Sweetener Technical Service Intern (Summer 2025)

We have an exciting opportunity for an ambitious student to join our Bedford Park R&D/ Technical Service team for summer 2025! As the Sweetener Technical Service Intern, you will support 2 projects.   The first will be to refresh a series of food/beverage formulations to produce on-trend finished products that effectively demonstrate ingredient functionality to our customers.  The second will be gathering and generating Sweetener ingredient characterization data to support customer technical inquiries. You will have the opportunity to learn about various sweeteners and their importance in finished foods, review food category trends and evaluate sensory characteristics of various formulations.  Leading formulations may be presented to customers and/or at trade shows during the summer.  Ingredient characterization data will be used to create tools to support technical service team and in the implementation of an AI agent!

Your role will be:

• Operating analytical and food laboratory equipment safely and with little direct supervision to support project needs
• Maintaining a clean, safe work environment; following guidelines for GMP (good manufacturing practice), good housekeeping and safety (both food safety and personnel safety)
• Conducting searches on prior art (literature, internal and external prior work), and current technology including category market trends (Beverage, Baking, Dairy, Confectionery, Savory), and incorporating findings in appropriate formulations and data archive locations
• Presenting project status, updates, and outcomes to team and key partners
• Working well with others in laboratory; effectively communicating with colleagues, project teams, including cross-functional team members, and key partners
• Performing laboratory experiments including sensory analysis, conduct data analysis and interpret results to make recommendations to project team and support the project
• Coordinating, summarizing and reporting data generated from these experiments
• Documenting data in archiving databases and/or customer presentation formats as appropriate; effectively and professionally communicating results to project teams and partners
• Presenting research findings to management with recommendations for future projects at completion of internship period

Your profile needs these qualifications:

• Progress towards a Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field with prior laboratory experience.  Basic food formulation experience is a plus.
• Ability to work safely in a laboratory environment
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written technical communication skills, e.g. making presentations and writing technical data/reports
• Working knowledge of basic computer software applications such as MS Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).  Willingness to learn new database formats as needed
• Ability to work 40 hrs/week during the internship period
• Reliable transportation required to get to and from facility each work day

You’ll need these skills to be successful:

• Proven ability to effectively organize and manage multiple projects, and deliver under agreed upon timelines
• Demonstrated agility to adapt to changing priorities when needed
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with peers and others
• Solid teamwork skills and creative problem solving
• Desire to see and create results

To be eligible for consideration, candidates must:

• Currently possess unrestricted authorization to work in the United States. Ingredion does not intend to sponsor work visas with respect to this position or to provide this position as OPT or CPT.
• Be a currently enrolled student in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree program. If currently enrolled in an undergrad status, must have completed at least two years of coursework with status as a sophomore, junior or non-graduating senior.
• If you have completed your degree, please consider other opportunities with Ingredion, posted at ww.ingredion.com/careers.

Ingredion Total Rewards and Benefits:

We offer a competitive and comprehensive package that aligns with our values and goals. It includes hourly salary, housing stipends, flexibility, learning, recognition, and wellness.

We offer benefits for interns & co-ops such as:

• Housing Stipends (51+ miles from Ingredion work location)
• Internship Program Events & Activities
• Annual Capstone Summit at Ingredion HQ in Westchester, IL
• Intern Buddy Program
• Involvement in Ingredion’s Business Resource Groups
• Achieve Recognition Program
• Perkspot Discount Program