Electrical Controls Intern

Signode fabricates and sells consumables and automation equipment used to pack, bundle, unitize, warehouse, and transport goods. The Engineering team for automation and packaging technologies (APT) develops new products, tests them, and launches them to market. We always have wish list projects in the queue which fit well into a 10-to-14-week internship project.

The electrical controls engineering intern will work on a project determined by business needs. The project will be related to equipment used for strapping, case handling, packing, unitizing, or warehouse automation.

Essential Functions:

• Identify and develop solutions leveraging engineering principles, automation concepts, and lean practices to solve business problems and improve productivity.
• Collect, organize, analyze, and present data to measure current and future state process performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, EHS) to build business justification for proposed solutions.
• Program PLCs, HMIs, Industrial PCs, and / or robots to achieve product requirements.
• Design electrical circuits for electromechanical equipment.
• Create and review electrical schematics in AutoCAD.
• Submit engineering change orders and assist with technical documentation.
• Build, program, and test prototypes.
• Select electrical, controls, and electro-mechanical components.
• Evaluate and optimize designs for safety, reliability, and cost.
• Available for the entire duration of this internship program - (June 2026 - August 2026)
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Education:

Currently enrolled at a college or university and working towards a Bachelor’s or Master’s studying Electrical Engineering, Automation, Computer Science, or related field

Experience:

• Detail oriented and conscientious when programming, testing, and debugging.
• Ability to explain programming concepts and solicit feedback from colleagues.
• Mechanical aptitude required to program systems that manipulate physical objects
• Experience with internet of things, IO-link, and / or smart devices is a plus

Computer skills:

• Rockwell and / or Siemens PLC programming, or ability to learn
• Industrial PLC and Robot control experience is a plus
• AutoCAD electrical experience a plus
• Intermediate use of Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Familiarity with PDM, ERP, and database systems is a plus.

Travel requirements:

• Intern may accompany engineers or managers on limited customer or factory visits.

Functional Success Drivers: These competencies are what we require for an individual to be successful in this role.

• Detail oriented
• Team Player
• Adaptable
• Time Management

Special Considerations for Interns

Signode’s APT facility in Roselle is conveniently located west of Chicago, near major highways and walking distance from the Metra commuter train stop at Schaumburg.

Signode typically hires several interns in the summer for this location and facilitates networking with intern breakfasts, a tour of a nearby steel strap manufacturing facility, and presentations to management.

We select projects which enable interns to pursue a design independently, in many cases going from concept to testing of a physical prototype by the end of the internship.