Process Engineer Intern

Process Engineer Intern – Summer Internship

Company: Gotion, Inc.
Location: Manteno, Illinois
Department: Engineering / Manufacturing
Employment Type: Summer Internship
Level: Entry-Level / College Intern
Work Arrangement: On-Site

Position Summary

Gotion is seeking a motivated Process Engineer Intern to support manufacturing and engineering operations at our Manteno, Illinois facility. This internship provides hands-on experience in manufacturing processes, process improvement, production efficiency, quality, and data analysis within a high-volume battery manufacturing environment.

The intern will work alongside Process Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers, Production, Quality, and other cross-functional teams to understand manufacturing processes, analyze production data, identify opportunities for improvement, and support engineering projects.

This is an excellent opportunity for a student pursuing Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist Process Engineers with monitoring and improving manufacturing processes.
• Collect, organize, and analyze production and process data.
• Support troubleshooting of manufacturing process issues and equipment-related problems.
• Assist with identifying opportunities to improve safety, quality, productivity, cost, and efficiency.
• Participate in root-cause analysis and problem-solving activities.
• Assist with process capability studies, measurements, and data collection.
• Help develop and maintain process documentation, work instructions, and standard operating procedures.
• Support process trials, testing, and engineering experiments.
• Assist with evaluating process changes and documenting results.
• Work with Production and Quality teams to investigate process and product issues.
• Create basic reports, charts, presentations, and data summaries using Microsoft Excel and other tools.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives such as Lean Manufacturing, 5S, and waste reduction.
• Assist with tracking manufacturing KPIs and process performance.
• Support engineering projects from initial investigation through implementation.
• Participate in production meetings and gain exposure to day-to-day manufacturing operations.
• Follow all company safety, quality, and environmental procedures.
• Perform other engineering duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

• Currently enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in:
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Materials Science/Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Or a related engineering discipline.
• Strong interest in manufacturing and process engineering.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to analyze data and identify trends.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Ability to work on-site in a manufacturing environment.

Preferred

• Previous manufacturing, engineering, laboratory, or internship experience.
• Coursework in manufacturing processes, statistics, materials, thermodynamics, chemistry, or engineering analysis.
• Experience with Excel functions, PivotTables, charts, and data analysis.
• Exposure to CAD, statistical analysis, process simulation, or engineering software.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, 5S, or continuous improvement concepts.
• Previous experience working with laboratory equipment, manufacturing equipment, or technical projects.
• Interest in battery technology, energy storage, electric vehicles, or advanced manufacturing.

What You Will Learn

The Process Engineer Intern will gain practical exposure to:

• Manufacturing process development
• Process optimization
• Root-cause analysis
• Continuous improvement
• Lean Manufacturing
• Six Sigma principles
• Production and process data analysis
• Quality control
• Process capability
• Manufacturing equipment
• Engineering documentation
• Standard operating procedures
• Process testing and validation
• Cross-functional engineering collaboration
• Battery manufacturing processes

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, analytical engineering student who wants to understand how products are manufactured and how manufacturing processes can be improved.

The successful candidate will be comfortable working with data, asking questions, investigating problems, and spending time on the manufacturing floor. Previous professional process engineering experience is not required.

Students with strong academic projects, laboratory experience, manufacturing coursework, robotics experience, or hands-on engineering projects are encouraged to apply.

Education

Required: Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline.

Target Graduation: Open to students graduating in 2027, 2028, or 2029.

Work Environment

• Primarily on-site at Gotion's Manteno, Illinois manufacturing facility.
• Work will include both office/engineering areas and manufacturing-floor environments.
• Must be able to follow all applicable safety procedures.
• Appropriate PPE must be worn in designated manufacturing areas.
• Position may require occasional walking, standing, and observation of manufacturing processes.

Internship Objectives

By the completion of the internship, the student should have developed a foundational understanding of how engineering principles, manufacturing processes, quality systems, data analysis, and continuous improvement work together to support a modern battery manufacturing operation.

The intern should leave the program with practical experience applying classroom engineering concepts to real-world manufacturing problems and improvement projects.