SCADA Programming Intern - Summer 2027
About the job
- Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree or technical degree in a related discipline.
- General computer knowledge and proficiency.
- Basic knowledge of programming languages such as SQL and Visual Basic, or experience with AutoCAD.
- Basic mechanical aptitude.
- Ability to communicate with employees at all levels in verbal and written form.
- Regular and punctual attendance.
- Ability to perform all essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
- Office-setting work environment.
- Develop programmable logic controller and human-machine interface programs for current operations under the supervision of the Systems Engineering group.
- Assist with tracking and documenting new and modified plant changes, including visiting sites to take measurements and create accurate documentation when required.
- Compile, track, and analyze information related to motors and drives, utilities, oil, and water.
- Prepare reports and information for display or distribution as directed by the Systems Engineering group.
- Develop solutions to routine technical problems of limited scope.
- Assist with projects involving multiple departments.
- Cross-train in multiple departments to understand how departments work together on projects.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Basic knowledge of SQL and Visual Basic, or experience with AutoCAD.
- Basic mechanical or maintenance experience.
About the company
Empirical Foods processes beef to produce lean ground beef and other protein products for food service and retail. It uses an in-house proprietary process that warms beef trimmings, centrifuges fat, and treats the product to kill bacteria to yield about 95% lean ground beef. They also offer boxed beef and pork, portioned steaks and roasts, and fully cooked seasoned items under brands like Noble Valley, Two Rivers Meat Co, and Dos Rios Taco Meat. They differentiate themselves by owning the technology to turn by-products into high-value protein and serving large packers, ground beef producers, fast-food chains, and grocers, with capacity expansion including a new plant in Garden City, Kansas.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Dakota Dunes, South Dakota
Founded
N/A
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Garden City opened April 8, 2026, adding more than 250 jobs and new volume.
- Record-high beef prices strengthen Empirical’s pitch for cheaper lean ground beef.
- Phase II at Garden City targets 80 million pounds annually if demand supports it.
What critics are saying
- USDA forecast tighter calf supplies in late 2026 squeeze Empirical’s input volumes.
- Ground beef remains haunted by pink slime stigma, threatening restaurant and retail demand.
- A major food-safety incident at Dakota Dunes or Garden City would devastate the brand.
What makes Empirical Foods unique
- Garden City’s 280,000-square-foot plant doubled lean ground beef capacity in 2026.
- Empirical’s proprietary centrifuge process extracts 95% lean beef from trimmings, not cattle expansion.
- Forty-five years of technology claim 21 extra pounds of beef per head.
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Benefits
Flexible Work Hours