Intern-Engineer-Leader Program

Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG; Greeneville, Northern (TN, KY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG in the United States invites applicants to join a structured, TPS-inspired development track.

This program rotates through manufacturing operations, quality, SCM and engineering to build future leaders from the shop floor, with real responsibility from Day 1. You will gain hands-on experience, demonstrate ownership and problem-solving skills, and may transition to Engineer I after successful completion of gates.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations or related field.
• Strong analytical and structured thinking skills.
• Willingness to work hands-on in manufacturing.
• High ownership and accountability.
• Resilience and problem-solving mindset.
• Interest in Lean, TPS and continuous improvement.
• Not passive; seeking future leaders.

Responsibilities

• Rotate through key operational areas in a 6-month development program.
• Solve real problems with measurable impact on the shop floor.
• Lead shop floor improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrate ownership, discipline and structured thinking.
• Qualify through capability-based gates.
• Top performers may transition to Engineer I roles.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Structured thinking

Ownership mindset

Resilience

Problem solving

Lean, TPS interest

Leadership potential

Education

Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations (in progress)

Job description

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We are a leading developer and manufacturer of mechanical and electronic locking systems as well as car access and authorization systems for the global automotive industry. Founded in 1908 in Velbert, Germany, we are an independent, family-owned company with around 7,500 employees at locations in Europe, America and Asia and achieved sales of more than EUR 1.2billion in the financial year 2023.

Your Role

This is not a traditional internship – you will participate in a structured, performance-based qualification program rooted in the Toyota Production System (TPS) designed to develop future engineers and leaders directly from operations.

Many of today’s leaders at Huf started exactly here-on the shop floor, solving real problems.

• You will rotate through key operational areas in a 6-month, phase-based development program:Month 1 – TPS & Huf System Foundation: Learn and apply real production system principlesMonth 2 – Quality: Own defect analysis and solve issues using A3 / PDCAMonth 3 – Operations: Improve stability, standard work, and shopfloor executionMonth 4 – Supply Chain / Logistics: Address material flow, shortages, and system stabilityMonth 5 – Engineering: Support and implement engineering changesMonth 6 – Capstone & Hancho Qualification: Lead a cross-functional improvement project
• This program is not time-based-it is performance based; You will:Solve real problems with measurable impactLead shop floor (Gemba) improvement initiativesDemonstrate ownership, discipline, and structured thinkingQualify through capability-based program gates
• Top performers may transition into Engineer I positions upon completion

Your Skills

• Currently pursuing a degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, or related field
• Strong analytical and structured thinking skills
• Willingness to work hands-on in a manufacturing environment
• High level of ownership and accountability
• Resilience and problem-solving mindset
• Interest in Lean, TPS, and continuous improvement
• We are not looking for passive interns, we are looking for future leaders

What we offer

• Toyota Production System (TPS)-real application
• Problem solving using A3 / Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)
• Standard Work & process stability
• Lean concepts (flow, pull, waste elimination)
• Leadership fundamentals (Hancho concept, team guidance)
• How to drive improvement in a real manufacturing environment
• Structured TPS-based qualification program
• Real responsibility from Day 1
• Direct access to leadership and coaching
• Hands-on experience in Operations, Quality, Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Engineering
• Disability insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid Time Off

Huf celebrates diversity, supports inclusiveness and encourages individual expression in our workplace. We do not tolerate the harassment or discrimination toward any of our applicants or employees. We are an equal opportunity employer.

Huf North America Automotive Parts Manufacturing, Corp.