Packaging Engineering Intern- 2027, 6-8 month Co-Op

The J.M. Smucker Company; Orrville (OH); Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 37,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing stipend for interns relocating

Competitive compensation package

Fitness center access

On-site cafeteria (The Orchard)

Corporate holidays paid

Job summary

The J.M. Smucker Company in Orrville, OH is seeking a Packaging Intern for 6–8 months (Jan–Aug or May–Dec) or a 3‑month summer term. Hybrid work with 60% in office. You will collaborate with Marketing, Procurement, Operations and Creative to drive packaging improvements visible on store shelves and in households.

Responsibilities include packaging testing, data collection, documentation, and supporting production line assessments while advancing sustainability and cost-reduction goals.

Qualifications

• Sophomore, Junior or Senior standing with experience in Packaging Engineering.
• Strong time‑management, communication and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with internal teams to drive packaging improvements affecting sustainability and cost.
• Support material evaluation activities and data collection for packaging types.
• Perform packaging test methods and document results (Vibration, Drop, Side Impact, Compression, Tensile, Burst).
• Maintain technical documentation including How2Recycle, pallet patterns, drawings and assembly instructions.
• Assist in production line assessments of alternative packaging solutions.

Skills

Time management

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Packaging Engineering

Job description

Your Opportunity as a Packaging Intern

As an intern within our Packaging department, you will leverage the state-of-the-art packaging lab to enable data-based decision making through the use of a variety of test methods. You will contribute to packaging sustainability goals by implementing source reduction/cost reduction on a variety of materials.

Collaborate with internal business partners such as Marketing, Procurement, Operations and Creative to enable meaningful packaging improvements visible on store shelves and in the pantry of Consumers. You will also have the opportunity to improve your technical expertise by completing projects with one of our many manufacturing plants.

Location: Orrville, Corporate Offices
Work Arrangements: Hybrid, 60% in office expectations
Work Schedule: We are looking for students who are available for 6-8 months (from Jan - Aug or May - December), but are open to students who are available for a 3-month summer internship (May – August). Please indicate your availability on the application.

In this role you will:

• Collaborate with external supply base to bring your ideas to life by identifying structure improvements while evaluating the impact on sustainability, production line efficiency and material cost.
• Support ongoing material evaluation activities, including data collection and statistical analysis for a variety of packaging types (e.g. rigid containers, closures, flexible films, cartons and corrugated).
• Complete a variety of packaging test methods and subsequent documentation such as Vibration, Drop, Side Impact, Compression, Tensile and Burst Tests.
• Maintain technical documentation, including How2Recycle database, pallet patterns, technical drawings and assembly instructions.
• Support production line assessments of alternative packaging solutions.

Examples of Projects:

• Size and test primary and secondary packaging components for new products
• Evaluate sustainable packaging material options
• Paperboard tray redesign (optimization)
• Label substrate change
• Portion control sealing optimization
• Warehouse Pallet Stacking Optimization

What we are looking for:

• A Sophomore, Junior or Senior standing in school with requisite educational experience in Packaging Engineering.
• A well‑rounded skill set including strong time‑management, communication, and teamwork skills.

Why Choose the J.M. Smucker Company’s Internship Program?

Are you seeking an exceptional internship experience at a Fortune 500 company? At Smucker, we are dedicated to providing a world‑class, award‑winning internship that offers you the opportunity to:

• Learn:Unlock your potential in a collaborative and supportive environment where you are treated like a true peer and challenged to be your best.
• Grow:Benefit from hands‑on training with a dedicated mentor and connect with peers and leaders throughout the company.
• Lead:Contribute to high-profile projects that support our Company’s growing categories like snacks, coffee and pet food.

Additional Perks:

Along with engaging work, we offer a variety of benefits to ensure your internship is both rewarding and memorable. These include:

• Unique opportunities to network and interact with company leadership
• Customized professional development sessions
• Networking events and social outings with fellow interns
• Access to a fully equipped fitness center, complete with a basketball court, indoor walking track, and recreational league sports
• The Orchard, our gourmet cafeteria, offering breakfast and lunch with seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients
• A competitive compensation package, including paid corporate holidays
• Compensation range: $22 - $27/hr
• Actual hourly rate is determined based upon the year of college that will be completed at the start of the internship
• Employee discounts at our Company Store
• A housing stipend for interns relocating for the program

Experience an internship where you can learn, grow, and lead — all while being part of something special at Smucker.

Learn more about working at Smucker: Our Internship Program Delivering on Our Purpose Our Continued Commitment to Ensuring a Workplace for All Follow us on LinkedIn. The Right Place for You We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs. Stay connected with us on LinkedIn. We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, age, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. We’re a community of passionate, talented professionals dedicated to creating food people and pets love—while supporting the communities in which we work and live. We value what makes each person unique, champion growth and development, and foster collaboration that fuels productivity and drives our shared success.

Learn more about our Thrive Together purpose At Smucker, we're passionate about creating a workplace where you truly belong. With a culture rooted in our Basic Beliefs and a competitive Total Rewards program, we aim to support every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs. Learn more about working at Smucker Our culture is sustained and brought to life every day by the people of Smucker and our hiring process is designed to identify the right candidate for every position at our company. Learn more about our hiring process The J. M. Smucker Co. (the “Company”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No person will be discriminated against in hiring or in any other aspect of their employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, marital status, familial status, disability, genetic information, protected veteran/military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.