Control Plant Industrial Engineering Intern

Position Summary

Toshiba International Corporation (TIC) is seeking an Industrial Engineering Intern to support manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives at our Houston facility.

This internship provides an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment while applying industrial engineering principles to real-world production challenges. The intern will work closely with Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, Production, Quality, and other cross-functional teams to analyze processes, identify improvement opportunities, and support projects focused on improving safety, quality, productivity, efficiency, and manufacturing performance.

TIC's internship program emphasizes meaningful, hands-on, project-based work that allows students to apply their academic background while gaining practical professional experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Support Industrial Engineering and manufacturing improvement projects within TIC production operations.
• Conduct time studies and process observations to evaluate manufacturing cycle times, labor utilization, workflow, and production efficiency.
• Analyze manufacturing and production data to identify bottlenecks, waste, process variation, and improvement opportunities.
• Assist with developing and improving standard work, work instructions, and manufacturing processes.
• Evaluate production workflows, workstation layouts, material movement, and manufacturing processes.
• Support Lean Manufacturing, 5S, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Assist Industrial and Manufacturing Engineers with implementation of process improvements on the production floor.
• Collect, organize, and analyze data used to measure manufacturing performance and validate improvements.
• Support manufacturing technology and digitalization initiatives designed to improve production reporting, visibility, and efficiency.
• Work directly with production employees and cross-functional teams to understand existing processes and develop practical solutions.
• Prepare project documentation, analysis, recommendations, and presentations.
• Participate in engineering and manufacturing meetings and communicate project progress to appropriate stakeholders.
• Perform other Industrial Engineering and manufacturing-support activities as assigned.

Potential Internship Projects

Assignments will depend on the needs of the specific TIC manufacturing operation. Projects may include:

Production Time Studies

Conduct time and motion studies on manufacturing processes to establish baseline performance, identify bottlenecks, and uncover opportunities to improve productivity.

Process & Workflow Improvement

Analyze how people, materials, equipment, and information move through production areas and recommend improvements to eliminate unnecessary steps and improve flow.

Standard Work

Assist with documenting and improving standardized manufacturing procedures to support consistency, quality, training, and operational efficiency.

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

Support 5S, waste reduction, productivity, and other continuous improvement activities throughout TIC manufacturing operations.

Manufacturing Data & Digital Tools

Assist with collecting, organizing, and analyzing production information and support the expansion of digital tools used to improve manufacturing visibility and reporting.

Production Engineering Support

Work alongside Industrial and Manufacturing Engineers to address production-floor challenges and support implementation of engineering solutions.

These areas also align well with the experience TIC has been considering in IE internship candidates, including time studies, production bottleneck analysis, standard work, 5S, Lean Manufacturing, process improvement, and manufacturing data analysis.

Qualifications

Required

• Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Currently enrolled in an accredited college or university.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Interest in manufacturing operations, process improvement, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret data.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.
• Comfortable working in an active manufacturing environment.

Preferred

• Coursework or experience involving:

• Lean Manufacturing

• Six Sigma

• Time and motion studies

• Process mapping

• Work measurement

• Manufacturing systems

• Production planning

• Ergonomics

• Data analysis

• Statistical analysis

• AutoCAD or similar engineering/design software

• Previous manufacturing, engineering, internship, co-op, or project experience is preferred but not required.

What You'll Gain

As a TIC Industrial Engineering Intern, you will have the opportunity to:

• Gain hands-on experience within a large manufacturing environment.
• Apply industrial engineering concepts to actual production processes.
• Work alongside experienced Industrial and Manufacturing Engineers.
• Gain exposure to manufacturing operations, production teams, and cross-functional engineering groups.
• Develop experience in Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, time studies, standard work, and data analysis.
• Strengthen problem-solving, communication, project management, and presentation skills.
• Build an understanding of how engineering decisions impact safety, quality, productivity, cost, and manufacturing performance.
• Make meaningful contributions to projects that support TIC's manufacturing operations.

Toshiba's internship framework specifically emphasizes hands-on projects, real-world professional experience, manager/SME support, and exposure to engineering and operations environments.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, analytical engineering student who enjoys solving problems and wants to understand how manufacturing processes actually work.

We're looking for someone who is comfortable spending time on the production floor, talking with employees, collecting and analyzing data, asking questions, and identifying practical opportunities to make processes safer, simpler, and more efficient.

Prior internship experience is beneficial, but curiosity, initiative, technical aptitude, and a genuine interest in manufacturing and continuous improvement are equally important.