Operations Management Trainee – Operations Leadership Development

Job Description

Operations Management Trainee | Perdue Farms

The Tone:
This is a 24-month leadership development program at Perdue Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned food and agricultural business dedicated to becoming the most trusted name in premium proteins. The program aims to prepare future operations leaders to drive operational excellence and impact business performance across the company’s global operations. Participants will gain real-world experience and build essential technical, operational, and leadership skills in a supportive, inclusive environment. Success in this role contributes directly to the company’s commitment to creating products for consumers and customers while fostering a culture of teamwork, integrity, and respect.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Full-time
• Mission: Prepare the next generation of operations leaders to drive operational excellence and make a lasting impact on business performance.
• Tech Stack: Microsoft applications, computerized maintenance management systems, AutoCAD

What You’ll Actually Do
• Build Foundational Understanding: Participate in structured rotations to develop an end-to-end understanding of plant operations, processes, and their impact on business results.
• Uphold Operational Standards: Learn and apply Perdue’s expectations for associate safety, food safety, quality, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop Leadership Capabilities: Support the supervision of frontline associates, assisting with daily coordination, training, coaching, and performance conversations.
• Drive Improvement: Use operational data and observations to identify opportunities, resolve problems, and contribute to projects that enhance productivity, quality, safety, or associate engagement.
• Prepare for Supervision: Progressively take on increased responsibility for day-to-day production activities, demonstrating readiness to transition into a full-time Production Supervisor role.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Entry-level position requiring a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Engineering Technology, or a related engineering or science-based field.
• Experience: Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, with a degree completed within 24 months of the June 2027 program start date (eligible graduation dates: May 2025 – May 2027). Must be willing to work a rotation of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shifts.
• Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills, ability to work well within a team setting as well as independently, and capacity to work effectively in a demanding environment.
• Bonus: Working knowledge of Microsoft applications, exposure to computerized maintenance management systems, AutoCAD, project management, reliability, maintenance, or process control experience.