How to hire an industrial engineering internship

How to hire an industrial engineering internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step industrial engineering internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an industrial engineering internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new industrial engineering internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your industrial engineering internship job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an industrial engineering internship for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect industrial engineering internship also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of industrial engineering internship salaries for various roles:

   Type of Industrial Engineering Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Industrial Engineering Internship	Industrial engineers find ways to eliminate wastefulness in production processes. They devise efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service.	$13-25
   Process Improvement Engineer	A process improvement engineer specializes in conducting research and analysis to develop new strategies and ideas to improve the processes in a manufacturing plant or a similar setting. They prioritize efficiency and profitability... Show more	$29-52
   Co-Operations Engineer	A Co-Operations Engineer ensures that operations-related activities are performed in compliance with company standards and regulations. They optimize the overall efficiency of business.	$14-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Continuous Improvement
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Process Improvement
   • Data Collection
   • Logistics
   • Data Analysis
   • Statistical Analysis
   • SQL
   • Sigma
   • Process Flow
   • Material Flow
   • Capacity Analysis
   • Cost Reduction
   • Facility Layout

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead PDCA project to reduce order sizing defects that impact customer product delivery, avoiding $230K in lose revenue.
   • Complete 2-D and 3-D cad drawings for weld shop fabrication.
   • Develop and execute sourcing plans for tooling procurement to comply with FAA regulations.
   • Provide remote desktop support to windows systems and local applications for Ceva internal employees.
   • Experience in the administration facilities maintenance, OSHA programs, EPA programs and new projects.
   • Recruit from Kal Kan to apply lean dry pet food methodologies to largest confectionery site.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your industrial engineering internship job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An industrial engineering internship can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, industrial engineering interns' average salary in vermont is 42% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level industrial engineering interns 44% less than senior-level industrial engineering interns.
   • Certifications. An industrial engineering internship with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an industrial engineering internship's salary.

   Average industrial engineering internship salary

   $39,182yearly

   $18.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level industrial engineering internship salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

4. Writing an industrial engineering internship job description

   An industrial engineering internship job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an industrial engineering internship job description:

   Industrial engineering internship job description example

   Sheetz Distribution Services - Claysburg, PA We are looking for candidates for at least a 12-week period during the summer.This position will travel to Claysburg PA intermittently with mileage reimbursement; however, the majority of the internship will be spent at stores that are in close proximity to your location. This position will work 2nd / 3rd shift depending on the delivery schedule for the selected stores. PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS POSITION:
   
   Assist in capturing and analyzing opportunities to improve deliveries to Stores
   
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (other duties may be assigned) Perform detailed analyses to evaluate supply chain opportunities for how Sheetz Distribution Services (SDS) services stores Collect feedback from store employees regarding the delivery experience and process Receive hands on experience applying Industrial Engineering tools and knowledge primarily in a retail setting and also at the production facilities Apply Industrial Engineering tools and knowledge in areas that may include project management, waste reduction, non-value added activity identification and elimination, and labor studies Assist in developing or maintaining reporting and monitoring performance measures Provide support and recommendations to other ongoing projects
   REQUIREMENTS:
   
   The education, experience and license/certification requirements represent the MINIMUM requirements necessary to perform the functions of this position successfully.
   
   Education Pursuing 4 year degree in Engineering or Supply Chain Minimum 3.0 GPA Experience Candidates that have completed at least their 2nd year of coursework in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field are preferred. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel. Familiarity with data visualization practices and software, such as Tableau Strong communication skills, including written and verbal. Strong professionalism and interpersonal skills. Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills. ABOUT SHEETZ
   Sheetz, Inc. is a fast-growing, family-owned, food/convenience company that has been in business since 1952. Sheetz has over 600 locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.
   Our mission at Sheetz has been to meet the needs of customers on the go. Of course, things have changed over those nearly 70 years. Life is faster and busier, and customers expect us to be there when they need us most. One thing that hasn't changed is our commitment to our customers, our employees and the communities in which we operate. Sheetz donates millions of dollars every year to the charities it holds dear.

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5. Post your job

   To find industrial engineering interns for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any industrial engineering interns they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level industrial engineering interns with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your industrial engineering internship job on Zippia to find and recruit industrial engineering internship candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit industrial engineering interns, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new industrial engineering internship

   Once you have selected a candidate for the industrial engineering internship position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new industrial engineering internship. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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