Internship - Research & Development Packaging Engineer

Internship - Research & Development Packaging Engineer

General Mills makes food the world loves. The company is guided by its Accelerate strategy to boldly build its brands, relentlessly innovate, unleash its scale and stand for good.  General Mills operates in more than 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Totino’s, Annie’s, Wanchai Ferry and more.  Headquartered in Minneapolis, General Mills generated fiscal 2026 net sales U.S. $18 billion.  

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT AT GENERAL MILLS? 

The General Mills Research & Development Internship is a great way to kick-off your career. You will build broad experience in technical foundations, functional depth, and professional development. You'll develop and enhance your digital skills, gaining experience in data analysis, project management, and/or collaboration tools. The internship allows candidates to demonstrate leadership, embrace a learning mindset, build a strong network of peers, develop business context, and learn the General Mills and Innovation, Technology & Quality (ITQ) culture. 

WHAT WILL I DO?  

As an R&D Packaging Engineer Intern, you will experience a robust 10-week internship with hopes that you’ll roll into our full-time R&D Leadership Development Program upon graduation. During your internship you will:  

• Design packaging solutions to deliver on all moments of truth including remarkability at shelf, consumer functionality at the point of use, and end of life circularity 

• Partner with business and Sales to understand and apply consumer insights and address customer needs 

• Create new, improve existing, and eliminate waste from packaging and processes 

• Collaborate with cross-functional internal partners to build and grow our businesses 

• Engage external partners around the world to increase efficiency and to identify new capabilities 

• Interact with consumers and customers to develop meaningful insights and translate them into concepts, prototypes, and commercial offerings 

• Develop technical depth and business acumen 

• Apply or build digital tools to accelerate learning. 

• Solve technical problems leveraging new or existing digital tools. 

• Impact people’s lives and communities around the world 

WHERE WILL I WORK? 

James Ford Bell Technical Center in Minneapolis, MN  

IS THIS YOU? 

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Pursuing a B.S. in Packaging Science/Engineering or Material Science/Engineering or related degree 

• Graduating in Winter 2027 or Spring 2028 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Strong academic record   

• Demonstrated ability to achieve results and a commitment to developing technical and business skills    

• Adaptability, curiosity, and inventiveness  

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, passion for R&D, enthusiasm, and the ability to conduct themselves professionally  

• Demonstrated leadership experience in academic projects, extracurricular activities, or previous work experiences 

HUNGRY FOR WHAT’S NEXT? 

• Internship is 10-weeks in Summer 2027

• Relocation assistance (if eligible)   

The hourly rate for this position is $28.85/hour. General Mills strives to provide fair and competitive pay that reflects your skills, experience, and academic background. The pay for this role considers many factors, including, but not limited to, your degree program, major, and year in school. Beyond a competitive hourly rate, as a General Mills intern, you'll gain access to a comprehensive Total Rewards package designed to support your overall development and wellbeing. This includes partially subsidized housing & relocation assistance (if applicable & requirements are met), a summer of learning and fun featuring networking opportunities with company leaders, comprehensive health benefits, wellbeing resources, and other valuable perks. Specific benefits may vary by role, location, and eligibility requirements.  

Applicants for this position must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. General Mills will not sponsor applicants for this position for work visas.