Join the world's largest HVAC company!
Daikin Applied is now hiring for a Continuous Improvement Engineering Intern in Plymouth, Minnesota. This 12-week internship offers hands-on experience in an HVAC/R, chiller, and compressor test facility while supporting improvements that strengthen safety, quality, delivery, cost, test capacity, and employee engagement.
You will work alongside engineers, technicians, laboratory planners, controls and instrumentation specialists, skilled trades, and operational leaders. With guidance from a Continuous Improvement Engineer, you will lead a defined improvement project from initial observation through pilot implementation, measurement, and final presentation.
What's in it for you?
- Own a meaningful, real-life improvement project that can directly improve Plymouth Test Lab performance.
- Gain practical experience with Lean, PDCA, DMAIC, Gemba, process mapping, time studies, root-cause analysis, standard work, 5S, visual management, and performance measurement.
- Build relationships with interns and professionals across engineering, test operations, quality, facilities, controls, instrumentation, and skilled trades.
- Receive regular coaching from a Continuous Improvement Engineer and support from experienced technical subject-matter experts.
- Present your results and recommendations to laboratory leadership and gain a measurable accomplishment for future interviews.
- Explore career paths in continuous improvement, industrial engineering, test engineering, quality, operations, project management, and data analytics.
What you will do
- Lead one scoped improvement project using PDCA or DMAIC methodology.
- Develop a project charter, SIPOC, stakeholder map, baseline, root-cause analysis, countermeasure plan, and final report-out.
- Conduct Gemba observations, employee interviews, time studies, workflow analysis, and current-state/future-state process mapping.
- Analyze test readiness, setup, teardown, turnover, downtime, lost test hours, action aging, or other operational measures.
- Create Pareto charts, trends, Excel tools, dashboards, checklists, standard work, visual controls, or process-confirmation methods.
- Support a focused Kaizen or structured problem-solving activity.
- Pilot practical countermeasures, collect employee feedback, compare before-and-after results, and identify unintended effects.
- Create a control and sustainment plan with named owners, review cadence, and follow-up measures.
Minimum qualifications
- Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Technology, Quality Engineering, Operations Management, Data Analytics, or a related technical field.
- Sophomore, Junior, or Senior standing at the start of the internship.
- Experience using Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
- Ability to collect, organize, analyze, and communicate information.
- Strong problem-solving, organization, collaboration, and follow-through skills.
- Ability to work safely in both an office and active industrial laboratory environment.
- Work visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Preferred qualifications
- Coursework or project experience involving Lean, Six Sigma, PDCA, DMAIC, statistics, quality engineering, operations research, or project management.
- Familiarity with SIPOC, process mapping, time studies, Pareto analysis, 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, standard work, 5S, or visual management.
- Experience with Power BI, Power Query, Minitab, SharePoint, Microsoft Lists, or similar analytical tools.
- Previous manufacturing, laboratory, maintenance, engineering, technical-club, or student design-team experience.
Employment is contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements, including verification of employment history, education, background screening, and drug testing where permitted by law. Safety-sensitive positions may require cannabis (marijuana) testing. All testing and employment decisions will comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
If you're looking for an engaging career with growth opportunities in a supportive environment, you'll love a career at Daikin Applied!
Skills Required
- Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, engineering technology, quality engineering, operations management, data analytics, or a related technical field
- Sophomore, junior, or senior standing at the start of the internship
- Experience using Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
- Ability to collect, organize, analyze, and communicate information
- Strong problem-solving, organization, collaboration, and follow-through skills
- Ability to work safely in an office and active industrial laboratory environment
- Coursework or project experience involving Lean, Six Sigma, PDCA, DMAIC, statistics, quality engineering, operations research, or project management
- Familiarity with SIPOC, process mapping, time studies, Pareto analysis, 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, standard work, 5S, or visual management
- Experience with Power BI, Power Query, Minitab, SharePoint, Microsoft Lists, or similar analytical tools
- Previous manufacturing, laboratory, maintenance, engineering, technical-club, or student design-team experience
Daikin Applied Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Daikin Applied and has not been reviewed or approved by Daikin Applied.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Hourly, unionized roles benefit from published wage scales and overtime opportunities that reinforce perceptions of fair pay. Transparent minimums in collective agreements help anchor expectations across covered grades.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Sales roles can access uncapped commission structures that elevate total compensation. Variable earnings opportunities in certain positions contribute to stronger total‑pay potential.
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Healthcare Strength — The benefits suite includes medical/pharmacy, dental, vision, wellness programs, and an Employee Assistance Program. Comprehensive core health coverage supports a solid baseline of wellbeing protection.
Daikin Applied Insights
What We Do
Daikin Applied delivers superior air quality and energy efficiency to every solution with innovation in advanced technology, IoT, and next generation compressors. Daikin branded products, solutions, and services are sold through a global network of dedicated sales, service, and parts offices. Daikin Applied’s parent company, Daikin Industries, Ltd. reports revenues in excess of $20 billion and has more than 67,000 employees worldwide, making it the largest HVAC manufacturer in the world. Daikin Industries, Ltd. has more than 90 production sites worldwide and works with customers in more than 150 countries.
