Supply Chain Operational Buyer Professional Co-Op/Intern (Summer 2027)

About the role

We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers’ lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger. FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of 3,780 megawatts.

This is an open position with FirstEnergy Service Co., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. As a participant in the Co-op/Intern Professional Development Program, you will cultivate professional skills and perform professional-level work at FirstEnergy. Each participant receives on-the-job training, mentoring, experiential learning, and challenging assignments to refine skills and round out competencies. As a Supply Chain Operational Buyer Intern, you will gain hands-on experience supporting the day-to-day procurement of materials and services needed across the organization. Working alongside Operational Buyers and other Supply Chain professionals, you will help process purchasing requests, coordinate with suppliers and internal stakeholders, resolve procurement issues, and support timely and accurate purchasing activities. In addition to core operational buying responsibilities, you will have opportunities to gain exposure to strategic sourcing, category management, contract management, data analytics, and supply chain process improvement.

Throughout the internship, you will gain practical experience in the day-to-day responsibilities of an Operational Buyer while developing a broader understanding of FirstEnergy's Supply Chain organization. You will have opportunities to work with experienced procurement professionals, business stakeholders, and suppliers while building skills in purchasing, supplier management, procurement technology, analytics, problem-solving, communication, and process improvement. The internship also provides exposure to adjacent Supply Chain functions, including strategic sourcing, category management, and contract management, helping you understand how tactical procurement activities connect to broader Supply Chain strategies.

Schedule

Work location is Akron, OH with the opportunity to work remote on either Monday or Friday each week per company policy. The Summer 2027 session runs from May 17, 2027 through August 20, 2027.

Responsibilities

• Supporting the procurement of materials and services by reviewing purchase requests, validating required information, and helping ensure requests are processed accurately and efficiently.
• Creating and maintaining purchase orders, including supporting PO issuance, change orders, cancellations, and other purchasing transactions in accordance with established processes and policies.
• Working directly with suppliers and internal business partners to obtain information, clarify requirements, resolve purchasing issues, and support the timely delivery of materials and services.
• Supporting high-volume procurement activities while developing an understanding of purchasing policies, approval requirements, documentation standards, and procurement best practices.
• Assisting with supplier-related issues involving purchase orders, pricing, delivery requirements, documentation, invoicing, and other transactional discrepancies.
• Utilizing procurement and enterprise systems to process purchasing activities, research transactions, maintain