Technical Writing Intern

BUSINESS SUMMARY/SCOPE

Home Run Inn Pizza is a fourth-generation family business that competes in both the restaurant and frozen food industries. Ideally you have one of our frozen pizzas in your freezer right now. Our primary goal at Home Run Inn Pizza is to be more than a participant in these industries. Our goal is to be a leader in the retail space, and to make a positive impact on our communities. We are building a world-class internship program for students to learn first-hand what it takes to see true personal growth, and to grow a business that operates by its values. We currently dominate the Chicago frozen pizza landscape, and we know exactly why. We’ve identified the key elements of our Chicago strategy and have decided it is time to become the leading tavern style pizza nationally!

OUR VALUES

• Courage allows us to not be defensive in the face of undesired results or constructive feedback. We do not rationalize our mistakes; we do not blame others. Courage pushes us to seek truth so we can make informed decisions
• Pride drives us to set high standards and pay attention to results. With Pride no one is needed to hold us accountable to our commitments other than ourselves.
• Family is a willingness to be a productive teammate. Healthy teams, Family, align around commitments that have been established and agreed upon.
• Grit allows us to challenge the past, and any existing bias or old ways of doing things. Grit sets the mindset that we should always work hard to challenge the status quo.

POSITION SUMMARY

We are inviting a driven and detail-oriented Technical Writing Intern to learn from our quality team at our frozen-food manufacturing facility. This role will involve observing manufacturing processes, documenting operational procedures, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to support clear and accurate written communication across the plant.

By the end of the internship, the candidate will have developed and utilized their writing skills to author a wide variety of documents that support multiple departments, gained experience in the food manufacturing industry, and learned teamwork and leadership skills that can be applied across nearly any field.

This is a hands-on internship ideal for a student interested in technical communication, food manufacturing processes, and industrial documentation.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and maintain clear, concise, and accurate documentation including:
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
  • Work Instructions
  • Safety Protocols
  • Sanitation Procedures
  • Preventive Maintenance Guides
  • Training Manuals
  • Quality Assurance Policies
• Collaborate with subject matter experts (SMEs) in production, quality, safety, and engineering to gather technical information.
• Ensure documentation complies with food industry regulations such as FDA, USDA, FSMA, and HACCP.
• Translate complex technical processes into easy-to-understand language suitable for various employee levels.
• Organize and manage document control systems, ensuring all documentation is up-to-date and properly versioned.
• Assist with the development of visual aids (diagrams, photos, flowcharts) to supplement written materials.
• Follow all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), food safety standards, and plant safety policies.

SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES

Supports a culture of safety; follows all safety procedures.  Responsible for safety performance in respective area.  Ensures the implementation of, adherence to, and enforcement of workplace health and safety requirements.  Ensures activities are completed to promote and enforce safe behaviors by supervisors and employees.  Fulfills responsibilities as outlined in the company safety program.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Currently pursuing a degree in Technical Writing, Creative Writing, English, Communications, Food Science, Engineering, Life Science or a related field.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with attention to clarity and detail.
• Comfortable working in a manufacturing environment (PPE provided).
• Proficient in MS Office Suite, and basic document formatting.
• Ability to manage time effectively and communicate challenges to mentor.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Able to understand the perspective of multiple parties to help fuel collaboration
• Comfortable speaking to others and learning about their practices. 
• Willing to sincerely question why tasks are being done in certain ways.
• Able to look at a system or process and see possible improvements.
• Experience writing for school paper, creative writing, or similar experience.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Comfortable working in cold environments (refrigerated areas, PPE provided).
• Ability to stand and walk throughout work day.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an intern encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• As required, works in a loud area that requires hearing protection and other protective equipment to be worn.
• May be exposed to potentially hazardous chemicals and biological materials.   
• Frequently exposed to some of the FDA designated major food allergens (Milk and Wheat)

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

• How large-scale food manufacturing works behind the scenes:
  • Understanding the end-to-end manufacturing process: from dough preparation to topping application, baking, freezing, and packaging.
  • Learning about automated machinery and assembly line operations.
  • Exposure to quality control checkpoints and procedures.
• Develop verbal and written communication skills by working cross-functionally (production, quality, engineering, logistics).
• Improve technical writing skills, specifically documentation for safety and compliance.
• Insight into inventory management, including raw materials and packaging materials.
• Learn about cold chain logistics, including storage and transport of frozen products
• Exposure to Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles.
• Networking and mentorship opportunities within the food manufacturing industry.

SUPERVISOR / MENTOR

The candidate’s direct supervisor and mentor is the Quality Manager. The Quality Manager is a College of DuPage and Cedarville University alum and holds a master’s degree in microbiology and cell science from the University of Florida.

He has over a decade of Food Manufacturing, Laboratory, and Quality control/assurance experience. He has developed food safety and quality assurance programs, authored SOPs and work instructions, and led employee-safety programs. 

The Quality Manager has extensive experience in both training and overseeing interns and direct reports. He is passionate about student success and has served as an Adjunct Instructor in the Biology Department at Elmhurst University since Fall 2021. He employs a servant leadership attitude and is involved in the Stagen Leadership Academy.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted through College Central & Handshake Portals. Please be ready for an on-site interview and to submit a resume, cover letter, and references. Writing samples may also be requested.