Engineering Intern – Summer 2027

About the Role

As an Engineering Intern at MacLean-Fogg, you will apply classroom learning to real manufacturing challenges. You will work alongside engineers, operators, quality professionals, and maintenance teams to understand how products are made and help improve products and processes. You will take ownership of a meaningful engineering project with guidance from an experienced team. Depending on your assignment, you might investigate a quality issue, reduce scrap, improve a process, support automation, develop a design, or evaluate material performance. At the end of the program, you will present your project, results, and recommendations to facility leadership. One application connects you with the engineering internship opportunities available at this manufacturing facility; your interests, skills, and experience will be considered alongside available projects and business needs.

Program Details

• Location: Savanna, Illinois
• Pay: $28.00 per hour
• Schedule: Full time, on site
• Duration: 10 weeks, with the possibility of extending up to 2 additional weeks based on business needs and intern availability
• Program Start: Tuesday, May 25, 2027, with limited flexibility for academic calendars

Engineering Areas You Could Explore

Assignments vary by manufacturing facility and may include:

• Manufacturing and Process Engineering: Improve production methods, equipment layouts, tooling, fixtures, and work instructions.
• Quality Engineering: Analyze defects, investigate root causes, support measurement and testing, and help improve product and process quality.
• Continuous Improvement and Lean: Study workflows, reduce waste, and help teams improve productivity through methods such as 5S, standard work, and process mapping.
• Automation and Controls: Support projects involving automated equipment, sensors, robotics, or process controls.
• Product and Design Engineering: Support product development, CAD modeling, design improvements, prototyping, or testing.
• Materials Engineering and Metallurgy: Evaluate material properties, investigate material-related issues, and support testing or improvements to material processing.

Not every area is available at every location. Your internship will focus on an assigned project or area; experience in all six areas is not expected.

Responsibilities

• Learn the facility's safety practices and follow required procedures while working in office and manufacturing areas.
• Work with experienced team members to understand a problem, define a project, and develop practical solutions.
• Collect and analyze engineering or production data to identify opportunities and measure results.
• Use tools and methods relevant to your assignment, which may include CAD, testing equipment, data analysis, root cause analysis, or lean manufacturing techniques.
• Contribute to improvements in safety, quality, productivity, cost, or product performance.
• Document your work, communicate progress, and incorporate feedback from your team.
• Present your capstone project, findings, and recommendations to facility leadership.

Benefits

• Hands-on experience applying engineering concepts in a manufacturing environment.
• Guidance and feedback from experienced engineers and manufacturing professionals.
• Practice managing a project, solving problems with data, and collaborating across functions.
• Experience explaining technical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• A clearer understanding of engineering career paths and the work you enjoy.
• Eligible interns at this location may receive a one-time $3,000 taxable housing allowance to help with temporary housing costs. Eligibility requires an available summer residence more than 50 miles from the worksite, a need to establish temporary housing, and no equivalent company-provided housing or relocation support. Payment is made after the internship begins and required documentation is complete.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, engineering technology, or a closely related field. Relevant disciplines include mechanical, manufacturing, industrial, electrical, and materials engineering.
• Interest in applying engineering skills to manufacturing challenges.
• Willingness to work with data, learn new tools, and ask questions.
• A collaborative approach and respect for the experience of the people who operate and support production equipment.
• Ability to organize your work, communicate progress, and take ownership of a project with guidance.
• Availability to work full time and on site at this manufacturing facility for the full 10-week program. Limited start-date flexibility may be available for academic calendars.
• Authorization to work in the United States without employer sponsorship now or in the future. MacLean-Fogg does not offer employment visa sponsorship for this position.
• Students at all college class levels are welcome to apply. Previous internship experience is not required.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Sit at a workstation and use a computer for extended periods.
• Move throughout manufacturing areas to observe equipment, processes, and production activities.
• Occasionally lift and carry tools, samples, or parts weighing up to 30 pounds.
• Occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, and reach when observing equipment or components.
• Review drawings, gauges, measurement equipment, and other visual information.
• Wear required personal protective equipment, which may include safety glasses, hearing protection, and safety footwear.
• Work in office and manufacturing environments where noise, temperature variation, and airborne particulates may be present.

Preferred Qualifications

These qualifications are helpful but not required. Evidence from coursework, class projects, student organizations,