Continuous Improvement Intern Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Who We Are and What We Do
Farmer Focus's mission is to promote and protect generational family farms by shifting farm-level decision-making and chicken ownership back to farmers and empowering them to farm the way they know is best. We are committed to consistently producing 100% organic and humanely raised chicken that is better for people, the planet, and animals. Our culture is rooted in servant leadership, and we live by our Farmer Focus CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship.
Who We Are and What We Do
Farmer Focus's mission is to promote and protect generational family farms by shifting farm-level decision-making and chicken ownership back to farmers and empowering them to farm the way they know is best. We are committed to consistently producing 100% organic and humanely raised chicken that is better for people, the planet, and animals. Our vision is to be the #1 protein brand for those who value people, the planet, and animals.
Our corporate offices, processing and packaging operations are located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. This is a paid internship, working at least 20 hours per week during the summer months. Selected interns will be assigned to a departments throughout our organization that aligns with your course of study. The Farmer Focus team aims to develop a learning opportunity that aligns with your program of study while providing exposure to many areas of our business operations. Successful Farmer Focus interns take an active role in developing a learning plan with their internship supervisor.
Bilingual (English/ Spanish) students strongly encouraged to apply.
Continuous Improvement Intern - Poultry Industry
We are seeking a highly motivated Continuous Improvement Intern, preferably pursuing a degree in Engineering or a related field, with a strong passion for learning and problem-solving. This internship provides a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in different areas of poultry processing while supporting initiatives that drive operational excellence.
What You'll Do:
• Spend significant time on the production floor tracking performance, gathering data, and identifying improvement opportunities.
• Support the implementation of 6S by assisting with organization, standardization, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Collaborate across multiple departments, including operations, maintenance, and quality assurance, to drive process improvements.
• Gain a full perspective of poultry processing by rotating between our slaughter facility and packaging facility, allowing exposure to the entire value chain.
• Assist with project execution, including data analysis, reporting, and implementation of solutions to improve efficiency and reduce waste.
What We're Looking For:
• Currently pursuing a degree in Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical, Manufacturing, or related field preferred).
• A proactive, hands-on mindset, actively looking for ways to contribute and get involved in operations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to support data-driven decision-making.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities to collaborate across different teams and departments.
• Passion for learning different areas of the poultry industry and applying continuous improvement principles.
This internship is ideal for someone who is eager to develop real-world experience in manufacturing and operations while making a tangible impact on efficiency and productivity. If you thrive in a dynamic environment and are excited to learn, we'd love to have you on our team!
Work Requirements and Environment & Reasonable Accommodations Statement
This role is based on-site in Harrisonburg, VA .
Work location dependent on departmental assignment. Work may be conducted in an office environment or in our production facilities.
Occasional travel locally between our locations in Harrisonburg, VA.
Work may require access the production environment. Must be able to tolerate the varying heat, wet, and chill of the plant. Hearing and eye-protective equipment required in the production area. Required to wear hair and beard nets in the production area. Must be able to traverse a two-story staircase multiple times per day.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Farmer Focus is committed to the principles of equal employment and to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. It is our intent to maintain a work environment that is inclusive and equitable, free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation based upon an individual's age, race (including traits historically associated with race, which includes hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation (including transgender status, gender identity, or expression), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), military status (including status as a uniformed servicemember, a veteran, or dependent of a servicemember), or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. Farmer Focus is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy regarding all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.