Manufacturing Intern

About Us:

Kem Krest is a certified minority-owned business (MBE) and a leading provider of Total Program Management solutions, helping customers optimize supply chains through Supply Chain Optimization, Chemical Packaging, End-to-End Fulfillment, and Aftersales Solutions. With more than 45 years of experience, we partner with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) across the Automotive, Agricultural, Powersports, Heavy-Duty, Retail, and Defense industries.

Kem Krest operates 11 locations throughout the United States and Canada, including Indiana (Elkhart, Bristol), Michigan (Brighton, Fowlerville), Wisconsin (Pleasant Prairie), Arizona (Phoenix), Ontario (Oakville), and Alberta (Edmonton).

Our Culture:

At Kem Krest, we are inspired by hardworking people who want to make a meaningful impact on our industry and communities. Our team members are key to our success and essential to fulfilling our promise: "Customer Focused, Solutions Driven."

Our workplace embraces collaboration, celebrates achievement, and invests in people. We seek individuals who share our mission and passion for excellence. We recognize that every associate represents our organization and contributes to our continued growth. We foster an inclusive environment that encourages creativity, innovation, and the open exchange of ideas. Through servant leadership, community involvement, and our commitment to a "Customer First / Associate First" philosophy, we create opportunities for our associates and customers to thrive.

Internship Overview:

The Manufacturing Engineering Intern will gain hands-on experience supporting process improvement and operational excellence initiatives within a chemical manufacturing environment. Working alongside operations, maintenance, quality, and engineering teams, the intern will help improve process consistency, optimize manufacturing workflows, enhance equipment reliability, and support continuous improvement efforts.

This role provides valuable exposure to industrial engineering principles, process design, manufacturing operations, Lean methodologies, and real-world problem solving in a fast-paced production environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, document, and maintain standard work instructions, process documentation, and operating procedures.
• Observe and analyze manufacturing processes to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, safety, and productivity.
• Assist with process design, workflow optimization, facility layout studies, and capacity analysis projects.
• Collect, organize, and analyze production data to support performance improvement initiatives.
• Participate in continuous improvement projects utilizing Lean Manufacturing principles and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Support equipment reliability programs by tracking downtime, participating in root-cause analyses, and identifying preventive maintenance opportunities.
• Assist with equipment validation, process trials, testing, and implementation of manufacturing improvements.
• Collaborate with operations, maintenance, quality, and engineering teams to improve safety, productivity, and operational performance.
• Develop reports, dashboards, visual management tools, and presentations to communicate project results and recommendations.

Requirements:

• Currently enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Strong communication, organizational, and time management skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a manufacturing environment.
• Positive attitude, eagerness to learn, and strong attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, continuous improvement, or operational excellence methodologies.
• Interest in chemical manufacturing processes, industrial equipment, and production systems.
• Experience with process mapping, time studies, data analysis, or reliability engineering concepts.
• Previous internship, co-op, manufacturing, laboratory, or other hands-on technical experience.

Benefits:

• Gain hands-on experience in a chemical manufacturing environment while working on projects with measurable business impact.
• Work closely with experienced engineering, operations, maintenance, and quality professionals.
• Exposure to process engineering, equipment reliability, Lean Manufacturing, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Opportunity to apply engineering concepts to real-world challenges involving safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
• Build technical, analytical, and project management skills through meaningful operational improvement initiatives.
• Flexible scheduling where business needs and academic commitments allow.