Engineering 2027 Summer Internship - Engineer Intern I – Sophomore / Engineer Intern II – Junior

Stratas Foods; Decatur (IL); On-site; USD 20,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Stratas Foods LLC is offering a Future Engineer Program in Decatur, IL. This internship targets rising sophomores and juniors pursuing Engineering degrees and emphasizes leadership, ownership, and hands-on manufacturing experience across engineering and operations teams.

The program aims to develop future leaders who can grow into engineering, operations, project leadership, plant leadership, and continuous improvement roles within the organization.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Engineering.
• Experience taking a leadership role in a class project, student organization, committee, team, volunteer activity, or other group project.
• All candidates must be able to work in a manufacturing environment and demonstrate strong communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Gain hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Work on meaningful engineering and operational projects.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, and other teams.
• Analyze problems, evaluate data, and help develop practical solutions.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives.
• Take ownership of projects and present results and key learnings to leaders.
• Gain exposure to different areas of the business and build relationships across the organization.

Skills

Growth Mindset

Drive

Leadership Potential

Problem Solving

Initiative & Ownership

Teamwork & Adaptability

Mobility

Travel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (in progress)

Leadership in class projects

Job description

• Full-time
• Work Location: Decatur
• Compensation: from USD 17.31 - hourly

Company Description

Stratas Foods LLC is the leading supplier of fats and oils to the Foodservice, Food Ingredients and Retail Private Label markets in North America and is a producer of quality bulk and packaged dressings, mayonnaise and sauces. Stratas Foods was formed in October 2008 as a 50/50 joint venture between ACH Food Companies (ACH) and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)

Manufacturing facilities are located in Dallas and Houston, TX; Decatur and Quincy,IL; Englewood, NJ; Hillside, NJ; Fresno, CA; Nashville, TN; and Valdosta, GA. Corporate offices are located in Memphis, TN.We arecommitted to maintaining a workplace that utilizes ideas, skills and talents of all of our employees. We strive to makeStratas Foodsa great place to work and are building a team capable of meeting our business goals.

Job Description

Start Your Career. Build Your Future.

The Future Engineer Program is more than an engineering internship. It is designed to identify and develop high-potential engineering students who have the drive, curiosity, leadership potential, and desire to build a long-term career with our organization.

More Than an Internship

We are looking for students who see an internship as the starting point of a career, not just a summer experience.

While the program starts in engineering, your future does not have to stop there. Our goal is to develop future leaders who can grow into engineering, operations, project leadership, plant leadership, continuous improvement, and other areas across our organization.

What You'll Experience

• Gain hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Work on meaningful engineering and operational projects.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, and other teams.
• Analyze problems, evaluate data, and help develop practical solutions.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives.
• Take ownership of projects and present results and key learnings to leaders.
• Gain exposure to different areas of the business and build relationships across the organization.

We're Looking for Future Leaders

Technical skills are important, but we are also looking for students who demonstrate:

• Growth Mindset – Eager to learn, develop, and take on greater responsibility.
• Drive – Willing to work hard, push yourself, and take on challenges.
• Leadership Potential – Interested in leading, influencing others, and making an impact.
• Problem Solving – Curious, analytical, and focused on finding practical solutions.
• Initiative & Ownership – Takes action, follows through, and looks for ways to contribute.
• Teamwork & Adaptability – Works well with others and is open to new experiences and challenges.
• Mobility – Willing to relocate to any of our plant locations for future opportunities.
• Travel – Willing to travel as needed for projects, training, and development.

Qualifications

Engineer Intern I – Rising Sophomore: For students who have completed their freshman year and will enter their sophomore year in the fall following the internship.

• Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Engineering.
• Interest in manufacturing, engineering, operations, and leadership.

Engineer Intern II – Rising Junior: For students who have completed their sophomore year and will enter their junior year in the fall following the internship.

• Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Engineering.

Experience taking a leadership role in a class project, student organization, committee, team, volunteer activity, or other group project.

All candidates must be able to work in a manufacturing environment and demonstrate strong communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

Additional Information

Physical: Sitting/Walking/Climbing as required in a manufacturing environment. On your feet for most of the shift with occasional lifting climbing stairs and ladders including rail cars and trucks. The employee will also be required to use hands, arms and fingers. The physical requirements are they must have the ability to lift 50 pounds, climb stairs, lift, bend, kneel, stand for long periods of time, work in small spaces, and work with heights.

Sensory: Good Listening Skills; Public speaking abilities to communicate with both hourly and salaried personnel. Along with the listening skills you must be able to determine the purpose of what you’re listening to and prioritize accordingly. Ability to perform sensory testing on in-process and finished product samples, must be able to distinguish issues from taste, smell or sight of the product.

Mental/Reasoning: Organizational; Decision making ability; Multi-tasking; Must have strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to accommodate a quick paced environment (a quick thinker).

Stratas Foods is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee in any manner prohibited by law, including but not limited to, on the basis of race or color, religion, gender, age, genetic information, national origin/ancestry, mental or physical disability, family status/marital status, military/veteran status, and any other legally protected status.

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision-The Employer will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the Employer’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)