Summer Research Program Intern 2027, Fabrication Engineering, Facilities and Logistics (Group 07-72)

MIT Lincoln Laboratory • Lexington, MA

2d • $25 - $44

About The Position

The Fabrication Engineering Group seeks a summer intern to support facilities, material-flow, logistics, and operational-readiness activities in fabrication and prototype-development environments. Working with engineers, technicians, facilities personnel, logistics staff, and project teams, the intern will help improve the safe, efficient, and reliable movement of materials, equipment, tooling, and information.

The position is suited to students interested in industrial engineering, manufacturing operations, facilities engineering, supply chain, project management, construction management, or engineering operations. Assignments may include shop-layout analysis, equipment relocation planning, inventory and tool-control processes, material staging, workflow mapping, facility readiness, and support for complex prototype programs.

Under the guidance of an assigned supervisor or technical mentor, the intern may contribute to facility layouts, material-flow analysis, logistics planning, operational data analysis, inventory reconciliation, project coordination, process documentation, and technical recommendations. The role includes opportunities to learn about fabrication facilities and prototype-development operations while working with multidisciplinary teams and receiving mentorship.

The internship is part of the Summer Research Program, which offers hands-on experience addressing national security challenges, dedicated mentorship, and professional development opportunities. Internships are typically 10–12 weeks, with flexible start and end dates, typically from May through early August. Housing support may be available to eligible non-local interns, including discounted university housing in Boston and a one-time taxable relocation payment. Complimentary daily shuttle transportation is provided from Boston-based housing to and from the Lab. Compensation is hourly and varies according to the highest academic year or degree completed before the internship begins. Selected candidates are subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret-level DoD security clearance. U.S. citizenship is required.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program in industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, facilities engineering, construction management, supply chain management, operations management, project management, or a related discipline.
• Completed at least one year of post-secondary education by the start of the internship.
• Able to organize information, evaluate processes, and communicate findings clearly.
• Able to work effectively with technical personnel, facilities staff, logistics personnel, and project stakeholders.
• Proficient with standard productivity tools, including spreadsheets, presentations, and document-management applications.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records.
• Able to follow safety procedures, work controls, and established organizational processes.
• Able to obtain and maintain a Secret-level DoD security clearance, subject to a pre-employment background investigation.
• U.S. citizenship required.

Nice To Haves

• Coursework or experience in facilities planning, manufacturing systems, supply chain, operations research, project management, or industrial engineering.
• Familiarity with process mapping, value-stream mapping, facility layouts, workflow diagrams, or space-utilization analysis.
• Experience using CAD, layout, scheduling, inventory, asset-management, or data-analysis tools.
• Familiarity with Lean principles, 5S, continuous improvement, visual workplace methods, or root-cause analysis.
• Experience in a laboratory, fabrication shop, warehouse, construction site, manufacturing environment, or student engineering project.
• Exposure to material-handling equipment, packaging, storage, shipping, receiving, or inventory-control practices.
• Familiarity with industrial-environment safety practices, including hazard identification, personal protective equipment, and work-area controls.
• Experience coordinating tasks across multiple stakeholders or maintaining project schedules and action-item trackers.
• Interest or experience in fabrication shop or laboratory operations, facilities engineering and workspace planning, material handling and logistics, supply chain, inventory and asset management, industrial engineering and process improvement, equipment installation and relocation, construction or facility modification planning, or project scheduling and cross-functional coordination.

Responsibilities

• Document fabrication-area layouts, work zones, material routes, equipment locations, storage areas, and utility needs.
• Support assessment of material-flow, receiving, staging, storage, handling, and delivery processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve workspace organization, visual management, tool availability, inventory visibility, and operational efficiency.
• Assist with logistics planning for equipment moves, prototype hardware transfers, tool deployment, facility upgrades, or work-area reconfiguration.
• Prepare work packages, checklists, schedules, inventories, and coordination materials for facilities and logistics tasks.
• Collect and analyze operational data related to space utilization, material movement, equipment use, inventory levels, turnaround time, or workflow constraints.
• Participate in facility walkdowns, readiness reviews, work-planning meetings, and stakeholder coordination.
• Track action items, dependencies, risks, and project status for assigned facilities or logistics projects.
• Develop and maintain process maps, layouts, standard work instructions, signage concepts, and visual-management materials.
• Reconcile equipment, tooling, consumables, or material inventories using approved asset- and inventory-management systems.
• Assist with planning requirements for lifting, rigging, staging, packaging, transportation, storage, and hardware handling, as appropriate to training and supervision.
• Prepare technical summaries, presentations, and recommendations describing observations, analyses, and proposed improvements.
• Complete required safety, security, and work-control training and follow applicable facility, laboratory, shop, material-handling, asset-control, records-management, configuration-management, and access-control procedures.
• Perform tasks involving lifting, rigging, equipment movement, powered equipment, or controlled materials only when trained, authorized, and appropriately supervised; promptly report unsafe conditions, damaged equipment, material discrepancies, or process deviations.
• Protect sensitive, proprietary, controlled, export-controlled, or otherwise restricted information and use approved systems for project documentation.

Benefits

• Dedicated mentorship.
• Professional development opportunities, including workshops, tech talks, and networking events.
• Housing support for eligible non-local interns, including access to discounted university housing in Boston.
• One-time taxable relocation payment for eligible non-local interns.
• Complimentary daily shuttle transportation from Boston-based housing to and from the Lab.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed