Engineering Intern

Job Description

Engineering Intern | ofi

The Tone:
This is an Engineering Intern internship at ofi, located in Firebaugh, CA, with occasional travel to other California sites. ofi is a global leader in food and beverage ingredients, specializing in natural, delicious, and nutritious products such as cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts, and spices for manufacturers worldwide. This internship is designed to provide relevant experience and jump-start a career by contributing to the critical work of developing the next generation of food processing and optimizing existing processes within ofi’s spices business. The role directly supports the company’s purpose to “Be the Change for Good Food and a Healthy Future” by focusing on process improvement and new product development.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Seasonal (Summer 2026)
• Location: Firebaugh, CA
• Pay: $22–$32 hourly
• Team: Reports to Engineering Manager
• Mission: Contribute to developing the next generation of food processing and optimize existing processes by conducting research, analysis, and hands-on work with factory and engineering teams within the spices business.
• Tech Stack: AutoCAD, SolidWorks, MS Office (Excel, Word)

What You’ll Actually Do
• Data Analysis & Improvement: Partner with factory operations teams to collect comprehensive process data and perform in-depth analysis to identify specific improvement opportunities.
• Project & Study Definition: Develop detailed project scopes for various compliance-type projects and establish comprehensive studies with defined scopes for key initiatives such as mass air balance, water flow, and equipment optimization.
• Production Data Evaluation: Collect and thoroughly analyze production and trial data, subsequently providing clear observations and actionable recommendations to the dedicated project team.
• Process Documentation & Standardization: Update existing process flow diagrams based on new findings and establish baseline data to develop new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that support ongoing process improvements.
• Efficiency & Presentation: Perform detailed waste reduction analysis to directly support and enhance operational efficiency, culminating in presenting project results, recommendations, and implementation summaries to leadership at the conclusion of the internship.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or Instrumental Engineering or a related program.
• Experience: Proficient in MS Office applications, including Excel and Word, for data management and reporting.
• Skills: Strong analytical and data interpretation abilities to identify improvement opportunities. Foundational understanding of engineering software like AutoCAD and SolidWorks. Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within team environments and work independently on assigned tasks.