Mechanical Engineering Intern

Position Overview

The Mechanical Engineering Intern will support engineering, maintenance, and production teams in a hands‑on manufacturing environment focused on rubber compounding and finishing operations. This role offers exposure to industrial equipment, process improvement initiatives, reliability engineering, and safety‑focused problem‑solving within a fast‑paced plant setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist engineers with troubleshooting and optimizing mechanical systems, including mixers, extruders, presses, mills, conveyors, and auxiliary equipment.
• Support continuous improvement efforts such as reducing downtime, increasing throughput, and improving equipment reliability.
• Conduct time studies, data collection, and basic mechanical analysis to support process optimization.
• Participate in preventive and predictive maintenance activities, including documentation updates and equipment condition assessments.
• Help develop or revise work instructions, equipment specifications, and engineering documentation (drawings, schematics, BOMs).
• Support root‑cause investigations of equipment failures or process issues using structured problem‑solving tools.
• Collaborate with production, quality, maintenance, and safety teams on cross‑functional projects.
• Assist with installation, testing, and validation of new equipment or process modifications.

Basic Qualifications

• Must be currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
• Basic understanding of mechanical systems, fluid power, materials, and machine design.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with attention to detail.
• Familiarity with CAD software (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or similar).
• Ability to work both independently and within a team in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication skills and willingness to engage with operators and technicians on the plant floor.
• This role requires onsite presence in the Auburn, Indiana plant 100% of the time. Relocation will not be offered for this position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to manufacturing or industrial environments through prior internships.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, 5S, TPM, or other process improvement methodologies.
• Experience with data analysis tools (Excel, Minitab, Power BI).
• Understanding of rubber processing equipment or polymer-related coursework is a plus.

Learning Opportunities

• Hands‑on experience with large‑scale manufacturing equipment and mechanical systems.
• Practical exposure to reliability engineering, maintenance systems, and continuous improvement tools.
• Real‑world application of mechanical engineering principles in a production environment.
• Mentorship from mechanical, process, and maintenance engineers.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines

EEO-Statement:

EEO / Disabled / Protected Veteran Employer. Continental offers equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals, without regard to unlawful consideration to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. In addition, as a federal contractor, Continental complies with government regulations, including affirmative action responsibilities for qualified individuals with a disability and protected veterans, where they apply. To be considered, you must apply for a specific position for which Continental has a current posted job opening. Qualifying applications will be considered only for the specific opening(s) to which you apply. If you would like to be considered for additional or future job openings, we encourage you to reapply for other opportunities as they become available. Further, Continental provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance in the application process, please reply to Careers@conti-na.com or contact US Recruiting at 800-821-2727. This telephone line and email address are reserved solely for job seekers with disabilities requesting accessibility assistance or an accommodation in the job application process. Please do not call about the status of your job application, if you do not require accessibility assistance or an accommodation. Messages left for other purposes, such as following up on an application or non-disability related technical issues, will not receive a call back.

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About us

The Company

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent, and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic, and transportation. In 2023, Continental generated sales of €41.4 billion and currently employs around 200,000 people in 56 countries and markets.  

ContiTech is one of the world’s leading industry specialists. The Continental group sector offers its customers connected, environment-friendly, safe, and convenient industry and service solutions using a range of materials for off-highway applications, on rails and roads, in the air, under and above the ground, in industrial environments, for the food sector and the furniture industry. With about 42,000 employees in more than 40 countries and sales of some 6.8 billion euros (2023), the global industrial partner is active with core branches in Asia, Europe and North and South America. Are you ready to shape the future with us?