2027 Summer Food Safety and Quality Assurance Intern

Ready to shape the future of food?

Join Butterball, America’s favorite turkey brand, for an exciting summer internship!  Butterball, LLC, is one of America’s most iconic brands and the most loved and trusted brand of turkey in the United States. Known for helping consumers celebrate Thanksgiving, Butterball also brings delicious turkey products to tables around the world every day. Located in the thriving Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area, our business model gives us the opportunity to provide a diverse array of career opportunities and paths which include live operations, processing facilities, corporate functions and support offices. At Butterball, we aim to provide great-tasting foods that bring people together and inspire meaningful moments with the people who matter most.

Over the course of 10-12 weeks, as a Food Safety & Quality Assurance Intern, you'll work in our Mount Olive processing plant located in Mount Olive, NC. The role of the quality assurance team is to provide oversight, inspection, and guidance for our food production processes. Our consumers trust and have confidence in our brand, and food safety is critical in keeping that trust. Our food safety guidelines are in place to ensure our products meet our customers’ expectations as well as food safety regulations governed by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). As Butterball team members we must never compromise on food safety.

The program’s primary objective is to grow future leaders by providing professional development and a series of assignments that aligns with professional interest within the processing and manufacturing industry.

What you’ll do:

• The Intern will work with FSQA and Operations to validate antimicrobial intervention efficacy, continuously improve quality associated parameters, and identify additional process improvements.

• Perform data collection, trend quality metrics, and communicate results.

• Work with FSQA and Operations teams to ensure sample collection.

• Work with Laboratory staff to understand sampling and analysis process.

• Record/report data and results.

• Support various teams to ensure that manufacturing process is consistent, compliant, and adheres to good manufacturing practices (GMP) requirements.

What you’ll get:

• Hands-on experience and professional development.

• Opportunities to network and learn from industry experts.

• Competitive compensation and benefits.

We're looking for awesome students like you!  Do you have a knack for problem-solving and a passion for food? We're looking for creative minds who can help us make our food production process even better. You'll need to be a team player, ready to roll up your sleeves and get things done. Think you have what it takes to make a delicious difference?

• Pursuing a Bachelors or Master in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Safety, biological sciences or related field with an expected graduation date of December 2027 through June 2029.

• All participants in this program are required to have a valid drivers’ license and reliable transportation to and from work.

• Demonstrating knowledge and skill with Excel formulas to extract, organize, and report data.

• Showing strong interpersonal and relational skills.

• Has actively participated or held office in a campus or community organization (preferred but not required).

• Computer skills (Excel, Word, Visio, Teams, Power BI, SharePoint).

• Can work in various environmental conditions, i.e., cold, hot, wet.

• Ability to lift up to 50-75 lbs to move turkey’s and product as required. Tools provided when necessary.

• Standard shift will be during the day, however there may be instances when work during off hours is required for the project.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, hear, reach, bend, stoop, kneel, and use hands and fingers to operate equipment, computer, telephone, keyboard, and occasionally climb and lift up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements

• Work will be performed in a manufacturing plant environment with varying conditions, such as cold areas, wet areas, warm areas, chemicals, and other site conditions.

• This position requires the individual to wear and work in personal protective equipment while in the manufacturing environment.

• The noise level in the manufacturing environment may exceed 85 DBA and require hearing protection.

• Occasional travel is required.

Disclaimer

We embrace equal opportunity employment. Butterball is committed to the fair and impartial treatment of all employees and applicants for employment without regard to gender, age, race, religion, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, military/veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, or any other status protected by law.

This position is deemed Safety Sensitive for purposes of Butterball’s Drug/Alcohol Screening & Testing Policy. Details will be provided to individuals who receive a conditional job offer, or upon request.

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of what is required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not imply or establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.