Engineering Intern – Industrial Communication Gateway (Contronic-E / Schneider M580)

Overall Mission

Within a highly demanding technological environment supporting critical nuclear industrial systems, Westinghouse offers an engineering internship focused on industrial control systems.

The objective of this internship is to design and implement a communication gateway between an existing Contronic-E system and a Schneider Electric M580 PLC, while preparing the associated qualification documentation in line with nuclear industry requirements.

This internship provides hands-on exposure to industrial automation, control systems, system integration, testing, and qualification processes in a highly regulated environment where safety, quality, and reliability are key.

Key Responsibilities

1. Study and Specification

• Understand functional requirements and interfaces between the existing Contronic-E system and the Schneider M580 PLC


• Analyze technical documentation and define the communication architecture


• Contribute to the drafting of functional and technical specifications


• Support technical solution selection considering project constraints

2. Development and Prototyping

• Participate in the development of the communication gateway (PLC programming / industrial IT)


• Contribute to building a representative prototype for testing


• Perform functional testing and analyze results


• Identify improvement areas and implement technical adjustments

3. Qualification and Nuclear Compliance

• Learn and apply nuclear industry documentation and qualification requirements


• Contribute to defining tests required for C2 qualification


• Ensure traceability of assumptions, technical decisions, test results, and deviations


• Support the preparation of technical summaries and qualification documentation

4. Project Management & Technical Communication

• Plan and organize work progress with guidance from the project team


• Work autonomously while collaborating with experienced engineers


• Produce clear and structured technical documentation (reports, specifications, user guides)


• Present results and recommendations at the end of the internship

Deliverables

• Functional and technical specification of the communication gateway


• Operational prototype supporting test activities


• Test reports, analysis, and improvement recommendations


• Qualification documentation aligned with C2 nuclear requirements


• Supporting technical documentation (reports, presentations, user manuals if applicable)

Technical Environment

• Automation systems: Contronic-E, Schneider Electric M580 PLC


• Industrial communication: protocols and interfaces between control systems


• Development: PLC programming, industrial IT tools, testing and diagnostic tools


• Qualification: validation testing, documentation traceability, compliance processes


• Documentation: specifications, technical reports, test documentation

Working Relationships

You will work closely with:

• Industrial Control & Automation teams (technical supervision, design reviews)


• Qualification and Quality experts


• Internal project stakeholders


• Potential suppliers or technical partners (if applicable)

Constraints & Environment

• Strict adherence to nuclear safety, quality, and documentation requirements


• High level of rigor in traceability, testing, and technical documentation


• Strong focus on system validation and compliance demonstration

Profile

Education

• Final-year engineering student or MSc equivalent


• Specialization in automation, industrial IT, control systems, or related field

Skills

• Basic knowledge of industrial automation, communication systems, or PLC programming


• Ability to analyze and synthesize technical information


• Strong technical writing skills


• Interest in quality, validation, and industrial processes


• Ability to communicate effectively with multiple stakeholders

Personal Qualities

• Autonomous, organized, and detail-oriented


• Curious, analytical, and proactive


• Strong communication skills (written and verbal)


• Motivated to learn in a highly technical and demanding environment

Additional Information

• Location: Metz (France)


• Duration: ~24 weeks (to be defined)


• Working time: Full-time internship (35h/week)


• Reporting line: Engineering Supervisor

Training / Certifications (if required)

• Electrical safety training (B0, B1, BE Testing/Measurement)


• M0 certification

What You Will Gain

• Hands-on experience on real industrial systems in the nuclear sector


• Exposure to end-to-end engineering (design, development, testing, qualification)


• Understanding of strict industrial and regulatory environments


• Opportunity to work with experienced engineers on a high-impact technical topic