Operational Excellence Engineer Internships
Operational excellence engineer internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience improving real processes, mentorship from working engineers, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated across Chemicals & Materials, with Avient, Sabert, and BorgWarner among the employers posting roles now.
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Showing 5 of 17+ Operational Excellence Engineer Internships
Position
Operational Excellence Intern (Industrial Solutions)
Location
Hendersonville, NC
About us
BorgWarner is a global product leader in delivering innovative and sustainable mobility solutions for the vehicle market. We are a company of innovators and independent thinkers that brings together talented employees, meaningful work, and amazing technology in a unique environment. At BorgWarner we constantly work towards our vision of a clean and energy-efficient world.
Our Culture
We believe the health and safety of our employees are a top priority. We care about our local communities and the global environment. BorgWarner promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive environment, honors integrity, strives for excellence, commits to responsibility for our communities and the environment, and builds on the power of collaboration.
Career Opportunities
We manage talent as seriously as we manage our businesses and encourage you to learn about our proud history, strong culture, technologies, and future vision. We offer a strong local presence and interesting global opportunities. Start your future with BorgWarner now!
Pay
This is a paid internship. Pay rate is based on the intern’s academic standing (e.g., sophomore, junior, senior, graduate).
Students may be eligible to receive housing support and travel reimbursement.
Position Summary
Reporting directly to the Quality and Operational Excellence Senior Manager, the Operational Excellence (OpEx) Intern plays a key role in supporting and advancing continuous improvement initiatives across the organization. This position provides hands-on experience in applying Lean principles, data-driven problem solving, and process optimization techniques to enhance product quality and operational performance. The intern will collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify inefficiencies, implement solutions, and contribute to a culture of excellence and innovation.
Key Responsibilities
- Assist in the development, deployment, and sustainment of standardized processes to improve product quality and operational efficiency. Document standard operating procedures (SOPs) and process maps.
- Assist in identifying and analyzing process inefficiencies using Lean methodologies¸ developing standard work, key milestones and deliverables.
- Support data collection, analysis, and reporting for ongoing improvement projects.
- Develop visualizations for our production floor that help our operations team track and prioritize components.
- Participate in Kaizen events and cross-functional workshops.
- Assist visual management tools and dashboards to track performance metrics.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to prioritize improvement opportunities based on data-driven analysis and business impact.
Education, Skills, Knowledge, Experience (Minimum Qualifications)
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Industrial, Mechatronic, or Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, or a related field.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI).
- Familiarity with Python, C++ or Java, & SQL, familiarity with Ignition a plus.
- Capable of taking feedback from various sources and developing a ground-up solution that solves production issues.
Core Competencies
- Ethics and Values
- Customer Focus
- Problem Solving Drive for Results
What we believe
- Inclusion: Respecting Individuals
- Integrity: Honoring truth
- Excellence: Focusing on results
- Responsibility: Our commitment
- Collaboration: Building trust
Safety
This position will adhere to the BorgWarner Environmental Health and Safety Program by following all safety rules, procedures, practices, training, and safe use of equipment; this includes use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as required. This individual will work in a way that stresses the importance of preventing injury, accidents, or illnesses to themselves or co-workers by correcting or reporting unsafe situations, incidents, or occurrences to their Team Lead immediately.
Equal Employment Opportunity
BorgWarner is an equal employment opportunity employer such that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
Career Scam Disclaimer
BorgWarner makes no representations or guarantees regarding employment opportunities listed on any third-party website. To protect against career scams, job applicants should take the necessary precautions when interviewing for and accepting employment positions allegedly offered by BorgWarner. Applicants should never provide the national ID numbers, birth dates, credit card numbers, bank account information or other private information when communicating with prospective employers or responding to employment opportunities online. Job applicants are invited to contact BorgWarner through BorgWarner’s website to verify the authenticity of any employment opportunities.
Join the company that is creating solutions that support a cleaner, more energy-efficient world.
For more information about BorgWarner, please visit www.borgwarner.com
Internal Use Only: Indirect Hourly
Global Terms of Use and Privacy Statement
Carefully read the BorgWarner Privacy Policy before using this website. Your ability to access and use this website and apply for a job at BorgWarner are conditioned on your acceptance and compliance with these terms.
