Intern: Performance Improvement & Reliability

Chobani; Town of Columbus (NY); On-site; USD 33,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation support

Travel support

Housing support

Job summary

Chobani is seeking an Performance Improvement & Reliability Intern to join the team at our South Edmeston, NY facility. You will work on defined projects to improve OEE, reliability, and asset health, partnering with operations, maintenance, and engineering.

You’ll gain hands-on experience solving manufacturing challenges related to downtime, waste, data visibility, automation, and performance improvements, with mentorship and cross-functional exposure throughout the internship.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, Operations, or related field with near-term graduation.
• Experience using Excel for data analysis, organization, and reporting.
• Demonstrated data analysis experience from coursework, projects, or internships.
• Experience working on team-based projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Willingness to relocate to South Edmeston, NY and work on-site in a manufacturing environment.
• Ability to lift up to 35 lbs, stand for long periods, bend, and reach.

Responsibilities

• Own or support defined project or improvement initiative from planning through implementation and sustainment.
• Analyze OEE, downtime, waste, PM completion, startup, quality, and labor losses to identify opportunities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to investigate recurring equipment and process issues using root cause analysis.
• Support preventive maintenance optimization, PM audits, and reliability initiatives.
• Support autonomous maintenance deployment and standard work by operators.
• Lead or support projects to reduce waste, downtime, and improve labor productivity.
• Conduct floor observations, time studies, data collection, and troubleshooting.
• Build dashboards and automated reports using Excel and Power BI to improve visibility.
• Support automation and digitization to enhance data accuracy and reporting reliability.
• Present outcomes, financial impact, and sustainment plans to leaders.

Skills

Excel data analysis

Data analysis

Team collaboration

Presenting results

Relocation willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree pursuit (Mech/Ind/ChE/Operations or related)

Tools

Power BI

Power Automate

Excel

Job description

About the Chobani Internship Program

At Chobani, our interns are part of the team from day one. Through meaningful, hands-on work, interns contribute to real business priorities while gaining experience in their field of interest. The program is designed to give interns end-to-end ownership of a defined project or business problem whenever possible, from understanding the need and building a workplan to executing the work, gathering input, and sharing outcomes or recommendations. Interns are supported through mentorship, manager guidance, cross-functional exposure, networking opportunities, and learning experiences that help them better understand Chobani, La Colombe, our business, and our culture.

Summary

As a Performance Improvement & Reliability Intern, you will join the Performance Improvement & Reliability team, which helps improve manufacturing performance, equipment reliability, asset health, and operational efficiency across the plant. You will partner closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and other cross-functional teams to identify losses, improve equipment performance, strengthen maintenance practices, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Throughout the internship, you will gain hands-on experience solving real manufacturing challenges related to reliability, downtime, waste, data visibility, automation, and equipment performance. You may lead or support work involving preventive maintenance optimization, asset restoration planning, autonomous maintenance deployment, process automation, data visualization, troubleshooting, and performance improvement initiatives.

Interns are expected to take ownership of a defined project, business problem, or workstream whenever possible, supporting work from problem identification and analysis through implementation, validation, and final recommendations.

This role is based out of our manufacturing facility in South Edmeston, New York, and will require an onsite presence. This role is not eligible for remote or hybrid work.

Responsibilities

• Own or support a defined project, business problem, or improvement initiative from problem identification and planning through implementation, validation, and final recommendations.
• Analyze OEE, downtime, waste, PM completion, startup, quality, and labor losses to identify opportunities and prioritize improvement actions
• Partner cross-functionally to investigate recurring equipment and process issues using structured problem-solving and root cause analysis
• Support preventive maintenance optimization, PM audits, equipment assessments, rebuild plans, critical spare reviews, and reliability improvement initiatives
• Support autonomous maintenance deployment through cleaning, inspection, lubrication, defect identification, visual controls, standard work, and operator ownership
• Lead or support projects that reduce waste and downtime, improve OEE and reliability, strengthen material flow, or improve labor productivity
• Complete floor observations, time studies, data collection, equipment evaluations, troubleshooting, and implementation support
• Build dashboards, automated reports, workflows, and data visualization using Excel and Power BI that improve operational visibility, reduce manual work, and accelerate decision-making
• Support automation and digitization efforts that improve efficiency, standardization, data accuracy, and the reliability of reporting and performance insights.
• Present project outcomes, recommendations, financial impact, lessons learned, and sustainment plans to leaders and key stakeholders

Required Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Operations, Engineering Technology, or a related technical field, ideally with an expected graduation date between December 2027 and June 2028
• Experience using Excel for data analysis, organization, and reporting
• Demonstrated experience analyzing data through coursework, projects, research, internships, student organizations, or work experience
• Demonstrated experience working on team-based projects involving multiple stakeholders, disciplines, or functional groups
• Experience presenting project findings, recommendations, or outcomes through coursework, projects, research, internships, or work experienceWillingness to relocate to the South Edmeston area for the duration of the internship and work on-site within a manufacturing environment
• Able to lift and carry objects weighing up to 35 lbs, stand for 12 hours, bend, stoop, and reach

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience creating dashboards, reports, or data visualizations using Power BI, Power Automate, Excel, or similar tools
• Coursework, projects, internships, or work experience related to manufacturing, reliability, maintenance, engineering, continuous improvement, or operations
• Experience using structured problem-solving or root cause analysis methodologies
• Interest in manufacturing operations, equipment reliability, maintenance excellence, or continuous improvement

About Us

Chobani is a food maker with a mission of making high-quality and nutritious food accessible to more people, while elevating our communities and making the world a healthier place. In short: making good food for all. In support of this mission, Chobani is a purpose-driven, people-first, food-and-wellness-focused company, and has been since its founding in 2005 byHamdi Ulukaya, an immigrant to the U.S. The Company manufactures yogurt, oat milk, and creamers - Chobani yogurt is America's No.1 yogurt brand, made with natural ingredients without artificial preservatives. Following the 2023 acquisition of La Colombe, a leading coffee roaster with a shared commitment to quality, craftmanship and impact, the Company began selling cold-pressed espresso and lattes on tap at cafes nationwide, as well as Ready to Drink (RTD) coffee beverages at retail. In 2025, Chobani acquired Daily Harvest, a modern brand offering consumers nutritious, delicious and convenient ready-to-make meals.

Chobani uses food as a force for good in the world - putting humanity first in everything it does. The company's philanthropic efforts prioritize giving back to its communities and beyond. Chobani manufactures its products inNew York,Idaho,MichiganandAustralia, and its products are available throughoutNorth Americaand distributed inAustraliaand other select markets.

For more information, please visitwww.chobani.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Chobani is an equal opportunity employer. Chobani will not discriminate against any applicant for employment on any basis including, but not limited to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, military and/or veteran status, marital status, predisposing genetic characteristics and genetic information, or any other classification protected by federal, state, and local laws.

The hourly rate for internship positions ranges from $24.00 to $38.00 per hour. Individual compensation is determined based on factors including work location, internship type, academic standing, skills, experience, and relevant education.

Eligible non-local interns may also receive relocation, travel, or housing support consistent with Chobani's internship program guidelines. Additional details regarding compensation and program support will be shared during the hiring process.