polished, professional presentation to the management team summarizing your findings, recommendations, and project impact.

Requirements

Currently enrolled in a U.S.-accredited college, university, or technical school with a minimum 2.8 GPA.
Pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Material Engineering, or Chemistry, or a related field of study.
Comfortable working with digital tools and have an interest in technology-supported problem solving, including data modeling, workflow automation, data analysis or digital documentation systems.
Enjoy integrating scientific work with computer-based tools and systems
Proficient in MS Office Suite, Outlook & Internet applications.
Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required. Sponsorship for employment visas is not available now or in the future for this role.