About the role#
This is a 10-week paid internship for Summer 2027 based in Hilmar, California. You will work on-site, gaining professional experience in food and beverage manufacturing. Interns participate in projects alongside employees, including dairy visits and opportunities to interact with senior leadership.
What you'll do#
- Find cost-effective methods for manufacturing dairy products.
- Perform sampling, data collection, and analysis.
- Develop proposals to reduce operating costs, product losses, and quality variation.
- Identify causes of waste in manufacturing processes and recommend solutions.
- Create standard work processes to sustain improvements.
- Validate that electrical prints are accurate and properly stored.
- Assist with utility optimization for steam, refrigeration, compressed air, water, and wastewater systems.
What you'll need#
- Completion of your Sophomore year at a university.
- Progress toward a degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or Nutrition.
- Basic experience in a chemistry lab.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
- Strong technical and analytical problem-solving skills.
- Clear oral and written communication skills.
- Reliable transportation to and from the work site.
Location & details#
- Location: Hilmar, CA.
- Term: Summer 2027.
- Work Modality: On-site, full-time.
- Physical requirements include standing and walking for most of the workday, as well as climbing, balancing, stooping, and reaching. The work environment involves potential exposure to dust, fumes, chemicals, and varying temperatures.
About Hilmar
Hilmar produces cheese and whey ingredients for customers in over 50 countries. The company operates manufacturing plants in California, Texas, and Kansas. It was founded in 1984 and currently employs over 1,000 people. The organization focuses on product innovation and dairy processing.
How to get in at Hilmar
Applying early gives you a distinct advantage at Hilmar because recruiters review applications as they arrive. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published, so you can submit your materials before the applicant pile grows. Getting your name in front of the team early helps you stand out in a competitive process. You can also improve your response rates by reaching out to the recruiters behind the company roles directly. Intern Insider surfaces these specific contacts so you can ask informed questions about the position or request a referral. Connecting with a human being is often more effective than waiting for a response from a general portal.
