Intern: Performance Improvement & Reliability

Chobani

New Berlin, NY

About the Chobani Internship Program At Chobani, our interns are part of the team from day one. Through meaningful, hands-on work, interns contribute to real business priorities while gaining experience in their field of interest. The program is designed to give interns end-to-end ownership of a defined project or business problem whenever possible, from understanding the need and building a workplan to executing the work, gathering input, and sharing outcomes or recommendations. Interns are supported through mentorship, manager guidance, cross-functional exposure, networking opportunities, and learning experiences that help them better understand Chobani, La Colombe, our business, and our culture. Summary As a Performance Improvement Reliability Intern, you will join the Performance Improvement Reliability team, which helps improve manufacturing performance, equipment reliability, asset health, and operational efficiency across the plant. You will partner closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and other cross-functional teams to identify losses, improve equipment performance, strengthen maintenance practices, and support continuous improvement initiatives. Throughout the internship, you will gain hands-on experience solving real manufacturing challenges related to reliability, downtime, waste, data visibility, automation, and equipment performance. You may lead or support work involving preventive maintenance optimization, asset restoration planning, autonomous maintenance deployment, process automation, data visualization, troubleshooting, and performance improvement initiatives. Interns are expected to take ownership of a defined project, business problem, or workstream whenever possible, supporting work from problem identification and analysis through implementation, validation, and final recommendations. This role is based out of our manufacturing facility in South Edmeston, New York, and will require an onsite presence. This role is not eligible for remote or hybrid work. Responsibilities Own or support a defined project, business problem, or improvement initiative from problem identification and planning through implementation, validation, and final recommendations. Analyze OEE, downtime, waste, PM completion, startup, quality, and labor losses to identify opportunities and prioritize improvement actions Partner cross-functionally to investigate recurring equipment and process issues using structured problem-solving and root cause analysis Support preventive maintenance optimization, PM audits, equipment assessments, rebuild plans, critical spare reviews, and reliability improvement initiatives Support autonomous maintenance deployment through cleaning, inspection, lubrication, defect identification, visual controls, standard work, and operator ownership Lead or support projects that reduce waste and downtime, improve OEE and reliability, strengthen material flow, or improve labor productivity Complete floor observations, time studies, data collection, equipment evaluations, troubleshooting, and implementation support Build dashboards, automated reports, workflows, and data visualization using Excel and Power BI that improve operational visibility, reduce manual work, and accelerate decision-making Support automation and digitization efforts that improve efficiency, standardization, data accuracy, and the reliability of reporting and performance insights. Present project outcomes, recommendations, financial impact, lessons learned, and sustainment plans to leaders and key stakeholders Required Qualifications Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Operations, Engineering Technology, or a related technical field, ideally with an expected graduation date between December 2027 and June 2028 Experience using Excel for data analysis, organization, and reporting Demonstrated experience analyzing data through coursework, projects, research, internships, student organizations, or work experience Demonstrated experience working on team-based projects involving multiple stakeholders, disciplines, or functional groups Experience presenting project findings, recommendations, or outcomes through coursework, projects, research, internships, or work experience Willingness to relocate to the South Edmeston area for the duration of the internship and work on-site within a manufacturing environment Able to lift and carry objects weighing up to 35 lbs, stand for 12 hours, bend, stoop, and reach Preferred Qualifications Experience creating dashboards, reports, or data visualizations using Power BI, Power Automate, Excel, or similar tools Coursework, projects, internships, or work experience related to manufacturing, reliability, maintenance, engineering, continuous improvement, or operations Experience using structured problem-solving or root cause analysis methodologies Interest in manufacturing operations, equipment reliability, mainte