2027 Summer Animal Care and Wellbeing 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 an Animal Care & Wellbeing (ACWB) Intern, you'll work in Goldsboro, NC. Our team’s objective is to assist our live operations and processing teams to produce healthy and well-cared-for turkeys to provide top quality products to our customers. The ACWB team is where Live Operations at the farms meets Quality Assurance in the processing plant. The ACWB team is a small and mighty team composed of four individuals: VP of Food Safety and Public Affairs, Director of Food Safety and Animal Care, Food Safety and Animal Care Supervisor, and the Animal Care and Wellbeing Specialist.

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:

• Assist in ongoing trials and projects involving turkeys on the farm and/or in the plant.

• Evaluate data gathered to improve our management practices.

• Assist in animal care and biosecurity audits and audit preparation, as needed.

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 Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in Poultry Science, Animal Science, Agricultural Business 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.

• Occasional night shift may be required.

• Comfort working in outdoor environments and production facilities, including hot, humid and loud conditions.

• Strong communication skills both verbal and written.

• Interest in learning about the commercialization of livestock.

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 variety of conditions including a climate-controlled office environment(s), Outdoor farm locations, and 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.

• The noise level of the office environment is usually moderate; the noise level in the manufacturing environment may exceed 85 DBA and require hearing protection.

• 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.