Location: Big West Oil – North Salt Lake, Utah
Job Type: Internship (Full-Time, On-Site)
Internship Term: Summer 2026 (May – August)
Big West Oil's Internship program is a structured summer internship opportunity for current full-time university students. You will gain hands-on experience in your area of study and receive directed mentorship while under the guidance of seasoned professionals. This role offers the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world tasks, helping you develop a strong foundation for your professional future.
Position Summary:
Are you ready to apply your mechanical engineering skills to real-world challenges in a fast-paced refinery? This internship offers you the chance to work directly with our rotating equipment and reliability teams. You will gain hands-on experience with critical machinery, helping to optimize their performance and ensure the refinery's reliable operation. This intern will be placed in one of the following groups:
- Reliability Engineering- Using data analysis and engineering principles to ensure that equipment, systems, and processes operate without failure, maximizing uptime, lifecycle, and reducing costs.
- Rotating Equipment Engineering- Focuses on the design, maintenance, and reliability of machinery that rotates, such as pumps, compressors, and other fixed or rotating equipment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assist the reliability team with monitoring and analyzing the wear and end-of-life timelines on equipment.
- Support engineers in developing maintenance strategies to improve equipment reliability and extend asset life.
- Contribute to the creation and review of engineering drawings and specifications for equipment repairs or modifications.
- Participate in field inspections of pumps, compressors, tanks, piping, and other equipment to assess their condition and troubleshoot issues.
- Help with data analysis for vibration monitoring and predictive maintenance programs.
Qualifications:
- Currently enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited four-year university, pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering (Junior or Senior standing preferred, all others welcome).
- Solid understanding of mechanical engineering principles, including thermodynamics and fluid dynamics.
- Proficiency in data analysis and Microsoft Office Suite.
- A strong desire to learn and a proactive, problem-solving attitude.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
What You'll Gain:
- Hands-On Experience: Work with critical refinery equipment, turning theoretical knowledge into practical skills.
- Professional Mentorship: Learn directly from experienced mechanical and reliability engineers who will guide your professional development.
- Resume-Building Skills: Gain a working knowledge of rotating equipment, reliability engineering, and industrial maintenance practices.
- Career Insight: This internship will give you a clear understanding of a mechanical engineering career in the energy sector, helping you stand out in the job market.
About Big West Oil LLC.:
Owned and operated by FJ Management, Big West Oil believes employees are the key to success. The facility currently employs about 270 people, with an average employee tenure of 12 years. Employees at Big West Oil LLC take pride in creating lasting value. Big West Oil is one of five Utah refineries that produce gasoline, diesel, and other chemicals. We take pride in being industry leaders in environmental compliance, and we are passionate about fostering a family-oriented culture that supports employee fulfillment and career growth.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Skills Required
- Currently enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited four-year university
- Pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering
- Understanding of mechanical engineering principles, including thermodynamics and fluid dynamics
- Proficiency in data analysis
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite
- Strong desire to learn and proactive problem-solving attitude
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Junior or Senior standing
What We Do
Big West Oil operates the North Salt Lake refinery in Utah, processing regional crude into gasoline, diesel, liquid petroleum gases, and fuel oil. The 36,000-barrel-per-day facility supplies clean-transportation fuels to customers across the Intermountain West, including major retailers. The company also markets petroleum products and emphasizes safe, reliable, environmentally responsible operations, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and supporting communities in the areas it serves.
