Systems Engineering Intern

Franklin Electric; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 20,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hands-on experience

Exposure to real-world applications

Opportunity for cross-disciplinary collaboration

Job summary

Franklin Electric in Fort Wayne, Indiana is seeking a Senior-Level Systems Engineering Intern. This role aims to support the development of integrated water pumping systems, allowing students to apply systems engineering principles to real-world products.

The ideal candidate will work at the system level, bridging multiple domains to ensure product performance and reliability, gaining hands-on experience and exposure to complex, multi-domain issues.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a Master’s degree in Systems Engineering or senior standing in related engineering.
• Solid understanding of systems engineering concepts.
• Strong analytical and system-level debugging skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyze system-level requirements and their flow down to subsystems.
• Support root cause analysis of field issues by evaluating system behavior.
• Document system interactions and failure modes using structured methods.

Skills

Systems engineering principles

Analytical skills

System-level debugging

Control system principles

Education

Master's degree in Systems Engineering

Senior standing in related engineering field

Tools

MATLAB

Python

CODESYS

Job description

Job Overview

Department: Internship

Location: US - Indiana - Fort Wayne

We are seeking a Senior‑Level Systems Engineering Intern to support the development and sustainment of integrated water pumping systems. This role is designed for students who are ready to apply systems engineering principles—requirements, interfaces, system behavior, risk, and verification—to real, fielded products. The intern will work at the system level, bridging electrical, mechanical, controls, and application domains to understand how subsystems interact and how performance, reliability, and usability are achieved across the product lifecycle. This role is well suited for students pursuing a Master’s degree in Systems Engineering or senior‑level undergraduates with strong systems coursework and interest in complex electromechanical systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze and understand system‑level requirements and how they flow down to motors, drives, controls, and mechanical subsystems
• Support root cause analysis of field issues by evaluating system behavior across operating conditions, interfaces, and use cases
• Identify and document system interactions and failure modes using structured methods (e.g., DFMEA, fault trees, causal analysis)
• Evaluate potential corrective actions and design trade‑offs, considering performance, robustness, risk, and user impact
• Assist in defining and executing system verification and validation activities, including lab testing and field correlation
• Provide system‑focused feedback to improve technical documentation, manuals, and technical bulletins
• Communicate findings in a clear, structured systems‑engineering format to field engineers and cross‑functional teams

Technical Execution (Applied Systems Context)

• Configure and evaluate VFD–motor–pump system behavior across different operating scenarios
• Analyze control system behavior (e.g., stability, response, limits) in the context of overall system performance
• Use lab testing to validate hypotheses about system interactions, not just component functionality
• Support integration and system debug efforts that span controls, electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic domains

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

Required Qualifications

• Pursuing a Master’s degree in Systems Engineering, or senior standing in Electrical, Mechanical, Controls Engineering, or a related field with strong systems emphasis
• Solid understanding of systems engineering concepts, including:
  • Requirements definition and flow‑down
  • System interfaces and integration
  • Failure and risk analysis (e.g., DFMEA)
  • Verification and validation
  • Use Case development
• Strong analytical and system‑level debugging skills
• Understanding of control system principles, including PID concepts
• Ability to clearly document and communicate system behavior and trade‑offs

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CODESYS‑based controls development, including C and ladder logic programming
• Proficiency with MATLAB and/or Python for system modeling, data analysis, or test result evaluation
• Coursework or experience with electromechanical systems, including VFDs, motors, or pump systems
• Familiarity with systems engineering methods, including requirements flow‑down, failure analysis, and risk assessment (e.g., DFMEA)
• Experience translating lab and field data into system‑level insights and design recommendations

What You Will Gain

• Hands‑on experience applying systems engineering theory to real‑world products
• Exposure to how system‑level decisions impact performance, reliability, and field success
• Experience working across disciplines to resolve complex, multi‑domain issues
• Opportunity to contribute to products used in demanding real‑world applications at Franklin Electric