INTERNSHIP DETAILS

Controls Engineer Intern

CompanyChallenge Manufacturing
LocationKansas City
Work ModeOn Site
PostedMarch 4, 2026
Internship Information
Core Responsibilities
The intern will gain exposure through individual projects and hands-on tasks, focusing on familiarization with plant operations, troubleshooting controls-related issues, and performing verification tasks like error proofing and cycle time studies. Responsibilities also include participating in FMEA reviews and cross-functional collaboration for quality concerns.
Internship Type
full time
Company Size
1607
Visa Sponsorship
No
Language
English
Working Hours
40 hours
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About The Company
Founded in 1981, Challenge Manufacturing is a leading global Tier 1 supplier of complex assemblies and engineered metal formed products to the automotive industry. Celebrating over 40 years in business, Challenge offers a wide range of career opportunities and a competitive employee benefits package. Challenge is an employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), which enables a collaborative and teamwork-oriented culture and provides employee-owners the opportunity to share in the success of the company. The ESOP is a critical element to Challenge’s culture and success. In the fast-growing environment, Challenge maintains its responsibilities of providing employees job security, workplace safety, fair treatment, competitive wages and benefits, employee ownership, transparent communication, opportunities and career growth. For more information about Challenge, visit our website at www.challenge-mfg.com.
About the Role

Who We Are:
Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

Challenge is #QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!

Who We Want:
Challenge Mfg. Company’s Internship Program allows students to obtain real world work experience through technical and software exposure. This exposure is granted through individual projects, hands-on tasks on the plant floor, and much more. Challenge Mfg. Company prides itself on giving students a head start on experience in the Automotive Industry to enhance their future. 

We are currently looking for a Controls Engineer Intern to join our team! 

What You'll Do:

Week 1- Introduction to plant. Familiarization with plant and processes. Software type and location. Asset centre navigation. To gain understanding of plant operations, as well as roles and expectations of plant level controls engineer.
Week 2- Introduction to troubleshooting and support. Accompany auto techs and CE to controls related calls on the floor. Learn troubleshooting skills for maintenance/production support. Gain understanding of the different standards of ladder logic, HMI, and rapid.
Week 3-4- Read across projects. Identify inconsistencies in cell level standards including fault messaging, andon lights, shot clocks. Make any necessary corrections to basic read across items, document each cell and verify functionality.
Week 5, 7, 10- Error proofing verification. Perform red rabbit/error proofing verification under direction of CE. Document and update E-098 appropriately. There will be several cells each month for verification.
Week 5-6 -Cycle time study Identify current cycle times for every robot and operation. Build matrix to document all cycle times. Identify bottle necks and areas of opportunities. Make suggestions for cycle time improvements and process optimization.
Week 7-8- Quality PC review Review previous 6 months PCs. Identify error proofing opportunities and gaps. Identify any recurring issues, corrective actions, and verification of effectiveness. Suggest areas of opportunity for additional and/or better error proofing.
Week 9-10- Engineering open issues/projects. Take part in any current open issues and projects with the engineering team. Value added assistance in current on going projects.
Weekly- FMEA RPN review PFMEA review for weld and press high RPN, and customer complaints. Take part in weekly cross functional meetings to discuss RPN and identify opportunities for reduction.
Weekly- Quality concern cross functional collaboration. Take part in any cross functional collaboration that is a result of internal or external findings. Collaborate and provide input with engineering, maintenance, quality, and production for any quality concerns that require corrective action.
Weekly- Troubleshooting and support. Join troubleshooting efforts anytime controls engineer is needed on the production floor. Assist and offer input in troubleshooting activities to aid in reduction of equipment downtime.

When and Where:
This will be a 1st Shift / 7am - 4pm M-F position located at our Plant in Kansas City, MO.

What You Need to Have:

  • Must be pursuing a four-year Bachelor’s degree related to Controls Engineering from a accredited college or university
  • Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to be considered for the Internship program
  • Must have superior verbal and written communication skills
  • Strong organizational skills and ability to multi-task in global manufacturing environment
  • Authorized to work in the U.S.
  • Must be physically capable of performing the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. 

 

What We Offer:
We’re excited to offer a range of awesome benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions, Flexible Spending Accounts, company-paid Short-Term Disability and Basic Life Insurance, Voluntary Life and Long-Term Disability options, an Employer 401k Match, ESOP shares, tuition reimbursement, a Referral Bonus Program, Challenge Incentive Program, and paid time off.

Please note, while these benefits are part of what we offer, they may not all apply to this specific role. The details shared in this job description are intended to give you a general idea, but duties and responsibilities may evolve over time, with or without notice. And of course, we’re happy to provide reasonable accommodations to help individuals with disabilities succeed in their role.

Key Skills
TroubleshootingLadder LogicHMIRapidError ProofingCycle Time StudyProcess OptimizationFMEA RPN ReviewCommunication SkillsOrganizational SkillsMulti-taskingSoftware ExposureTechnical Exposure
Categories
EngineeringManufacturingTrades
Benefits
Medical InsuranceDental InsuranceVision InsuranceHealth Savings AccountFlexible Spending AccountsShort-Term Disability InsuranceBasic Life InsuranceLong-Term Disability Insurance401k MatchESOP SharesTuition ReimbursementReferral Bonus ProgramIncentive ProgramPaid Time Off