Engineering Co-Op

yokohama tire corporation; Cornelius (NC); On-site; USD 28,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

Yokohama Tire Corporation in North Carolina is seeking an Engineering Co-Op student for a three-semester rotational program. You will gain hands-on experience across Advanced Engineering, Tire Development, Mold Design, and Tire Testing while supporting design, analysis, and testing activities.

The program emphasizes collaboration across cross-functional teams, documentation, and exposure to manufacturing processes, with opportunities to contribute from concept through evaluation.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Ideally entering the second year of an undergraduate engineering program.
• Strong interest in engineering, product development, manufacturing, or the automotive/tire industry.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated curiosity, initiative, and willingness to learn.
• Familiarity with engineering software, CAD, data analysis, or laboratory/testing environments is a plus.
• Ability to commit to a three-semester Co-Op rotation program.

Responsibilities

• Apply engineering principles to real-world product and process development projects.
• Support engineering teams with analysis, design, testing, documentation, and problem-solving.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret engineering data.
• Develop technical reports, presentations, drawings, and other engineering documentation.
• Participate in design reviews, project meetings, and cross-functional activities.
• Work safely and follow established engineering, laboratory, and testing procedures.
• Communicate technical information clearly to engineers, project teams, and other stakeholders.
• Take ownership of assigned projects and work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Learn and utilize engineering tools, software, and processes relevant to each rotation.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Teamwork

Communication

Curiosity

Willingness to learn

Education

Pursuing Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field

Tools

CAD software

Data analysis tools

Laboratory testing

Job description

Summary

We are seeking a motivated Engineering Co-Op student to join our team for a three-semester rotational experience designed to provide broad exposure to tire engineering, product development, manufacturing, and testing.

This opportunity is ideal for an engineering student early in their academic career—preferably a student entering their second year—who is interested in gaining hands-on experience and exploring different areas of engineering within the tire industry.

Over the course of three rotations, Co-Op students will have the opportunity to work across several engineering disciplines, which may include Advanced Engineering, Tire Development, Mold Design, and Tire Testing. Each rotation will provide exposure to different engineering processes, projects, tools, and cross-functional teams while allowing the student to build a strong technical foundation.

Rotation Opportunities

Depending on business needs and the student's interests, rotations may include:

Advanced Engineering

• Support development of new technologies, materials, processes, and engineering concepts.

• Assist with engineering analysis, research, and technical problem-solving.

• Participate in design and development projects from concept through evaluation.

• Work with engineers and cross-functional teams to investigate and solve technical challenges.

Tire Development

• Support the design and development of new tire products.

• Assist engineers with product specifications, design changes, data analysis, and performance evaluation.

• Participate in development activities from initial concepts through prototype and testing phases.

• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, testing, and other technical teams.

Mold Design

• Support the design and development of tire molds and related tooling.

• Assist with CAD modeling, drawings, design reviews, and engineering documentation.

• Gain exposure to design for manufacturing and the relationship between tire design and manufacturing processes.

• Work with engineers and manufacturing partners to address design and production requirements.

Tire Testing

• Support laboratory and field testing of tire products and components.

• Assist with test setup, data collection, analysis, and reporting.

• Help evaluate tire performance against engineering requirements and specifications.

• Work alongside test engineers to investigate results and identify opportunities for improvement.

Responsibilities

• Apply engineering principles to real-world product and process development projects.

• Support engineering teams with analysis, design, testing, documentation, and problem-solving.

• Collect, analyze, and interpret engineering data.

• Develop technical reports, presentations, drawings, and other engineering documentation.

• Participate in design reviews, project meetings, and cross-functional activities.

• Work safely and follow established engineering, laboratory, and testing procedures.

• Communicate technical information clearly to engineers, project teams, and other stakeholders.

• Take ownership of assigned projects and work effectively both independently and as part of a team.

• Learn and utilize engineering tools, software, and processes relevant to each rotation.

Knowledge and Skills

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

• Ideally entering the second year of an undergraduate engineering program.

• Strong interest in engineering, product development, manufacturing, or the automotive/tire industry.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

• Effective written and verbal communication skills.

• Demonstrated curiosity, initiative, and willingness to learn.

• Familiarity with engineering software, CAD, data analysis, or laboratory/testing environments is a plus.

• Ability to commit to a three-semester Co-Op rotation program.

What You'll Gain

This rotational Co-Op is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of how engineering disciplines work together to develop, manufacture, and evaluate tire products. Students will gain:

• Hands-on engineering and project experience.

• Exposure to multiple engineering disciplines and career paths.

• Experience working with experienced engineers and technical professionals.

• Opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to real-world engineering challenges.

• Experience with engineering design, analysis, testing, and manufacturing.

• A broader understanding of the tire product development lifecycle.

• Professional development and experience working in a technical business environment.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a student who is curious, technically minded, hands-on, and eager to learn. The ideal candidate is interested in understanding how things work, enjoys solving problems, and wants to explore different areas of engineering before selecting a specific career path.

The three-rotation structure provides an opportunity to build a diverse engineering skill set while discovering where the student's interests and strengths align within the organization.