Operational Excellence Intern

We are a global leader in food & beverage ingredients. Pioneers at heart, we operate at the forefront of consumer trends to provide food & beverage manufacturers with products and ingredients that will delight their consumers. Making a positive impact on people and planet is all part of the delight. With a deep-rooted presence in the countries where our ingredients are grown, we are closer to farmers, enabling better quality, and more reliable, traceable and transparent supply. Supplying products and ingredients at scale is just the start. We add value through our unique, complementary portfolio of natural, delicious and nutritious products. With our fresh thinking, we help our customers unleash the sensory and functional attributes of cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts and spices so they can create naturally good food & beverage products that meet consumer expectations. And whoever we’re with, whatever we’re doing, we always make it real. 

About the Experience:

ofi’s internship program is a great way to gain relevant experience to jump-start your career.  You will work closely with exceptional talent, building on our purpose to “Be the Change for Good Food and a Healthy Future” and contributing to critical work for the business.  As a Summer 2026 Intern, you will have opportunities to learn and contribute to what’s on trend in food & beverage while building a robust network, demonstrating leadership skills, and having fun.  

This internship will provide an opportunity to work in innovation for a global food company and develop an understanding of the equipment and processes that contribute to new product development and process optimization.

Reporting to the Plant Manager and Production Manager, the Operational Excellence Intern will gain hands‑on experience in nut food manufacturing and packaging operations while supporting process standardization, performance measurement, and continuous improvement initiatives. The intern will work directly with production, quality, and operations teams to observe, document, and analyze manufacturing processes, support the development of standardized work and training materials, and assist with data collection related to yield, labor efficiency, and operational performance. This role provides exposure to real‑world food manufacturing challenges and the opportunity to contribute to practical, data‑driven improvements on the production floor.

Through participation in improvement projects, production trials, and daily operations, the intern will help identify process gaps, establish performance baselines, and support initiatives aimed at improving consistency, efficiency, and product quality. This work will support the plant’s operational excellence objectives and help ensure our processes meet customer expectations and internal standards.

This position is based out of our Phoenix, Arizona manufacturing facility.

An ideal candidate should enjoy learning about food processing technology and getting hands-on with data collection & analysis. A good fit would be an individual who is a good collaborator with a high level of curiosity, a drive to improve operational improvements.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct hands‑on observation and analysis of manufacturing and packaging processes to understand current operations and identify opportunities for standardization and improvement.
• Work closely with production, quality, and operations teams to document processes, support standardized work, and align practices across shifts.
• Collect, validate, and analyze operational data related to yield, labor efficiency, throughput, defects, and downtime.
• Support time studies, production trials, and improvement activities to establish performance baselines and measure process capability.
• Analyze production and trial data and provide clear observations and data‑supported recommendations to plant leadership.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (Operations, QA, Maintenance) to review process performance and support implementation of improvement actions.
• Assist in developing end‑to‑end process flows for existing manufacturing and packaging operations, including material movement and critical control points.
• Support continuous improvement efforts by helping define process controls, data collection methods, and visual management tools. 

What You’ll Bring

• Currently enrolled in an accredited BS or MS degree program, and majoring in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations management or business analytics.
• Proficient skills in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, etc.)
• Basic understanding of engineering software or simulation tools (AutoCAD, Solidworks, ANSYS, ProSIM, etc)
• Strong data analysis skills
• Ability to work both within a team environment and independently
• Strong interest to learn about food processing and technology
• Travel is project dependent but will average 25%.

What You’ll Gain:

At ofi, we don’t just offer internships, we provide an engaging summer intern experience built on impact, inclusion, and innovation. Come grow with us!  

• Hands-on Experience – contribute to high impact projects at a global organization
• Professional development – continuous learning & development opportunities, mentorship, and exposure to leadership and cross functional teams.
• Inclusive Culture – join a diverse global team that values curiosity, collaboration, innovation, and sustainability – bring your authentic self to work every day.

The pay for this role in the state of Phoenix, AZ is $22-$26/hr and is based on the candidate’s experience, position responsibilities, and geographic location.

Interns whose permanent addresses more than 50 miles from the work location are eligible for a stipend to offset relocation and housing costs. 

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.   ofi provides equality of opportunity for all persons with respect to hiring without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation. All employment will be decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us for support at: US-Talent.Acquisition@ofi.com  At ofi, we celebrate our diversity. Olam Americas Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.