Continuous Improvement Lead Intern

The CI Lead Intern partners with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and other cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement across safety, quality, delivery, and cost. This role leads and supports hands-on improvement initiatives, develops and maintains standard work and performance systems, and coaches teams to identify, prioritize, and eliminate losses using Lean / Six Sigma and structured problem-solving.

• Assist in developing and streamlining processes to enhance overall operational efficiency.
• Support and lead hands-on improvement projects including (but not limited to) digitalization, reporting, visualization, 5S, and Six Sigma initiatives.
• Provide administrative and operational support to the plant/operations team (data entry, file organization, document management).
• Contribute to the development and implementation of innovative operational initiatives to optimize organizational effectiveness.
• Conduct research and analysis to identify improvement opportunities and provide recommendations.
• Support implementation of new projects and/or new standards.
• Create and manage weekly action plans aligned to operational priorities.
• Create One-Point Lessons (OPLs) and deliver/coordinate training as needed.
• Support operational meetings (including supporting all shifts as needed).

• Study functional statements and project information to determine responsibilities and propose productivity, profitability, quality improvements, and cost-reduction opportunities.
• Establish work measurement programs; analyze work samples to develop labor utilization standards.
• Analyze workforce utilization, equipment layout, and operational data (production cost, process flow, schedules) to improve utilization of people and equipment.
• Recommend methods to improve efficiency and reduce waste of materials/utilities (restructure duties, reorganize workflow, relocate workstations/equipment).
• Provide technical and problem-solving support to departments; recommend equipment/process improvements to reduce cost and increase efficiency.
• Participate in cross-functional implementation teams to deliver improvements with minimal production interruption and with full stakeholder alignment.
• Coach and mentor others to plan, develop, and execute CI projects that generate annual savings and/or performance improvements.
• Facilitate line loss analysis (waste elimination, yield improvement) and line throughput improvement plans.
• Lead transformation analysis, centerline definition, and associated standard development.
• Analyze daily and shift line data to identify and prioritize loss-elimination opportunities.
• Participate in internal audit programs, food safety committee activities, and sanitary design teams as required.
• Spend time on the floor to gather information on stops, centerlines, and changeovers over the past 24 hours.
• Investigate initial root cause of top stops; develop plan-of-day for ownership areas.
• Attend Level 2 meetings and DDS meetings; discuss top stops/root causes and establish countermeasures in the plan-of-day.
• Ensure centerline completion and compliance; develop countermeasures for outages.
• Partner with Process Owner and Maintenance Lead to address sporadic losses.
• Lead Universal Problem Solving to eliminate chronic losses for assigned lines/areas.
• Manage centerline and Quality Daily Management Systems.
• Comply with GMPs, housekeeping guidelines/responsibilities, and QRMP operating procedures.
• Assist in implementation of the QRMP program; serve as trainer for new associates as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritize tasks efficiently and manage…