R&D and Innovation Intern
Job Title: R&D and Innovation Intern
Department: R&D and Innovation
Location: Lenexa, KS
Major Job Activities and Duties:
You will be assigned to a project or multiple projects that will be substantive in nature and will create exposure to a variety of work activities. During your internship experience, you will have the opportunity to network with and learn from different levels of company management including a capstone presentation to the leadership team at the end of the internship to present findings and recommendations on project work.
The Research & Development (R&D) and Innovation functions at PureField will provide students with a career interest and a food science related academic background, the opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to a business environment. The internship program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn and work with PureField business units (R&D and Innovation, Quality, Operations, Leadership) to provide solutions to customers.
Potential projects may include:
- Application evaluations of 85 and 90% wheat protein concentrates and isolates.
- Application studies may include evaluating 85-90% PFI wheat protein production samples against standard vital wheat gluten (75-80% protein) and competitive wheat protein isolates in bakery and/or meat alternative applications to gauge performance and potential value propositions.
- Depending on outcome of application studies, this internship may suggest product improvements to differentiate against standard wheat proteins or competitive products, so that additional processing trials and modifications may be tested in production and additional application studies completed.
- If additional production trials are completed, this internship will have the opportunity to participate in project planning discussions and participate in the process trials so that an understanding of how the process impacts final product performance can be better understood.
- Conduct extrusion trials for texturized vegetable proteins based on wheat ingredients or wheat and other plant-based protein blends.
- Project will include optimizing initial extruded wheat protein formulations that meet the scope of customer or PFI requirements.
- Project will also include evaluation of the TVP products in end meat analog applications (e.g. plant-based burgers, sausage, chicken nugget, and the like).
- Potential comparison to competitive TVP products to determine differentiating characteristics and value-proposition.
Qualifications:
- Pursuing a degree in: Food Science, Grain Science or Extrusion Science.
- Minimum GPA 3.0.
- Finishing Sophomore-Senior Year at beginning of Summer 2023; Graduate Student, a plus.
- Experience in bakery applications, texturized vegetable proteins, meat analog applications, or grain protein processing preferred.
- Ability and interest to work in laboratory, pilot plant and manufacturing scale environments.
- Skilled at data analysis, data interpretation and presenting of results with an attention to detail.
- Must possess a high degree of initiative and resourcefulness in completing work with limited guidance.
- Team player with good communication skills (both written and oral).
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
- Ability to be located in the Kansas City area for internship (Offices in Lexena, KS) with ability to travel to processing plant in Russell, KS.
- Right to work in the USA.
Additional Program Information:
- Offering competitive compensation
- Gain knowledge and experience from an industry leader
- Challenging and stimulating work assignments
- Apply classroom theory to real work situations
- Learn in a supportive, professional atmosphere to increase your knowledge
- Opportunity to present your internship experience to upper management