Animal Food Safety & Regulatory Intern

ABOUT POET

At POET, it is our mission to be good stewards of the Earth by converting renewable resources to energy and other valuable goods as effectively as humanly possible. For over thirty-five years, our drive and passion to change the world has enabled us to become the largest producer and marketer of bioethanol and a leader in sustainable products in the world.

CULTURE IS KING AT POET

We’re all on the same team. We always communicate. And we park our egos at the door. These aren’t just slogans on our walls. It’s the way we do things at POET. We provide an environment for team members to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It’s the best way to optimize health, wellness, and productivity in a sustainable way. We work hard. We play hard. We have frequent team events, volunteer efforts, and we know how to celebrate wins!

JOB SUMMARY & RESPONSIBILITIES

As an Animal Food Safety & Regulatory Intern, you will gain hands-on experience at the intersection of agriculture, science, regulatory affairs, and communication while learning how animal food ingredients are produced within the bioethanol industry.

You will work closely with Quality and Regulatory team members to learn manufacturing processes and translate technical animal food safety and regulatory concepts into engaging, practical training resources.

A key focus of this internship will be developing animal food safety training content and videos that bring food safety concepts to life for our team members. You will have the opportunity to visit bioprocessing facilities, interact with subject matter experts, learn how regulatory requirements apply in a manufacturing environment, and turn what you learn into meaningful educational content.

This is an on-site internship located at our corporate headquarters in Sioux Falls, SD. Responsibilities include:

• Learn how POET's bioethanol production process creates high-quality animal food ingredients and other valuable bioproducts.

• Partner with Quality, Regulatory, and other team members to identify important animal food safety concepts and training needs.

• Research animal food safety regulations, industry guidance, and scientific concepts to support the development of accurate training materials.

• Translate technical and regulatory information into clear, engaging content that is meaningful to team members.

• Visit POET Bioprocessing facilities to observe manufacturing and animal food safety practices firsthand.

• Develop scripts, visual aids, quick-reference materials, and other short educational training resources.

• Interview subject matter experts and facility team members to capture practical knowledge and real-world examples.

• Gain exposure to FDA animal food regulations, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), and food safety plans.

• Learn about programs such as sanitary transportation, pest management, chemical control, foreign material prevention, mycotoxin management, traceability, and product withdrawal and recall.

• Collaborate across teams to better understand how regulatory requirements, quality programs, operations, and customer expectations work together.

• Support additional Quality and Regulatory projects based on business needs and your areas of interest.

The POET Never Satisfied Internship openings are for Summer 2027. We post Internships in early September with the intention of having interns selected by November 1st.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• You are currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, Agricultural Science, Food Science, Biology, Chemistry, Agricultural Communications, Agricultural Business, or a related field.

• You have an interest in animal agriculture, animal nutrition, food/feed safety, quality, regulatory affairs, or agricultural communications.

• You enjoy learning about science and understanding the "why" behind processes and requirements.

• You have strong written and verbal communication skills and can make technical information understandable to different audiences.

• You are curious, organized, and comfortable asking questions.

• You enjoy working with people and collaborating across different areas of an organization.

• You are interested in creating educational content and communicating through presentations, videos, visual materials, or other creative formats.

• Experience with PowerPoint, video editing, photography, graphic design, or other communication tools is beneficial but not required.

• You are willing to travel to POET Bioprocessing facilities as needed to learn about operations and capture training content.

A SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE

• Curiosity about how science, regulations, and agriculture come together in a real-world manufacturing environment.

• Ability to translate complex scientific and technical information into clear, engaging, and easy-to-understand content.

• Enthusiasm for creating educational content that can have a meaningful and lasting impact across the organization.

• Strong interpersonal skills and a willingness to ask questions, engage with others, and learn from subject matter experts.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Some travel will be expected for this position to visit the bioprocessing facilities.

• In this role, you’ll be asked to drive a POET vehicle. A motor vehicle record check will be conducted during the pre-employment process.

• This position operates in an office environment, working at a personal computer where you may sit or stand. Most of our Sioux Falls office workspace consists of an open-concept design intended to promote open communication and collaboration.

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

At POET, we encourage internal development and growth by allowing team members to carve their own path to success. Leaders support team members with the necessary resources to develop their skills, achieve goals, and create the most value. We believe in developing our team members to their highest potential and recognizing contributions that add value to the organization. Each new team member’s position and compensation are carefully determined by considering their unique qualifications and skillset.

PERKS

• A multifaceted wellness program encompassing the whole person – mentally, physically, and spiritually
• On-site fitness centers or fitness reimbursements
• Safety and cold-weather gear reimbursements

POET is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to maintaining a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, abilities, merit, and other legitimate business factors, without regard to any legally protected characteristic. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, working conditions, promotion, and termination.