R&D Engineer Intern

Armstrong World Industries (AWI) is looking for motivated candidates for our Summer Engineering Internship, based at our Corporate Campus in Lancaster, PA. We welcome Chemical, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering students.

What's in it for you?

As an R&D Engineering Intern, you'll use your technical skills to learn how Armstrong products, raw materials, manufacturing processes, and test requirements work in depth.

• The opportunity to begin your career with the most innovative and forward-thinking building products company in the industry
• The opportunity to help transform the design and building of spaces, so that occupants, owners, operators, and communities can thrive, today and into the future
• You'll own real projects with measurable business impact, such as raw material substitutions, cost savings, product performance improvements, and process optimization

R&D Engineering Interns will:

• Complete one or more assigned engineering projects during the internship, from planning through final recommendation
• Contribute to several ongoing R&D projects that support new product development, cost reduction, and continuous improvement
• Support the Project Management Life Cycle, including:
• Preparing project specifications and requirements
• Coordinating project schedules and using Project Management tools
• Executing projects, closing them out, and supporting sustainability initiatives
• Design experiments, collect and analyze data, and present findings and recommendations to R&D leadership and business partners
• Plan and run lab-scale, pilot-scale, and plant trials
• See the inside of large-scale manufacturing facilities, equipment, and safe working practices

Discipline-specific opportunities may include:

• Chemical Engineering
• Evaluating and qualifying alternative raw materials (for example mineral fillers, binders, additives, and facing or backing materials) for cost savings and supply security
• Developing slurry and formulation work, including rheology, solids content, and dispersion behavior
• Studying product performance attributes such as water repellency, moisture/sag resistance, acoustics, and durability
• Characterizing materials and processes, and correlating lab results with production outcomes
• Mechanical Engineering
• Designing, modifying, and specifying process equipment and fixtures
• Improving material handling, forming, cutting, sanding, and finishing operations
• Thermal and fluid analysis for drying, combustion, and pneumatic conveying systems
• Using 3D CAD modeling, tolerance analysis, and design-for-manufacturing reviews
• Electrical Engineering
• Supporting process controls, PLC/HMI programming, and instrumentation on pilot and production equipment
• Specifying sensors and data acquisition for test rigs and process monitoring
• Applying automation, machine vision, and AI/data analytics for quality inspection and process optimization
• Working with motors, drives, power distribution, and energy-reduction opportunities

What will make you successful

• Outside-of-the-box thinking, with a structured, data-driven way of solving problems
• Curiosity about how materials, equipment, and controls interact in a manufacturing process
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, and a team-oriented mindset
• Ability to build and nurture relationships with other functions within AWI, including plant personnel
• Comfort working hands-on in lab, pilot, and plant environments
• Ability to turn technical results into clear business recommendations, both written and presented
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Excellent time management and the ability to manage several priorities and meet deadlines
• A track record of leadership through work, school, or extracurricular activities

Required Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering at an ABET-accredited program, and no more than 24 months from graduation
• Minimum 3.0 GPA (cumulative and within major)

What Makes You Stand Out

• A previous internship or co-op in a manufacturing or R&D environment
• Coursework or project experience in Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis (for example Minitab)
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methods
• Chemical: Lab experience with material characterization, formulation, slurries, or coatings
• Mechanical: Autodesk 3D modeling (Inventor/Fusion) and Autodesk simulation experience
• Electrical: Experience with PLCs (for example Allen-Bradley/Rockwell), sensors and instrumentation, data acquisition, machine vision, automation, and AI/ML tools