Co-op

KION Group; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 26,000 - 32,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Career Development

Competitive Compensation and Benefits

Pay Transparency

Global Opportunities

Job summary

KION Group's Dematic division invites students to join the Engineering & Delivery Optimization Co-op Program in Grand Rapids, MI. You will rotate across multiple EDO teams, work on real projects, and gain hands-on experience in automation, software, and mechatronics.

Under guidance from experienced engineers, you’ll build, test, troubleshoot, and document solutions, while developing skills in analytics, collaboration, and professional communication.

Qualifications

• Engineering coursework, laboratory work, design projects, research, student organizations, engineering competitions, robotics teams, maker spaces, personal technical projects, or related experience.
• Demonstrated interest in designing, building, coding, testing, troubleshooting, or improving mechanical, electrical, or software-based systems.
• Interest in automation, mechatronics, controls, software applications, sustainability, digital engineering, or technical innovation.

Responsibilities

• Complete structured assignments across multiple EDO teams during co-op rotations.
• Contribute to engineering, software, validation, operations, and process-improvement work.
• Apply classroom knowledge to mechanical, electrical, software challenges.
• Build, test, document, troubleshoot, and improve solutions under guidance.
• Collaborate across functions, document findings, and present analyses.
• Demonstrate safe work practices and a continuous-learning mindset.

Skills

Curiosity

Creative problem-solving

Hands-on experience

Learning agility

Communication skills

Collaboration

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical/Electrical/Software Engineering

Job description

Program Overview

The Engineering & Delivery Optimization (EDO) Co-op Program offers students the opportunity to build practical engineering experience through successive co-op rotations across multiple EDO teams. The intern will contribute to real projects that support the development, validation, deployment, operation, and continuous improvement of Dematic automation solutions. The program is designed for students who enjoy turning ideas into reality. Candidates who bring creativity, curiosity, and hands-on experience building, testing, troubleshooting, coding, fabricating, or improving technical systems will be well positioned to succeed.

We Offer

• Career Development
• Competitive Compensation and Benefits
• Pay Transparency
• Global Opportunities

Learn More Here: https://www.dematic.com/en-us/about/careers/what-we-offer/

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Dematic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Pay Range

The base pay range for this role is estimated to be $19-$23 per hour at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined by various factors such as work location, education, experience, knowledge, and skills.

Tasks and Qualifications

Integrated Learning & Professional Development

Gain diverse experiences across multiple Engineering & Delivery Optimization teams throughout successive co-op rotations. Work alongside experienced engineers, technical specialists, operations professionals, and business leaders. Build technical, analytical, communication, collaboration, and project-execution skills. Explore multiple engineering career paths before graduation while developing a broad understanding of how automation solutions move from concept through deployment and continuous improvement. Coordinate work-based learning with the requirements of the student’s participating school and co-operative education curriculum.

Key Responsibilities

Complete structured assignments across multiple EDO teams over successive co-op rotations, with learning objectives and responsibilities appropriate to each assignment. Contribute to meaningful engineering, software, validation, operations, sustainability, architecture, and process-improvement work. Apply classroom knowledge to practical mechanical, electrical, software, and automation challenges. Build, test, analyze, document, troubleshoot, and improve solutions under the guidance of experienced engineers and technical specialists. Collaborate across functions, communicate findings, and prepare clear technical documentation, analyses, and presentations. Demonstrate safe work practices, professional conduct, initiative, ownership, and a continuous-learning mindset.

Skills and Capabilities

• Curiosity and a strong desire to understand how technical systems work.
• Creative problem-solving and willingness to explore, prototype, test, and improve ideas.
• Hands-on building, fabrication, assembly, electronics, programming, robotics, automotive, maker, laboratory, or similar practical experience preferred.
• Ability to learn new engineering tools, applications, technologies, and processes.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate in cross-functional teams and work responsibly with appropriate guidance.
• Organization, initiative, attention to detail, and commitment to quality and safety.

Rotation Organizations and Activities

Solutions Data & Applications

Support the development, hosting, administration, and continuous improvement of solutioning applications and engineering tools. Participate in application testing, validation, enhancement, deployment, and support activities. Develop or improve dashboards, analytics, reporting, documentation, and user workflows. Learn how software applications, data, and hosted tools enable solution development.

Solutions Mechatronics Engineering

Support mechatronics engineering for the Dematic Solution Center and module engineering standardization. Assist with system evaluations, design work, engineering studies, testing, and validation. Contribute to standardized modules, reusable solution components, technical documentation, and engineering standards. Support Solution Center engineering projects, upgrades, demonstrations, and continuous improvement.

Solution Center Operations

Gain experience supporting the operation of the Dematic Solution Center and its customer engagement environment. Support demonstration preparation, operational planning, coordination, workshops, customer visits, and events. Assist with performance reporting, operational analytics, asset readiness, and process improvement. Help identify practical opportunities to improve safety, reliability, and operational effectiveness.

Solutioning Sustainability

Support sustainability considerations within the solution development process. Analyze energy and environmental performance information and support sustainability assessments. Research technologies, methods, and industry developments relevant to sustainable automation solutions. Contribute to reporting and engineering initiatives intended to reduce environmental impact.

Solution Enablement & Validation

Support solution validation and project deployment support activities that improve solution readiness and implementation outcomes. Assist with validation, verification, deployment readiness, and risk-assessment activities. Analyze deployment performance information, issues, and lessons learned. Contribute to standard work and improvements that strengthen deployment effectiveness and consistency.

Controls Architecture

Support controls architecture standards, governance, and the team’s technical-optimization focus for process improvement. Assist with controls architecture documentation, standards, frameworks, and engineering best practices. Analyze engineering workflows and contribute to technical and process-optimization activities. Support initiatives that improve engineering efficiency, quality, consistency, and scalability.

Experience Desired

Engineering coursework, laboratory work, design projects, research, student organizations, engineering competitions, robotics teams, maker spaces, personal technical projects, or related experience. Demonstrated interest in designing, building, coding, testing, troubleshooting, or improving mechanical, electrical, or software-based systems. Interest in automation, mechatronics, controls, software applications, sustainability, digital engineering, or technical innovation.

Education & Certifications

Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Software Engineering. Participating in an accredited co-operative education program. Academic standing sufficient to meet the requirements of the student’s university co-op program.

Company Culture and Mission

KION brands keep the world moving - globally, regionally, and locally. KION is the Supply Chain Solutions Company. With over 42,000 employees in more than 100 countries, we enable smart, sustainable, and reliable supply chains worldwide - wherever goods are stored, moved, or delivered. KION offers its customers the full spectrum of solutions to make their supply chains future-ready. Our international brands, Linde Material Handling, STILL, and Baoli and our regional brands, Fenwick and OM, stand for outstanding technological innovation, intelligent automation and service excellence in forklift trucks and warehouse equipment. Dematic complements this expertise with state-of-the-art automation technology and AI-supported software solutions that optimize intralogistics across warehousing, production, and distribution. Whether locally or globally - we offer exciting career opportunities in an innovative environment shaped by our core values: Integrity, Collaboration, Courage, and Excellence. Together, we create the magic of supply chain solutions.

Join Our Team

Push it forward.