Student - Process Optimization Intern (4 or 8 months)

About Us

Welcome to Lactalis Canada! We’re proud to be Canada’s #1 branded dairy company and to be consistently recognized as one of the country’s top employers by Forbes. Our purpose is to enrich and nurture the lives of Canadians by offering the best of dairy from Canada’s favourite dairy brands like Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro and Lactantia. In fact, our products can be found in over 90% of Canadian refrigerators in any given time. As part of Lactalis Group, the world’s leading dairy company, we remain focused on innovation and quality and are seeking like-minded individuals to join us as we continue our growth journey.

NextGen Lactalis Student Program

At Lactalis, we are committed to cultivating talent and providing enriching opportunities that ignite passion and foster growth in our future leaders. Our student program is designed to nurture your potential by providing you with enriching work experience in a dynamic and innovative environment.

Lactalis Canada’s student program encourages curiosity, creativity, professional development, and personal growth. Not only will you develop your expertise through hands-on experiences, but you will also join a thriving network of Lactalis Students across Canada. All students will have the chance to participate in social events, group trainings and workshops, manufacturing plant tours, and an end-of semester project!

We are invested in your long-term success and aim to equip you with skills and experiences that will fuel your future!

Job Purpose

The Process Optimization Student’s purpose is to assist in developing, configuring and optimizing industrial processes related to powder production. The student works closely with the Production Manager and Technical Manager to take measurements and interpret data to improve processes.

Responsibility

• Assist in implementing KPIs and controls to measure production losses and identify improvement opportunities.
• Perform daily plant audits to detect losses and ensure recipe standardization across key processes (receiving, batching, processing, filling, cleaning, water push).
• Communicate with operators and supervisors to gather insights and support action plans for loss reduction.
• Maintain loss tracking and mapping, analyzing production sequences to pinpoint root causes.
• Monitor COD results and correlate with plant activities to identify raw material losses; analyze CIP and dump data for optimization.
• Contribute to process improvement and optimization projects across the plant.
  
  

Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, BioChemical Engineering, Microbiology, or a related field of study
• Basic understanding of dairy process, pasteurization, cheese making, butter making and dairy powders.
• Good knowledge of Excel and VBA
• Understanding of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
• Manufacturing experience is an asset
• Proven attention to details but also able to see the big picture
• Strong analytical, problem solving and decision-making skills
• Good communicator, listener and presenter
• Ability to adapt to changing culture/environments
• Ability to work independently.
  
  

What Lactalis Will Offer

• A Competitive Base Salary
• 8% vacation pay
• Health & Dental Benefits starting day 1
• Learning and Development opportunities
• Potential for future full time permanent opportunities!
  
  

Our ESG Commitment

Our ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) roadmap drives our sustainability mission. We aim to positively impact communities and the planet by enabling stakeholders including our people, consumers, customers, suppliers, dairy farmers, government, and industry partners to have a positive impact on the wellbeing of our communities and the planet through all that we do.

At Lactalis Canada, we value our employees as catalysts for positive change. Together, we will create a sustainable future, promote belonging, and make a lasting impact on the world.

Our Commitment To DEI

Fuel Our Culture with Your Uniqueness! Lactalis thrives on the value each person brings. We're dedicated to amplifying diverse voices, inviting personal and professional growth, and embracing everyone's true selves. We're committed to crafting an environment that genuinely welcomes all, reflecting the richness of our people and communities.

Our promise extends to accessible processes and spaces. If you require accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary, or permanent), please inform our Talent Acquisition team – confidentiality will be maintained.

Note: Lactalis Canada does not conduct credit or background checks through LinkedIn. If required, we'll contact you after signing a Job Offer.

Compensation

As part of our commitment to fairness, trust, and transparency and our ambition to be an Employer of Choice, the base salary range for this position is: $24.00 - $29.00.

Please note: Along with a comprehensive Total Rewards package, your actual base salary will be fair, competitive, and be based on your skills, experience, and qualifications.