Summer 2027

Machine Shop Intern

Summer 2027

Deadline 8/25/27
Empirical Foods

Empirical Foods

201-500 employees

Meat processing, lean ground beef producer

No salary listed

South Sioux City, NE, USA

In Person

Bachelor's

Category
Manufacturing & Production Operations (1)

Get referred to Empirical Foods

See people who can refer or advise you

Requirements
  • Entry-level mechanical knowledge and familiarity with industrial equipment and parts.
  • General computer knowledge and proficiency.
  • Basic communication skills, including speaking clearly and effectively and writing legibly and effectively.
  • Regular and punctual attendance.
  • Ability to lift, push, and pull up to 60 pounds.
  • Ability to walk, stand, climb, bend, reach, and handle materials and equipment.
  • Ability to perform all essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree or technical degree in a related discipline.
Responsibilities
  • Complete saw cutting of materials as directed by machine shop management, set cutting speeds, and adjust the blade.
  • Sharpen drill bits and end mills.
  • Clean machines and the machine shop daily by sweeping, wiping down machines, and removing metal shavings and cutting oils.
  • Assist with tooling inventory by collecting tools and putting them away.
  • Operate manual lathes, mills, and computer numerical control machines as needed.
  • Operate the surface grinder and other equipment as needed.
  • Inspect parts against the print and document whether parts have passed or failed.
  • Assist machinists with setting up parts.
  • Locate and return tools to inventory.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in a machining or manufacturing environment.

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

Get referred to Empirical Foods

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

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.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Flexible Work Hours