Position: Supply Chain Internship
Location: Empire, MI (On-Site)
Summary
The Supply Chain Intern will support a focused, data-driven project to improve the accuracy and integrity of Cherry Republic's Acumatica ERP data as our production volume and SKU count have grown. Working alongside the Continuous Improvement Manager, the intern will find, quantify, and correct discrepancies in bills of material, lot/genealogy records, and item data, and leave behind tools and documentation so the issues don't quietly reappear. This is a seasonal, on-site internship at the Empire production facility, running 10–14 weeks (flexible to the academic term/co-op calendar), 35–40 hours per week during daytime hours, Monday–Friday. Paid; hourly, commensurate with experience.
Essential Responsibilities
Bill of Material (BOM) Accuracy
- Audit active BOMs against current production formulas and packaging specs; flag components, quantities, or UOMs that are out of date.
- Work with production to reconcile BOM discrepancies and document corrections before they're pushed live.
- Build a repeatable BOM audit checklist/report that Operations can reuse each quarter.
Lot Code & Genealogy Integrity
- Trace lot code assignment through receiving, production, and finished goods put-away to identify where genealogy breaks or duplicates occur.
- Investigate root causes (manual entry, work-order timing, partial lot consumption) and propose process or data fixes.
- Help validate lot traceability end-to-end in support of recall-readiness and food safety documentation
Data Discrepancy Analysis
- Pull and analyze data from Acumatica modules (e.g., inventory valuation, sales inquiry, item master) to identify anomalies at scale rather than one SKU at a time.
- Build simple, maintainable trackers/dashboards (Excel or similar) that surface discrepancies by type, severity, and owner.
- Document root-cause patterns and recommend which issues need a process fix vs. a one-time data correction.
Documentation & Handoff
- Write clear, non-technical documentation of what was found, what was corrected, and how to prevent recurrence.
- Present findings and recommendations to the Operations team during the internship.
Necessary Skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including explaining data issues clearly to people who aren't data specialists.
- Strong decision-making skills and attention to detail, with a genuine interest in finding and fixing the “why” behind a discrepancy — not just the symptom.
- Have a genuine interest in Cherry Republic's Core Values.
- Comfortable working in Excel at an intermediate-to-advanced level (formulas, pivot tables, lookups) and digging into unfamiliar data sets.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, you must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability you are required to possess. Reasonable accommodation may be provided, should you have a disability, to allow you to perform the essential functions.
- Education and/or Experience — Currently pursuing a master’s (or finishing a bachelors) degree in supply chain, operations, industrial engineering, business analytics, data science, food science, or a related field.
- Language Skills — Ability to read, analyze, and interpret data with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Mathematical Skills — Ability to calculate numbers and patterns when analyzing data.
- Reasoning Ability — Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to communicate issues accurately and thoroughly to customers and staff.
- Computer Skills — To perform this job successfully, you should have knowledge of Microsoft Office and Windows, with intermediate-to-advanced Excel skills (formulas, pivot tables, lookups). Exposure to an ERP system (Acumatica, NetSuite, SAP, Dynamics, or similar) is a plus but not required.
- Physical Requirements — This role is on-site at the Empire production facility and combines desk-based data analysis (computer, Excel) with time spent on the production floor and in receiving/warehouse areas to trace lot codes and reconcile BOM components. Work occurs across multiple allergen zones; adherence to food safety and PPE protocols is required.
- Travel — Minimal to no travel expected; this role is based on-site at the Empire, MI production facility.
- Soft Skills — Demonstrated ability to maintain professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment in all interactions. Must exhibit adaptability, accountability, emotional intelligence, and a collaborative spirit, with a genuine interest in helping others succeed.
Preferred (Not Required)
- Exposure to an ERP system (Acumatica, NetSuite, SAP, Dynamics, or similar).
- Familiarity with SQL, Power Query, or basic scripting for data analysis.
- Coursework or interest in food manufacturing, quality systems, or FDA traceability requirements.
- Interest in food science or product development is a plus given the manufacturing environment, though not central to the role.
The Liberty Clause
Sure, listed here are the important parts of your job. But more importantly, you are here to think, to use your judgment, and to act in the best interest of the company at all times. The “Ultimate Expectation” is as follows: Always do what needs to be done without waiting to be asked. As long as you are acting in the company's best interests and in accordance with core values and policies, you have permission to act in our mutual best interests.
In addition to the duties described above, you may occasionally be asked to perform other tasks to support your team or the company. This flexibility helps Cherry Republic stay agile and successful, especially during our busy seasons and team absences. We trust every employee to use their judgment and to act in the best interest of the company and our shared values.
If at any time you don't feel we are doing the right thing, please say so. You have the right, and we give you permission to speak up, when necessary, to state what is unstated, to suggest, or to question an action or decision. This doesn't mean we will always agree with you, nor will we necessarily change what we are doing, but we always want to hear what you believe would help us better achieve our goals and purpose and to create an even better place for all of us!
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