Packaging Engineering Intern - Summer 2026

Russell Stover Chocolates, LLC; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hands-on experience

Professional development workshops

Collaborative environment

Job summary

A leading chocolate manufacturer is looking for a Packaging Engineering Intern in Kansas City. This eleven-week summer internship offers hands-on experience with mini design projects and packaging specifications. The ideal candidate is pursuing a degree in related fields and has skills in Microsoft Excel and design software. Candidates will assist in sustainability initiatives and gain valuable insights into the industry while enhancing their professional network. Join us in a collaborative environment focused on innovation and quality.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a Bachelor's degree between December 2026 and June 2028.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Strong attention to detail and initiative.
• Strong attention to detail and willingness to take initiative.
• Microsoft Excel capabilities.
• Experience with ArtiosCAD or AutoCAD.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to speak, read, and write English fluently.

Responsibilities

• Support mini design projects from concept through design.
• Develop packaging specifications for various materials.
• Assist in sustainability initiatives through data collection.
• Participate in regular check-ins with your manager.
• Attend professional development workshops.
• Deliver a final presentation on project outcomes.

Skills

Curiosity

Proactivity

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Microsoft Excel

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering or related

Tools

ArtiosCAD

AutoCAD

Job description

At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you’ll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar‑free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman’s, and Pangburn’s have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company‑owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts.

Join us for an eleven‑week summer internship where you’ll gain hands‑on experience, contribute to meaningful projects, and learn from teams across one of America’s most iconic chocolate brands. At Russell Stover, you’ll build real‑world skills, grow your network, and make an impact in a supportive, collaborative environment.

Join our team and let’s continue making chocolate lovers happy!

A day in the life…

As a Packaging Engineering Intern, you will support mini design projects from concept through design, sampling, testing, and cross‑functional review. You will assist in developing packaging specifications across corrugated, paperboard, film, plastics, and other materials. You will also contribute to our sustainability initiatives through data collection and calculations.

What you will be doing…

• Support a mini design project from concept through design, sample creation, testing, and cross‑functional review.
• Develop and update packaging specifications for materials including corrugated, paperboard, film, plastics, and other substrates.
• Assist with sustainability initiatives through data collection and organization, and performing required calculations.
• Participate in regular check‑ins with your manager.
• Attend professional development workshops and networking events.
• Deliver a final presentation showcasing your project outcomes and learnings.

If visiting our manufacturing plants, you will be expected to:

• Adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure product quality and maintain compliance with food safety standards.
• Complete and follow FSQA training and programs to comply with regulatory requirements, ensure consumer safety, and support the plant’s food safety and quality objectives.
• Promptly report and take appropriate action on any observed or potential food safety hazards, process deviations, or non‑conformities by notifying the designated plant supervisor, in accordance with your role and responsibilities.
• Actively contribute to the continuous improvement of the company’s Food Safety Culture through engagement and actions aligned with your role.

This job posting is not all inclusive and other duties may be assigned.

Do you have what it takes?

Basic Qualifications

• Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Industrial Design, or Sustainability, with a graduation between December 2026 and June 2028.
• Curious, proactive, and eager to learn.
• Ability to work independently and in a team setting.
• Strong attention to detail and willingness to take initiative.
• Microsoft Excel capabilities.
• Experience with Structural Design: ArtiosCAD or AutoCAD.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to speak, read, and write English fluently.

At Russell Stover Chocolates, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Russell Stover Chocolates is proud to be an equal‑opportunity workplace.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

Employment by Russell Stover Chocolates is contingent upon I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, passing the urinalysis drug screen, education verification, and satisfactory reference and background checks.

Make Happy. Work Happy.