Product Development Technician Internships
Product development technician internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience, mentorship from working engineers and product specialists, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated across Retail and Manufacturing, with Henkel, Rivian, and TE Connectivity among the employers posting roles now.
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Our co-op program is designed with future leaders in mind and serves as a pipeline for top talent. Participants in our program receive one-on-one mentorship while working alongside seasoned Global Sourcing professionals. The co-op experience is a comprehensive development-based role, designed to facilitate a robust global sourcing and product development career path. Interns will be immersed and integrated in the various functions of the Global Sourcing/Product Development team and understand the factors that contribute to the broader scope of Global Sourcing and Product Development while gaining valuable hands-on experience in skill competency areas. Lands’ End co-ops will be placed in one of our key product areas and will gain exposure to analyzing garment costs, vendor allocation, capacity and lead-times.
As part of the experience you will focus on key projects for the department which may include fabric initiatives, cost comparison of products and fabrics from different regions with associated lead-times, chase opportunities and packaging & labeling cost analysis. You will be involved in key projects that will support future business decisions. You will communicate with vendors, sourcing, PD, Technical Design, Planning, Design and Merchandising to understand the development and internal decision making processes. You will quickly come to appreciate the complexities of growing a global, multi-channel retailer.
This is a hybrid role with three weeks per month onsite (Mon – Thurs). The primary work location is our corporate campus in Dodgeville, WI and you will perform work both on-site and remotely each week. You must reside or relocate within a commutable distance of the office for this position. Don’t worry, we have you covered, Lands’ End offers competitive relocation assistance!
Successful Global Sourcing & Product Development candidates should have the following knowledge, skills and abilities:
- Strong industry knowledge and passion for the Lands’ End brand.
- Demonstrate strong analytical skills.
- Ability to work with a variety of work styles as well as the ability to work independently.
- Customer-focused, results driven, analytical.
- Positive, can-do attitude.
- Innovative, critical thinker with the ability to continuously operate strategically and work cross-functionally.
- Strong communication skills, proven relationship builder.
- Exceptional knowledge and ability to work fluently with Excel.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
Our co-op program is designed with future leaders in mind and serves as a pipeline for top talent. Participants in our program receive one-on-one mentorship while working alongside seasoned Global Sourcing professionals. The co-op experience is a comprehensive development-based role, designed to facilitate a robust global sourcing and product development career path. Interns will be immersed and integrated in the various functions of the Global Sourcing/Product Development team and understand the factors that contribute to the broader scope of Global Sourcing and Product Development while gaining valuable hands-on experience in skill competency areas. Lands’ End co-ops will be placed in one of our key product areas and will gain exposure to analyzing garment costs, vendor allocation, capacity and lead-times.
As part of the experience you will focus on key projects for the department which may include fabric initiatives, cost comparison of products and fabrics from different regions with associated lead-times, chase opportunities and packaging & labeling cost analysis. You will be involved in key projects that will support future business decisions. You will communicate with vendors, sourcing, PD, Technical Design, Planning, Design and Merchandising to understand the development and internal decision making processes. You will quickly come to appreciate the complexities of growing a global, multi-channel retailer.
This is a hybrid role with three weeks per month onsite (Mon – Thurs). The primary work location is our corporate campus in Dodgeville, WI and you will perform work both on-site and remotely each week. You must reside or relocate within a commutable distance of the office for this position. Don’t worry, we have you covered, Lands’ End offers competitive relocation assistance!
Successful Global Sourcing & Product Development candidates should have the following knowledge, skills and abilities:
- Strong industry knowledge and passion for the Lands’ End brand.
- Demonstrate strong analytical skills.
- Ability to work with a variety of work styles as well as the ability to work independently.
- Customer-focused, results driven, analytical.
- Positive, can-do attitude.
- Innovative, critical thinker with the ability to continuously operate strategically and work cross-functionally.
- Strong communication skills, proven relationship builder.
- Exceptional knowledge and ability to work fluently with Excel.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
Product Development Technician Internship Market
Who's Hiring
- Henkel10
- Rivian4
- TE Connectivity4
- Hubbell3
- CJ Schwan’s3
Top Industries Hiring
- Retail
- Manufacturing
Tips for Your Product Development Technician Internship Search
Apply earlier than you think necessary
Large manufacturers and consumer goods companies recruit summer product development technician interns the preceding fall, closing cohorts months before the start date. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to their actual start dates, so openings appear across all seasons. Build your materials in the summer before you plan to intern.
Build a project portfolio before you apply
Hiring teams for product development technician interns assess candidates on documented work, not years of experience. Assemble two or three projects that show prototype development, materials testing, or process improvement, and make them reviewable: a CAD portfolio, a lab documentation file, or a repository with clear methodology notes gives recruiters something concrete to evaluate.
Work your campus network alongside direct applications
Campus career fairs surface structured internship programs tied directly to your university, and professors or career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Apply directly to companies running smaller cohorts at the same time so you reach openings that never appear at a fair.
Practice the actual product development technician intern screen out loud
Product development technician intern interviews typically include a technical screen covering materials science, lab procedures, or process improvement scenarios, depending on the employer's focus. Practice working through problems out loud and explaining your reasoning step by step. Interviewers weigh how you think through a problem as heavily as the final answer you reach.
Target structured rotational and cohort programs early
Larger companies in manufacturing, consumer goods, and medical devices run formal rotational internship programs built to train people new to product development. These programs recruit earlier than general postings and fill fast. Identify the ones aligned with your field, note their application windows, and submit in the first wave rather than waiting for a reminder.
Set your work-type filter before you start searching
On-site roles are 55% of the product development technician internships listed here. Decide what you can realistically commit to before you start sorting through listings, then filter by location and work type so you spend your time on roles you can actually take.
Product Development Technician Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a product development technician internship?
Lead with coursework, personal projects, and a portfolio rather than work history. Hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level, so the artifact that matters most is a documented project showing materials testing, prototype iterations, or lab procedures you ran start to finish. Pair direct applications with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a product development technician internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. For product development technician interns, what drives it is performance on real project deliverables, available headcount on the team, and understanding when return-offer decisions are made so you can ask the right questions early. Position yourself by contributing visibly without counting on a specific outcome.
When should I apply for product development technician internships?
Earlier than most students expect. Large manufacturers and consumer goods companies recruit summer interns the preceding fall, often wrapping interviews before the spring semester starts. Smaller companies, startups, and co-op programs post much closer to start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly means you catch both the early structured cohorts and the later rolling openings.
Are product development technician internships paid?
Most professional product development technician internships in the United States are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location, and listings show it where the employer discloses it. Research the range for your target industry and geography before applying so you can evaluate offers in context.
What should a product development technician internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three complete, documented projects that show the tools you used and what you built or tested, and link to supporting materials where possible, such as a CAD portfolio, lab reports, or a GitHub repository with process documentation. Add relevant coursework and keep the whole document to one page.
Are there remote product development technician internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 45% of the product development technician internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill fast because they draw from a national applicant pool, so apply early and filter by work type to see them before they close.
Can international students get product development technician 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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