Supply Chain & Procurement Intern

Position Summary:

The Supply Chain / Procurement Intern supports the purchasing and supply chain teams in improving supplier performance, material availability, inventory, delivery, and cost. Under the guidance of a Materials Manager or Supply Chain professional, the intern will gain practical experience in purchasing, supplier management, inventory, and manufacturing operations.

· Supports purchasing, supplier follow-up, and supply chain improvement activities.

· Partners with purchasing, supply chain, and operations to complete assigned projects

Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Learn and apply the Ralliant Business System (RBS) lean principles to support continuous improvement initiatives

• Assist buyers with purchase orders, supplier follow-up, delivery dates, lead times, and material availability

• Communicate with suppliers regarding order status, delivery performance, pricing, and supply issues

• Support Kanban and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) programs to improve material flow and availability

• Assist with RFQs, quote comparisons, sourcing activities, and supplier research

• Collect and analyze purchasing, supplier, inventory, and delivery data to identify trends and improvement opportunities

• Support supplier performance activities, including on-time delivery, lead time, and supplier issue resolution

• Help identify opportunities to reduce cost, improve inventory, and eliminate waste using Lean principles

• Create and maintain Excel reports and purchasing/supply chain metrics

• Prepare project updates, data summaries, recommendations, and final presentations for supply chain and procurement leadership

• May be assigned additional projects and responsibilities at the sole discretion of the manager or supervisor

Critical Success Factors: 

• Completes assigned projects with clear objectives, reliable data, practical recommendations, and documented results

• Demonstrates curiosity, initiative, organization, and willingness to learn

• Builds effective working relationships with buyers, suppliers, operations, and cross-functional partners

• Communicates clearly and professionally with internal and external stakeholders

Education & Experience Required:

• Currently pursuing a bachelor's or MBA degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Data Analytics, or a related field

• Anticipated graduation date between Winter 2026 and Spring 2028

• Minimum 3.0 cumulative G.P.A. on a 4.0 scale

Desired Skills:

• Basic understanding of purchasing, supply chain, inventory, or manufacturing processes

• Ability to collect and analyze data using Microsoft Excel

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to work collaboratively with suppliers and cross-functional teams

• Organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple activities and deadlines

• Interest or exposure to Lean, Kanban, VMI, or continuous improvement is preferred

• Willingness to spend time in both office and manufacturing environments

• Commitment to safety, quality, continuous improvement, and respectful workplace practices

PHYSICAL DEMANDS / ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an associate may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, use a computer, communicate with others, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is also regularly required to stand, walk, and move through office, laboratory, and manufacturing environments, and may occasionally bend, squat, turn, or twist.

The employee must occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull up to 25 pounds.

Specific vision abilities  by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be subjected to moving mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, fumes, odors, dusts, gases, chemicals, oils, extreme temperatures and workspace restrictions. 

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate in office areas and may be loud in manufacturing or production areas.

Employees will be required to wear the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which may include eye, hearing and respiratory protection, protective smock, steel toe shoes, gloves, hard hats, or face shields. Contact lenses may not be allowed in some areas.

The associate must also be willing and able to travel by all forms of transportation as required for assigned work.

The duties listed in job descriptions are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

The purpose of this description is to assist in ADA compliance and is not intended for other purposes.