Manufacturing Engineer Intern

The High Frequency Technology Center (HFTC) in Santa Rosa, CA is seeking an intern to join our Industrial Engineering team. This role offers hands-on experience in a high-frequency semiconductor manufacturing environment and the opportunity to learn the principles behind running an efficient, healthy factory.

Working alongside industrial engineers, automation engineers, process engineers, operations personnel, and maintenance/equipment engineering teams, you will help drive major process improvement and capacity expansion efforts. You will take a deep, hands-on dive into specific manufacturing areas — gathering data and observations to own and drive Lean process improvements — and work with the team to develop and improve models and simulations of the factory to increase throughput, reduce turn-around-time, and improve efficiency.

This is a full-time, onsite summer internship in Santa Rosa, CA, with a strong possibility of extension for up to a year.

We believe internships should be more than a summer job. You will be assigned a defined project with clear objectives, ownership, and measurable outcomes, and work closely with experienced engineers throughout. Our goal is that you finish with a tangible improvement delivered to the organization — a meaningful accomplishment you can put on a resume, discuss in future interviews, and build a career on. We encourage curiosity, welcome questions, and support continuous learning.

• Conduct time studies, value stream mapping, and structured process observations on the manufacturing floor
• Use SQL, Excel, and Power BI to analyze manufacturing data and uncover gaps in existing data sets
• Own capacity modeling for a designated manufacturing area, building models that reflect real factory behavior
• Support automation efforts by developing a working understanding of the underlying manufacturing processes
• Document and standardize inventory, MES, and ERP transactions to make them repeatable and reliable
• Support day-to-day operations escalations as a path to learning the floor and its constraints
• Own and present an end-to-end project drawing on several of the above

Required

• Rising junior or senior pursuing a degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
• Strong communication, organization, and teamwork skills
• Ability to take ownership of a task and follow it through to completion
• Willingness to spend time on the manufacturing floor observing and working directly with processes and equipment

Preferred

• Advanced coursework relevant to industrial engineering, manufacturing systems, operations research, and/or data analysis
• Experience with SQL and relational databases
• Experience with discrete-event simulation software (Simul8, Simio, AnyLogic, or Arena)
• Advanced Excel or data analysis skills; exposure to Power BI
• Prior experience in a manufacturing or production environment
• Exposure to Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodology
• Personal, academic, or internship projects that demonstrate initiative and technical curiosity

Engineering Mindset

Successful candidates typically demonstrate curiosity and a willingness to learn, attention to detail, strong time management, the ability to collaborate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, and a desire to understand the people and processes behind a problem — not just its technical requirements.