Summary

Come join our Maintenance team in Bridgewater, VA for Summer 2026! Our Maintenance and Reliability Internship offers students hands-on, real-world experience within the company over an 10 – 12 week period. Come experience an inside look in the world of plant operations.

The Maintenance & Reliability Intern will gain hands-on exposure to equipment performance, preventative maintenance systems, and continuous improvement initiatives. The internship will provide the opportunity to work on real business challenges in maintenance planning, downtime reduction, and reliability optimization. The program will be tailored to the intern’s interests and experience level to maximize learning.

What can you expect from a Perdue summer internship? 

• Competitive Pay 
• Exciting Social, Philanthropic, and Networking Events with other Perdue Interns
• Hands-On, Real World Work Experience and a Dedicated Summer Mentor 
• Learning Workshops
• Travel to Perdue Locations Such as our Innovation Center, Perdue Learning University and Live Production Farms
• Interaction with Senior Leadership 
• Housing Stipend 

Principal and Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Support the tracking and reporting of Repair & Maintenance (R&M) spending to identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Assist in downtime analysis and reporting to determine performance trends.
• Participate in root cause analysis efforts to address equipment failures and propose corrective actions.
• Contribute to preventative maintenance optimization, including review and updating of PM schedules.
• Assist with CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) data scrubbing, ensuring accuracy and completeness of maintenance records.
• Collaborate with plant operations and maintenance teams on reliability projects that improve equipment uptime and reduce unplanned failures.

Minimum Education

Required:

• Must be enrolled in an accredited 2–4 year college or technical school program.

Preferred:

• Program of study in Industrial Maintenance, Engineering Technology, Manufacturing, Reliability Engineering, Mechatronics, or related technical field.
• GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Experience Requirements

Required:

• Must be authorized to work in the United States.
• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior currently pursuing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

Preferred:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Familiarity with mechanical or electrical systems, reliability tools, or maintenance practices.

Environmental Factors and Physical Requirements

• Position is active. On the plant floor activities such as troubleshooting and re-design of existing systems are routine. 
• May need to move equipment occasionally. 
• May need to access files, supplies and equipment. 
• Position requires an associate to have the ability to move throughout the complex and all facilities.
• When in a plant environment: Exposure primarily consists of wet and moist floors which include metal and plastic grating surfaces.
• May be exposed to temperatures of 28 degrees to 100 degrees Fahrenheit with both ambient and 100% humidity.
• May handle product 25 degrees to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. May be exposed to noise ranges of 50 db to 110 db.
• May be exposed to all chemicals used in poultry, food, processing facility.
• Must wear and use protective and safety equipment required for the job as directed by the Company.