Internship - Food Safety & Quality Associate

About the Company

We exist to make food the world loves. Our company prioritizes being a force for good, expanding learning, exploring new perspectives, and reimagining possibilities. We look for bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one another and grow together. As the undisputed leader in food, we surround ourselves with people hungry for what’s next.

General Mills operates in more than 100 countries and markets over 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Totino’s, Annie’s, and Wanchai Ferry. Headquartered in Minneapolis, General Mills generated fiscal 2026 net sales of U.S. $18 billion.

About the Role

Food Safety & Quality (FSQ) Associates lead programs and provide technical expertise to ensure the safety, regulatory compliance, and quality of General Mills food.

As a Quality Associate (QA) Intern, you will experience a robust 10-week internship leading business-critical projects at one of our U.S. manufacturing locations. This internship provides front-line, factory-based experiences to build expertise in Food Safety and Quality, manufacturing, and people leadership. You will be a key team player on your assigned system(s), with varied tasks each day.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and implement food safety and quality systems improvements.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret data to make quality-driven process capability improvements.
• Assess risk using problem-solving techniques.
• Lead safety and quality strategy and act to address gaps and mitigate risk.
• Collaborate with internal business partners in Research & Development (R&D), Operations, Engineering, and Maintenance to validate manufacturing controls and system capability.
• Manage issues with non-conforming product, including risk assessment, data-driven decision-making, and root cause analysis to eliminate future occurrences.
• Protect General Mills’ brands by ensuring the manufacturing of safe, quality food.
• Gain exposure to building external relationships with regulatory, industry, and audit agencies.
• Learn from and lead Operators, Technicians, and Mechanics to grow coaching, team-building, and people-development skills.

QA Interns will develop a professional network with mentors and technical experts locally and at the corporate office, engaging regularly with other members of the General Mills Supply Chain Development Program.

Requirements

• Pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering (primarily Chemical, Food Process, or Biological), or a related field.
• Graduating in Winter 2027 or Spring 2028.

Qualifications

• Strong academic record.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve results and a commitment to developing technical and business skills.
• Learning agility, curiosity, and inventiveness.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, passion for food safety and quality, enthusiasm, and professionalism.
• Demonstrated people, technical, and process leadership skills.
• Willingness to engage in hands-on work on the manufacturing floor.

Schedule

10-week internship during Summer 2027.

Pay

The hourly rate for this position is $28.85/hour. Pay considers degree program, major, and year in school, among other factors.

Benefits

• Partially subsidized housing and relocation assistance (if eligible).
• Networking opportunities with company leaders.
• Comprehensive health benefits and wellbeing resources.
• Other valuable perks (specific benefits may vary by role, location, and eligibility).

Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization (e.g., H1-B visa, F-1 visa (OPT), TN visa, or any other non-immigrant status).