Product Engineer Intern Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Process Engineer Internship

Pay Type: Hourly Non-Exempt, Temporary

Reports To: Engineering and Maintenance Manager

Location:  Upper Sandusky, OH

About the Role:

Custom Glass Solutions is rapidly growing and is seeking a Intern to perform tasks related to Process Engineer in our manufacturing facility in Upper Sandusky, Ohio.  The Intern is responsible for assisting with the developing, optimizing, and maintaining of a glass lamination process to ensure consistent quality, efficiency, and safety in production. This role provides technical expertise, drives process improvements, supports troubleshooting, and ensures compliance with industry standards and requirements.

Job Requirements:

• Improve yields, lower costs, and increase manufacturing uptime by supporting plant.
• Determine design requirements, prepare specifications and drawings, procure necessary materials and services, and coordinate installation and maintenance systems for new automation projects.
• Provide a communication bridge between engineering and production floor.
• Support technical issues in existing products and processes.
• Become subject matter expert for all Engineering & Maintenance activities revolving around the lamination process: troubleshooting, equipment upgrades, etc.
• Stay current with new material and process opportunities.
• Interpretation of a variety of customer specifications.
• Definition of testing requirements, standards and protocols to meet requirements.
• Work with Quality to define new testing methods or protocols for new products.
• Reporting of results or conclusions internally or externally as required.
• Brainstorm improved products and processes.
• Develop IP to gain a competitive edge.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Troubleshooting & Support
• Provide daily technical support to production teams for lamination equipment and processes.
• Analyze root causes of process deviations, defects, and downtime, and implement corrective actions.
• Train operators and maintenance staff on best practices and process controls.
• Work hand and hand with maintenance to implement new processes and controls as well as repair issues with clean room and lamination equipment.
2. Quality Assurance & Compliance
• Ensure processes meet customer specifications, industry standards (e.g., ANSI, ASTM), and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with Quality to develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and inspection criteria.
• Monitor process data and lead continuous improvement projects using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
3. Equipment & Maintenance Support
• Support equipment commissioning, upgrades, and preventive maintenance programs for lamination lines.
• Work with vendors and suppliers to specify and source materials, parts, and technology for process improvements.
4. Engineering Design and Innovation:
• Complete assigned design initiatives for components and assemblies to improve manufacturability, functionality, and integration.
• Utilize advanced tools like CAD/CAM, adhering to Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Lean Manufacturing principles to enhance product designs and refine process workflows.
• Develop and prototype new applications to validate concepts and convert ideas into market-ready products.
5. • Monitoring and analyzing process data, identifying trends and proposing solutions for process improvement continuously.
6. Process Optimization and Equipment Specification:
• Lead process innovation, continuous improvement, and Kaizen projects aimed at reducing waste, increasing productivity, and optimizing manufacturing processes.
• Lead the design and implementation of manufacturing processes that ensure optimal operational performance.
• Lead problem solving actions to reduce scrap, improve operational efficiency and improve overall operational performance. Provide process improvement input that aids in the acquisition and implementation of cutting-edge manufacturing equipment to ensure technological competitiveness and enhance operational efficiency.

1. Cross-Functional & Continuous Improvement Team Leadership:
• Lead or participate in cross-functional teams in collaborative and integrative projects to improve manufacturing processes, aligning with plant AOP assigned by Plant Management.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging innovative thinking and feedback among team members to achieve superior project results.
• Manage projects and critical action items to ensure timely and effective execution of cost savings, improvement and manufacturing projects.
• Implement risk assessments within project phases to preemptively identify and mitigate potential issues.

1. Customer Engagement:
• Engage with customers as their needs require to gather detailed information to integrate feedback into design enhancements and manufacturing solutions to establish and maintain strong business relationships.

1. Professional Growth and Industry Awareness:.
• Stay informed about industry trends and technological breakthroughs to ensure the organization remains at the forefront of innovation.

Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have a broad mix of skills and experience with specifying, installing, and troubleshooting mechanical and electrical equipment with automatic control systems for material handling, defect inspection, robotic placement and process control.  Candidates should be eager to work in a fast-paced, team oriented, non-bureaucratic environment and possess the following qualifications: 

• Education: Working towards or achieved Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Experience: process engineering experience in glass manufacturing, lamination, or related industry preferred.
• Knowledge of lamination techniques, interlayer materials (e.g., PVB, EVA, ionoplast), and glass processing equipment.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and statistical analysis skills.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar process improvement methodologies preferred.
• Proficiency in CAD, MS Office, and data analysis tools.

Additional Skills:

• Outstanding problem-solving abilities, coupled with strong organizational and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience in change management and driving innovation across departments.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.