Butter Yield Optimization Intern

Dairy Farmers of America; Winnsboro (TX); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Dairy Farmers of America invites applications from juniors or seniors in Fall 2027 pursuing Mechanical, Industrial, Food, Dairy, or Agricultural Engineering. The role focuses on analyzing fat losses in butter production, collecting process data, and performing sampling to quantify losses.

Collaboration with production and QA teams will drive process improvements and cost savings. Ideal candidates will demonstrate strong analytical abilities, interest in dairy processing, and a commitment to

Qualifications

• Must be a junior or senior in Fall 2027 with a degree focus in mechanical, industrial, food, dairy, or agricultural engineering.
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills are expected.

Responsibilities

• Analyze butter manufacturing processes to identify points of fat loss in production.
• Collect and evaluate process data from receiving cream, churning, buttermilk, rework, and packaging operations.
• Conduct sampling and testing to quantify fat losses in waste streams and byproducts.
• Map process flows and develop mass-balance models to track butterfat recovery.
• Partner with production, quality, maintenance, and lab personnel to identify root causes of yield losses.
• Present findings and recommendations to improve butter yield, reduce product loss, and generate cost savings.

Education

Mechanical Engineering

Industrial Engineering

Food Science

Dairy Science

Agricultural Engineering

Job description

Dairy Farmers of America invites applications from juniors or seniors in Fall 2027 pursuing Mechanical, Industrial, Food, Dairy, or Agricultural Engineering. The role focuses on analyzing fat losses in butter production, collecting process data, and performing sampling to quantify losses.

Collaboration with production and QA teams will drive process improvements and cost savings. Ideal candidates will demonstrate strong analytical abilities, interest in dairy processing, and a commitment to