Please access the linked document by clicking here, select the geographical area where you are applying for employment, and review. Before submitting your application you will be asked to confirm your agreement with the terms.
Career Scam Disclaimer: BorgWarner makes no representations or guarantees regarding employment opportunities listed on any third-party website. To protect against career scams, job applicants should take the necessary precautions when interviewing for and accepting employment positions allegedly offered by BorgWarner. Applicants should never provide their national ID numbers, birth dates, credit card numbers, bank account information or other private information when communicating with prospective employers or responding to employment opportunities online. Job applicants are invited to contact BorgWarner through BorgWarner’s website to verify the authenticity of any employment opportunities.
Position
Operational Excellence Intern (Industrial Solutions)
Location
Hendersonville, NC
About us
BorgWarner is a global product leader in delivering innovative and sustainable mobility solutions for the vehicle market. We are a company of innovators and independent thinkers that brings together talented employees, meaningful work, and amazing technology in a unique environment. At BorgWarner we constantly work towards our vision of a clean and energy-efficient world.
Our Culture
We believe the health and safety of our employees are a top priority. We care about our local communities and the global environment. BorgWarner promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive environment, honors integrity, strives for excellence, commits to responsibility for our communities and the environment, and builds on the power of collaboration.
Career Opportunities
We manage talent as seriously as we manage our businesses and encourage you to learn about our proud history, strong culture, technologies, and future vision. We offer a strong local presence and interesting global opportunities. Start your future with BorgWarner now!
Pay
This is a paid internship. Pay rate is based on the intern’s academic standing (e.g., sophomore, junior, senior, graduate).
Students may be eligible to receive housing support and travel reimbursement.
Position Summary
Reporting directly to the Quality and Operational Excellence Senior Manager, the Operational Excellence (OpEx) Intern plays a key role in supporting and advancing continuous improvement initiatives across the organization. This position provides hands-on experience in applying Lean principles, data-driven problem solving, and process optimization techniques to enhance product quality and operational performance. The intern will collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify inefficiencies, implement solutions, and contribute to a culture of excellence and innovation.
Key Responsibilities
- Assist in the development, deployment, and sustainment of standardized processes to improve product quality and operational efficiency. Document standard operating procedures (SOPs) and process maps.
- Assist in identifying and analyzing process inefficiencies using Lean methodologies¸ developing standard work, key milestones and deliverables.
- Support data collection, analysis, and reporting for ongoing improvement projects.
- Develop visualizations for our production floor that help our operations team track and prioritize components.
- Participate in Kaizen events and cross-functional workshops.
- Assist visual management tools and dashboards to track performance metrics.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to prioritize improvement opportunities based on data-driven analysis and business impact.
Education, Skills, Knowledge, Experience (Minimum Qualifications)
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Industrial, Mechatronic, or Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, or a related field.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI).
- Familiarity with Python, C++ or Java, & SQL, familiarity with Ignition a plus.
- Capable of taking feedback from various sources and developing a ground-up solution that solves production issues.
Core Competencies
- Ethics and Values
- Customer Focus
- Problem Solving Drive for Results
What we believe
- Inclusion: Respecting Individuals
- Integrity: Honoring truth
- Excellence: Focusing on results
- Responsibility: Our commitment
- Collaboration: Building trust
Safety
This position will adhere to the BorgWarner Environmental Health and Safety Program by following all safety rules, procedures, practices, training, and safe use of equipment; this includes use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as required. This individual will work in a way that stresses the importance of preventing injury, accidents, or illnesses to themselves or co-workers by correcting or reporting unsafe situations, incidents, or occurrences to their Team Lead immediately.
Equal Employment Opportunity
BorgWarner is an equal employment opportunity employer such that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
Career Scam Disclaimer
BorgWarner makes no representations or guarantees regarding employment opportunities listed on any third-party website. To protect against career scams, job applicants should take the necessary precautions when interviewing for and accepting employment positions allegedly offered by BorgWarner. Applicants should never provide the national ID numbers, birth dates, credit card numbers, bank account information or other private information when communicating with prospective employers or responding to employment opportunities online. Job applicants are invited to contact BorgWarner through BorgWarner’s website to verify the authenticity of any employment opportunities.
Join the company that is creating solutions that support a cleaner, more energy-efficient world.
