Summer Engineering Intern

Job Description

About the Company (Mountaire Farms)

Mountaire Farms is an agricultural food production and processing company, currently ranking as the fourth largest chicken company in the United States. It operates through two affiliates: Mountaire Farms Inc. and Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Inc. The company employs nearly 10,000 dedicated individuals across its facilities located in Arkansas, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Mountaire’s culture is a cornerstone of its identity, emphasizing a family-focused work environment and maintaining core values that have been present since its inception. Employees are genuinely committed to supporting each other’s success, demonstrating operational excellence, and providing high-quality products to customers. Mountaire’s culture is defined by mutual support, upliftment, and a collective commitment to success.

As a family-owned business, Mountaire is deeply committed to giving back to the communities where it operates. Its overarching vision is to provide growth, stability, and opportunities for its people, customers, and communities by profitably delivering wholesome, quality chicken.

Mountaire also offers a comprehensive total compensation package to its employees. This may include:
• Eight paid holidays.
• Medical Plans with access to free onsite Health and Wellness Centers.
• Dental and Vision Programs.
• Employee Assistance Program for employees and their families.
• Retirement Planning with a 401(k) and Profit Sharing.
• Employee Discounted Chicken Sales.
• Employee Discounts with various partners (e.g., car purchases, phone plans, shopping).
• Tuition Reimbursement.
• Various career development programs.

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Job Description: Summer Engineering Intern

Primary Purpose:
The Summer Engineering Intern position is designed to offer hands-on experience in project management, design, and implementation within a large-scale poultry processing and manufacturing environment. The internship aims to expose students to the full lifecycle of an engineering project, from initial concept through to execution, while actively supporting Mountaire Farms’ commitment to innovation, safety, and operational excellence.

Project Highlights (Key Responsibilities):

• Project Definition & Planning:
• Participate in kickoff meetings with stakeholders to establish project objectives, deliverables, and expected outcomes.
• Develop a formal Project Scope of Work (SOW) detailing goals, timelines, and required resources.
• Create a work breakdown structure to define milestones and assign tasks.
• Design & Documentation:
• Produce layout drawings using CAD or other engineering software to visualize project designs and equipment placement.
• Prepare essential supporting documentation, including specifications and material requirements.
• Vendor Coordination & Bid Process:
• Draft bid packages for potential vendors and contractors.
• Request and review proposals, performing comparisons of costs, timelines, and compliance with specifications.
• Assist in vendor selection and provide recommendations to leadership.
• Project Reviews & Implementation Support:
• Conduct regular project update meetings with mentors and stakeholders to monitor progress and identify challenges.
• Present findings, design solutions, and project status updates to department leadership.
• Support on-site reviews and assist in coordinating project execution to ensure adherence to safety, quality, and operational standards.

Qualifications:

• Must be currently enrolled and pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree at an accredited college or university.
• Possess a valid Driver’s license and pass the Mountaire Motor Vehicle Record check.
• Engineering Major is required.
• AutoCAD experience is required.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, specifically Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Must be motivated.
• Capable of taking field measurements and verifying data.
• Demonstrates strong organizational skills.
• Ability to develop drawings.
• Possess good communication skills and the ability to foster vendor relationships.

Internship Program Requirements:

• Complete an assigned project identified by a department mentor.
• Attend weekly seminar series held across different Mountaire facilities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• All interns must be available to travel to Delaware during the last week of the program (August 3 to 7, 2026) for final presentations.
• Interns are required to complete a 10-minute presentation on their project at the conclusion of the summer. These presentations will take place in Millsboro, DE, at the Administrative Building during the week of August 3-7, 2026.
• The anticipated weekly schedule for this internship is 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
• Housing is available upon request.