Product Development Intern - Spring 2027

Select Milk Producers; La Crosse (WI); On-site; USD 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Uniform Program

Shoe Allowance

Onsite gym

Career Advancement

Leadership Development

Community involvement

Sustainability initiatives

Nutrition globally

Job summary

Select Custom Solutions in La Crosse, WI, seeks a Product Development Intern for Spring 2027 (Jan–May). The role offers about 20 hours weekly and hands-on experience in food product development, including ingredient handling and formulation support.

You will collaborate cross‑functionally with Innovation, Sales, and CX to ensure timely sample delivery, while gaining exposure to GMP, inventory management, and the product development lifecycle.

Qualifications

• One year of Bachelor’s degree coursework required in technical/scientific fields.
• Experience in a professional lab environment preferred.

Responsibilities

• Data entry into Word, Excel, UPS software, Salesforce, and databases.
• Read batch formulations and weigh ingredients accurately.
• Check ingredient availability for sample requests.
• Obtain labels and inserts from CX for samples.
• Coordinate with Innovation/Sales/CX on delivery deltas.
• Photograph samples and share digital images as needed.
• Inventory new ingredient samples using a barcode system.
• Pull and replenish ingredient samples from warehouses for testing.
• Prepare samples with appropriate shipping materials.
• Ensure samples are boxed, labeled, and shipped daily by UPS deadline.
• Support GMP and safety policy adherence.

Skills

Data entry

Attention to detail

Batch formulation reading

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree, 1 year completed

Tools

Word

Excel

UPS software

SalesForce

Job description

Shape What’s Next at Select Custom Solutions

At Select Custom Solutions, we don’t just make ingredients—we create possibilities. From La Crosse, WI, our team brings innovation and expertise to contract manufacturing, branded dairy and non-dairy ingredients, custom blends, and ingredient distribution. With modern facilities and cutting‑edge capabilities, we help some of the world’s most trusted brands deliver products that make a difference in people’s lives.

With a strong focus on growth, innovation, and excellence, Select Custom Solutions offers opportunities to be part of meaningful work that impacts industries worldwide. Whether you’re working hands‑on in manufacturing or supporting operations, your contributions help drive the future of food and nutrition.

We’re proud to be partnered with Select Milk Producers, one of the nation’s most progressive dairy cooperatives. With over 110 family‑owned dairies and multiple processing plants and joint ventures nationwide, our partnership connects us to a powerful network driving the future of food and nutrition.

Join us—and help shape what’s next.

What Select offers you:

• Uniform Program
• Shoe Allowance
• Onsite gym
• Career Advancement Opportunities
• Leadership Development
• Opportunities to support our local communities
• Chance to apply best practices in sustainability and environmental initiatives
• Commitment to producing high quality nutritious products and providing nourishment around the world

What this role is all about:

We are looking for a Product Development Intern in La Crosse, WI.

Timeframe: Spring 2027, Beginning January 2027 – Ending May 2027

Hours: Flexible, approximately 20 hours per week

The Product Development Intern supports the Innovation team by assisting with product innovation, sample preparation, and day-to-day operations of the sample program. This role provides hands‑on experience in food product development, including ingredient handling, formulation support, inventory management, and sample fulfillment. The intern collaborates cross‑functionally with Innovation, Sales, and Customer Experience (CX) to ensure timely and accurate delivery of product samples while gaining exposure to food science, ingredient functionality, and the product development lifecycle.

Job Duties:

• Perform data entry accurately and efficiently, utilizing, accessing and/or retrieving data in Word, Excel, UPS software, SalesForce, and Sample Request and Document Manager databases.
• Ability to read a batch formulation and correctly weigh up ingredients using appropriate scale.
• Determine availability of ingredients required to complete the sample request.
• Obtain needed labels and inserts (cards, product bulletins, nutritional info) from Customer Experience.
• Communicate with Innovation/Sales/CX any problems or delays from expected delivery date of the samples.
• Photograph container fills and other visual samples and send digital images as needed.
• Use barcode scanner to inventory new ingredient samples into Innovation inventory. Locate and removing product from inventory as needed.
• Locate and pull ingredient samples in the warehouses to replenish Innovation inventory and complete a powder blend for testing or for the fulfillment of a sample request. Follow Quality, Inventory and Sales guidelines when removing product from inventory.
• Prepare samples with special shipping materials (ex. packaging, dry ice) as needed.
• Have samples boxed, labeled and ready to ship with paperwork by daily UPS deadline.
• As necessary, make other arrangements for shipping (Fed Ex, other carrier, hand deliver).
• Develop a working understanding of the types and categories of food ingredients used, the brand names and vendors that supply them and the product codes used internally to identify each.
• Participate in Innovation group activities as time allows, which includes but is not limited to attending meetings as needed, performing clean‑up tasks, and working on special projects as coordinated with a Food Technologist or Product Development Manager.
• Understand and adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices and Safety Protocol.
• Stop any observed unsafe acts and obey facility safety rules and procedures.
• Correct or report any observed safety hazards.
• Support safety policies and programs.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, as management may deem necessary from time to time.

Qualifications:

Education Required:

• Completion of one (1) year in a Bachelor’s Degree program with technical and/or scientific coursework required.
• Equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered.

Experience Required:

• Minimum one (1) year of experience in a professional lab environment required.

Where you’ll be working:

Our La Crosse, WI, plant is home to approximately 330 employees. This facility supplies the food, beverage, and nutritional industries with innovative functional ingredients and superior quality contract manufacturing services.

La Crosse, WI, is nestled between the Mississippi River and the rolling river bluffs. This town is home to a plethora of colleges, high-quality health care, community events, and cultural opportunities. If you want to enjoy outdoor activities there are many opportunities, such as hiking, cycling, skiing, and boating. The town hosts multiple events annually and is famously known for their Oktoberfest celebration as well as offering a minor league baseball team. Visit the La Crosse Chamber site https://www.lacrossechamber.com/ for more information on local events.

AA/EEO – Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity