Human Resources Internship - Summer 2027

TreeHouse Foods, Inc.; Princeton (KY); On-site; USD 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career growth

Inclusive environment with ERGs

401(k) program

Job summary

TreeHouse Foods is seeking a motivated Human Resources Master's student for a hands-on internship opportunity at our Princeton, Kentucky facility. You will work with the plant HR team on a fast-paced food manufacturing environment, gaining real-world experience in HR operations, employee relations, talent processes, and people analytics.

You will support talent acquisition and onboarding, employee relations, HR data analytics, and engagement initiatives, collaborating with leadership to drive

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Master’s program in Human Resources or closely related field.
• Strong interest in manufacturing or plant-based HR.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel; experience with HRIS, Power BI, or people analytics tools is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, ability to interact with hourly employees and leadership.
• On-site work at the Princeton, Kentucky plant (some hybrid flexibility may be available).

Responsibilities

• Support talent acquisition and onboarding for hourly and salaried plant roles, including interviewing, new‑hire orientation, and first‑90‑day follow‑up.
• Assist with employee relations, attendance, and performance conversations under the guidance of the plant HR team.
• Help collect, analyze, and report HR data and report insights.
• Contribute to training, safety culture, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Participate in HR improvement projects impacting engagement and retention.
• Maintain confidentiality and support compliance with laws and policies.
• Shadow plant leadership and HR team to understand how HR drives business success.

Skills

Interest in HR

Excel proficiency

Communication skills

Discretion & professionalism

On-site readiness

Education

Master’s in HR or related field

Tools

HRIS

Power BI

Job description

USA-KY Princeton

Full time

R30926

Employee Type: Full time

Location: KY Princeton

Job Type: Administration

Job Posting Title: Human Resources Internship - Summer 2027

About Us

TreeHouse Foods is a leading manufacturer of private label packaged foods and beverages, operating a network of over 20 production facilities and several corporate offices across the United States and Canada. At TreeHouse Foods, our commitment to excellence extends beyond our products and revolves around our people. We are investing in talent and creating a performance-based culture where employees can do their best work and develop their careers, directly impacting our mission to make high quality, affordable food for our customers, communities, and families. We hope you will consider joining the team and being part of our future.

Named one of America’s Best Large Employers by Forbes Magazine, we are proud to live by a strong set of values and strive to \"Engage and Delight – One Customer at a Time.\" Guided by our values— Own It, Commit to Excellence, Be Agile, Speak Up, and Better Together. We are a diverse team driven by integrity, accountability, and a commitment to exceptional results. We embrace change, prioritize continuous learning, and foster collaboration, transparency, and healthy debate. Together, we set each other up for success to achieve enterprise-wide goals.

What You Gain

• Leaders who are invested in supporting your accelerated career growth


• An inclusive working environment where you can build meaningful work relationships with a diverse group of professionals. Take advantage of opportunities to build on our team-oriented culture, such as joining one of our Employee Resource Groups.


• 401(k) program, if eligible

Job Description

About the Opportunity

We are seeking a motivated Human Resources Master's student for a hands‑on internship opportunity at one of our manufacturing facilities in Princeton, Kentucky, or Carrollton, Texas.

You will work alongside the plant HR team supporting a large hourly production workforce in a fast‑paced food manufacturing environment. This role offers real‑world experience in plant-level HR operations, employee relations, talent processes, and people analytics. More than an HR internship, this role offers a unique opportunity to understand how a business works from end to end. You'll gain exposure to manufacturing, supply chain, finance, and operations while making a meaningful impact on our frontline employees who bring our products to life every day.

Key Responsibilities

• Support talent acquisition and onboarding for hourly and salaried plant roles, including interviewing, new‑hire orientation, and first‑90‑day follow‑up.


• Assist with employee relations, attendance, and performance conversations under the guidance of the plant HR team.


• Help collect, analyze, and report HR data (turnover, absenteeism, overtime, engagement, or safety metrics) and prepare and report out insights.


• Contribute to training, safety culture, and employee engagement initiatives (e.g., plant communication, recognition programs, and process improvements).


• Participate in HR improvement projects that have a meaningful impact on employee engagement, retention, and capability‑building


• Maintain confidentiality and support compliance with employment laws, company policies, and plant procedures.


• Shadow plant leadership and HR team members to gain a comprehensive understanding of how HR drives business success, developing insight into the decisions that impact people, productivity, and profitability.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Master’s program in Human Resources, Human Resource Management, Human Resources & Organization Development, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or a closely related field (students from University of Louisville, University of Kentucky, University of Cincinnati, or similar programs are encouraged to apply).


• Strong interest in manufacturing or plant-based HR.


• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel; experience with HRIS, Power BI, or people analytics tools is a plus.


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with hourly employees, supervisors, and plant leadership.


• High degree of discretion, integrity, and professionalism.


• Ability to work on‑site at the Princeton, Kentucky plant (some flexibility for hybrid or project-based work may be available).


• Preferred: SHRM-aligned coursework, prior HR internship or work experience, or familiarity with manufacturing/union or non-union environments.

Important Details

The anticipated compensation for this position is $25 per hour. This is the salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics and business or organizational needs. For certain roles, the successful candidate may be eligible for annual discretionary merit compensation award, bonus and equity pay.

What You’ll Gain

• Direct experience in a plant HR environment supporting production operations.


• Mentorship from experienced HR and operations leaders.


• Opportunity to complete a meaningful project that can be used in your portfolio or capstone.


• Networking within a manufacturing organization and potential consideration for future full‑time roles.

Disability Assistance and EEO Considerations

At TreeHouse Foods, we embrace diversity and inclusion for innovation and growth. We are committed to building inclusive teams and an equitable workplace for our employees to bring their true selves to work to help us “Engage and Delight – One Customer at a Time.” TreeHouse Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer that prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants who require an accommodation to participate in the job application or hiring process should contact disability‑[e-mail]

TreeHouse Foods is a private label food and beverage leader focused on customer brands and custom products. When customers partner with TreeHouse they can expect access to an industry-leading portfolio, strategic vision, on-trend innovation and insights, world-class supply chain, operational excellence and flexibility, collaborative approaches, and dedicated customer service.

Our strategy is to be the leading supplier of private label food and beverage products by providing the best balance of quality and cost to our customers. We engage with retail grocery, food away from home, and industrial and export customers, including most of the leading grocery retailers and foodservice operators in the United States and Canada. Our portfolio includes a variety of shelf‑stable, refrigerated, and snack products.

Customers can expect comprehensive flavor profiles including natural, organic, and preservative‑free ingredients in many categories and packaging formats. TreeHouse Foods is best known for food and beverages produced by our two largest businesses Bay Valley Foods, LLC (including E.D. Smith and Sturm Foods) and TreeHouse Private Brands. With more than 10,000 employees in over 26 plants across the United States and Canada, TreeHouse Foods is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.