Engineer Co-op (Jan 2025)

About Cargill USA

Cargill provides products and services in the food, financial products, agricultural, industrial and risk management fields. It carries out the marketing, processing, and distribution of grains, oilseeds, sugar, meat, other food products, and cotton.

Your role

Engineer Co-op January 2025

To be considered for employment, candidates must apply online and complete the entire application process. Complete applications are required before participating in an interview process.

Engineering Co-op

Cargill Engineering Co-ops work in one of their many production facilities located in communities across the United States. Cargill’s diverse businesses include Agricultural Supply Chain North America (CASCNA), Animal Nutrition & Health (ANH), Cargill Protein & Salt (CPS), Cargill Food & Bio (CFB), Starches and Sweeteners and Texturizing Solutions (CSST). There, you will learn to lead production or maintenance employees, project teams, contractors or technical operations teams executing critical initiatives and projects in a fast-paced, production environment. Although business processes vary, the design of this role provides appropriate exposure to the people management and technical components of the role. The Engineer Co-op role intends to allow individuals to be exposed to the technical and management aspects of engineering while beginning to develop an interest in longer-term career aspirations.

Your Work

Cargill Engineer Co-ops will gain experience in Operations Leadership and/or Maintenance & Reliability Engineering roles. What lies ahead as a full-time engineer could be a career path in any of the following:

Production Management Engineers:

Lead people, processes, and input/product in a plant environment. They will be involved in day-to-day direct supervision of operators and production activities and participate in daily production management meetings. Engineers will learn how to comprehend and handle all aspects of government regulations and compliance programs including environmental, health, safety, maintenance, and housekeeping. Production Management Engineers typically develop teams of production employees within the first two years of their careers and have responsibility for hiring, scheduling, motivating, and handling employee relations issues. They will also be involved in process optimization, equipment, and process reliability, and may run capital projects.

Environmental Engineers:

Work with various teams, processes and assets related to the effective operation of refrigeration, steam, freshwater distribution, hot water, and compressed air systems in a plant environment. As well as the operation of a large-scale Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and be responsible for the programs related to environmental compliance and regulatory permitting. They will be involved in the day-to-day supervision of operators and technicians, and have responsibility for their daily work and planning activities. This could include weekly maintenance, capital projects and process improvement.

Process/Project Engineering:

Responsible for business case development, vendor selection, budget management, and project management responsibilities for major projects and improvements involving process optimization, safety, quality, infrastructure, and energy use. They have heavy involvement with various innovation processes, idea generation systems, and reliability-centred design, and they help implement technical initiatives driven by global Process Development Groups, Centers of Excellence, and Research & Development.

Maintenance & Reliability Engineers:

Engage teams, improve processes, and utilize assets related to the effective operation of facility production to ensure downtime and repair costs are minimal. Supervise specialized teams and work activities related to runtime. Lead short- and long-term planning activities including weekly maintenance activities, capital projects and process improvement utilizing tools such as Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), 5S and 5-Why to the prevention of equipment failures.

Internship details:

• Co-ops are typically 7-8 months in duration.
• Day–to–day transportation to and from work is the responsibility of the co-op.
• Co-ops are responsible for transportation to and from work.
• Various plant locations across the U.S.- must be open to relocation. 
• The plant environment is team-oriented, fast-paced, and hands-on.
• Their environment will focus on employee engagement, inclusion, and innovation.
• Co-ops are allowed to showcase their skills and gain hands-on experience working on different projects from designing and upgrading current systems, to reviewing and updating plant drawings.
• This job involves physical activity which generally requires a moderate amount of exertion regularly – involving bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, reaching, working on irregular surfaces, occasional lifting of objects weighing over 50 pounds and frequent lifting of 10-25 pounds. The work may also involve other exertions, conditions, or exposures (i.e.- heat, cold, grain dust, etc.).

Training & development

Throughout the internship, interns and co-ops are encouraged to take part in events that will give exposure to leadership, provide development opportunities, and offer the ability to network with cross-functional interns/co-ops across the U.S. 

Salary & benefits

The expected hourly rate for this position is $22.50 - $31.10 per hour. 

• Paid time off
• Mental Health and Wellbeing program
• Digital Learning Library
• Housing and Relocation Assistance for those who qualify
• Minnesota-based employees, Minnesota Sick and Safe Leave accruals of one hour for every 30 worked, up to 48 hours per calendar year unless otherwise provided by law.
• They offer both housing assistance and relocation reimbursement to co-ops who qualify (based on mileage).

Career progression

Interns at Cargill have the opportunity to gain valuable experience and build connections within the company, often leading to potential full-time employment offers or enhanced career prospects upon completion of their internship. Those who demonstrate exceptional performance and a keen desire to learn may be invited to return for subsequent internships, co-op positions, or even full-time roles, furthering their professional development within the organization.

Work-life balance

Cargill is committed to promoting work-life balance among its interns. The company offers a supportive environment that encourages both personal and professional growth. Interns at Cargill can expect ample opportunities to excel in their roles, while also maintaining a healthy balance between their work and personal life. 

Culture & vibe

At Cargill, you'll join a vibrant global community that embraces diversity through Business Resource Groups (BRGs), fostering an inclusive culture and leveraging diverse talents. Their culture prioritizes Safety, Employee Engagement, Inclusion, and Innovation, creating a supportive and innovative environment for employees to thrive.

About you

Required qualifications:

• Right to work in the U.S. that is not based solely on possession of a student visa or a visa sponsored by a third-party employer
• Currently pursuing a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering (ChE), BioChemical Engineering (BChE), Mechanical Engineering (ME), Biosystems Engineering (BSE), Agricultural Engineering (AgE), Mining Engineering (MinE), Electrical Engineering (EE), Industrial Engineering (IE), Environmental Engineering, Packaging or other related engineering discipline
• Bachelor’s/master’s degree to be/recently completed between December 2025 – May 2028
• Able to complete a 7-8 month co-op in the Spring and Summer (January-August 2025)
• Proven ability to work optimally with individuals from a diverse set of backgrounds and cultures
• Candidates must be geographically flexible and willing to relocate for a co-op/internship opportunity anywhere in the U.S.
• Must possess a high degree of initiative and resourcefulness in completing work with limited guidance

Preferred qualifications:

• Previous plant, production, co-op, or intern experience preferred.
• Overall 2.7 GPA is preferred.
• Ability to relate technical knowledge to job-related duties.
• Demonstrated ability to solve problems and make decisions independently.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Leadership experience

Sources

The following sources were used in researching this page:

• cargill.com/about
• careers.cargill.com
• youtube.com/@Cargill