Our Summer Internship Programme runs for 12 weeks over the summer at our world class research centre in Palmerston North where you will gain hands on experience with real R&D projects. You will get to solve practical problems using your science related knowledge. We are looking for talented, innovative people studying in the areas of engineering, chemistry, food technology, microbiology, and food science. We advertise in July.
Some of our interns’ progress to be supported with projects for their fourth-year study or post graduate studies and some go on to be selected for the Fonterra Graduate Technical Programme.
Over the 12-week Fonterra R&D Internship Programme, I worked on a probiotic project where I was given the opportunity to take a proactive role in designing trials, analysing results, and presenting to the wider project team. While working independently, I was also supported by a senior research scientist. I was exposed to the different facets of science in the dairy industry and advised on career development paths.
The Fonterra R&D Summer Internship Programme provided an invaluable opportunity to be collaboratively involved in a wide range of projects that both supported Fonterra’s outcomes as well as providing me with practical and valuable workplace experience.
The Summer Internship has led me to a graduate role at the FRDC, where I continue to work on probiotics, supported by the Microbiology and Food Assurance teams.