For more information about BorgWarner, please visit www.borgwarner.com
Internal Use Only: Indirect Hourly
Global Terms of Use and Privacy Statement
Carefully read the BorgWarner Privacy Policy before using this website. Your ability to access and use this website and apply for a job at BorgWarner are conditioned on your acceptance and compliance with these terms.
Please access the linked document by clicking here, select the geographical area where you are applying for employment, and review. Before submitting your application you will be asked to confirm your agreement with the terms.
Career Scam Disclaimer: BorgWarner makes no representations or guarantees regarding employment opportunities listed on any third-party website. To protect against career scams, job applicants should take the necessary precautions when interviewing for and accepting employment positions allegedly offered by BorgWarner. Applicants should never provide their national ID numbers, birth dates, credit card numbers, bank account information or other private information when communicating with prospective employers or responding to employment opportunities online. Job applicants are invited to contact BorgWarner through BorgWarner’s website to verify the authenticity of any employment opportunities.
Operational Excellence Engineer Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Chemicals & Materials
Tips for Your Operational Excellence Engineer Internship Search
Apply in the fall for summer internships
Large manufacturers, logistics companies, and healthcare systems recruit summer cohorts as early as September and October. If you wait until spring, many structured programs are already closed. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to start dates, so search throughout the year rather than treating it as a single season.
Build a process improvement portfolio before you apply
Hiring teams for operational excellence intern roles have little work history to evaluate, so give them something concrete instead. Document two or three projects, a value-stream map, a lean project writeup, or a quality improvement analysis showing the problem, your method, and the measurable result. A linked case study or PDF portfolio beats a list of coursework every time.
Work your campus network alongside direct applications
Campus career fairs surface structured programs tied to your university, and professors or career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. At the same time, apply directly to companies running smaller cohorts, since many operational excellence internships never get promoted through campus channels at all.
Practice your technical screen out loud before you apply
Operational excellence engineer intern interviews typically include a case or analytical screen where you walk through a process problem, identify waste or variation, and propose a solution. Practice explaining your reasoning step by step, not just reaching an answer, because interviewers weight how you think through a problem as heavily as the conclusion you reach.
Target structured rotational and university programs early
Many large companies run formal operations or continuous improvement internship cohorts designed to train people new to the field. These programs recruit on a fixed cycle, fill in the first application wave, and are competitive. Identify the ones that fit your timeline and submit in the first few weeks after they open, not after the deadline approaches.
Set your work-type filter before you start searching
On-site roles are 67% of the operational excellence engineer internships listed here. Decide what you can commit to before you start, then filter by location and work type so you're not sorting through roles you can't actually take. Migrate Mate's work-type filter lets you narrow the list to on-site, hybrid, or remote openings from the start.
Operational Excellence Engineer Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an operational excellence engineer internship?
Lead with coursework and personal projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. Build a process improvement portfolio, process maps, or lean project case studies that give recruiters something concrete to assess. Apply directly to company career pages and attend campus career fairs, where operational excellence recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can an operational excellence engineer internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it is consistent performance on real project work, available team headcount, and understanding when return-offer decisions are made. Treat the internship as an extended interview, deliver measurable results on your assigned work, and ask your manager early about the timeline for full-time decisions.
When should I apply for operational excellence engineer internships?
Earlier than most candidates expect. Large manufacturers, healthcare systems, and Fortune 500 companies recruit summer interns the preceding fall, with applications closing months before the start date. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly and applying as soon as a role opens gives you the best chance.
Are operational excellence engineer internships paid?
Most professional operational excellence engineer internships in the United States are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location. Where an employer discloses pay, the listing will show it. Unpaid internships exist but are uncommon in engineering and operations roles at established companies.
What should an operational excellence engineer internship resume include?
Lead with two or three complete, documented projects rather than work history. For operational excellence engineer candidates, the strongest proof is a process improvement case study, a value-stream map, or a lean or Six Sigma project writeup showing the problem, your method, and the measurable outcome. Add relevant coursework in industrial engineering, operations, or quality systems. Keep it to one page.
Are there remote operational excellence engineer internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 33% of the operational excellence engineer internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill fast because they draw applicants nationally, so apply early and filter by work type to see them before they close.
Can international students get operational excellence engineer internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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