Product Development Intern

Winland Foods; Oak Brook (IL); Hybrid; USD 37,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

Winland Foods, Inc. in Oak Brook, IL is offering a Summer Product Development Intern position under Research, Development & Innovation.

The role blends remote and in-office work (hybrid), with a schedule that includes Mondays and Fridays remote and Tuesday-Thursday in the Oak Brook facility. You will apply food science principles to project objectives across packaging formats with exposure to industry experts, and participate in projects from new product development to cost savings and

Responsibilities

• Apply Food science principles to meet project objectives.
• Work on packaging formats with cross-functional teams.
• Assist in new product development, cost savings, and ingredient exploration.
• Develop skills in project leadership, time management, and communication.

Job description

Winland Foods, Inc., based in Oak Brook, IL, is a global manufacturer of private label and branded foods for retail and co-pack customers. We use only the finest ingredients and ensure every product we make meets the highest standards of taste, quality and accessibility. Across all our food categories, we offer customers a range of premium and value solutions to meet the evolving needs of the consumers. We work closely with our customers to offer consumer-loved brands and custom private label products, and also create new innovative products. We specialize in pasta, sauces, syrups, dressings, jams and jellies, pie fillings, pita chips, dry dinners, dry baking ingredients, and more. We are proud to share we have manufacturing facilities across the United States, Canada, and Italy.

Employee Type

Full time

Location

IL Oak Brook

Job Type

Administration

Job Posting Title

Product Development Intern

Job Description

Schedule: (Hybrid) Monday and Friday are remote, while Tuesday-Thursday are in office

Work Location: 2015 Spring Road Suite 400, Oak Brook, IL 60523

Salary: $27.50 per hour, with an additional one-time lump sum payment to support expenses

Duration: May to August 2027 – Summer Internship

Job Summary

As an Intern/Coop in Research, Development & Innovation, you will have the unique opportunity to apply Food science principles to meet project objectives. Our team has deep technical expertise across a variety of packaging formats. You can expect a combination of:

• Stimulating projects
• Exposure to industry experts
• On-the-job learning alongside experienced professionals
• Continuous development opportunities, and much more

As an intern/coop, you will work independently and as part of various teams, working toward goals on project assignments with guidance provided as needed with the intent of offering opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills to prepare the intern/coop for a career as a Packaging Engineer after graduation.

Examples of Projects

• New product development; concept/prototype work.
• Cost savings initiatives; Optimization, quality improvements, material substitutions.
• Product renovation which involves modifying existing product attributes to address operational issues or customer needs.
• Ingredient exploration in testing out new options that could improve product performance or improved functionality.

In addition to hands‐on experience in Finance, this position will provide the intern with:

• Skills in project leadership, project management, time management and organizational skills
• Understanding the function of ingredients within a formula
• Exposure to manufacturing equipment in understanding the impact of process conditions and controls.
• Presentation skills as you present your findings to the cross functional team and R&D Leadership Team
• Experience in team collaboration as you work with a cross-functional team on delivering project objectives. This includes building skills in assessing how each role impacts the commercialization of a product and influencing and negotiating to align the team.

EEO Statement

Winland Foods seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool, and as a global company we believe our success is enhanced by fostering equity and inclusion in the workplace. Therefore, Winland Foods is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.