Operational Excellence

This role is located in Sciantec, within the Cawood Scientific Agriculture Division. With over 30 years' experience in the agri and aquaculture sectors, Sciantec, part of Cawood Scientific, offers a complete analytical service for feedingstuffs, ingredients, raw materials, compound feed, meals, premixes, and forages. Our expertise in animal feed safety and nutrition, combined with modern testing facilities and broad analytical capacity, enables our ISO 17025 accredited laboratory to deliver specialist services for all associated sectors, including feed mills, pet foods, research and development, and commodities traders.

Learn more about Sciantec by clicking here.

Job Description:

Summer Internship Opportunity – Operational Excellence

Location: Sciantec - Selby

Duration: Summer 2026

Application Deadline: January 2026

Ensign-Bickford Industries (EBI) is a global leader with a strong reputation for innovation and excellence across multiple industries.

Cawood, a member of the EBI family, is the UK's and Ireland leading scientific group, recognised for its technical capability and value-added service to customers in land-based industries. We provide specialist laboratory analysis for the agriculture, food, and environmental sectors.

Our Vision: We are a Diagnostics company that exists to protect the future of food, agriculture, and the environment—turning diagnostics into actionable insights that drive transparency, productivity, and sustainability. In doing so, we create lasting value for our customers and ourselves.

We Focus On:

• Agriculture Transparency and Traceability (info and knowledge)
• Insights that ensure Quality & deliver Productivity for our customers
• Environmental sustainability (supporting regulations and innovation)
• Human health (through food and environment)

We Do This By:

• Developing best-in-class diagnostic solutions that drive actionability for our customers
• Pairing diagnostics with innovative services that deliver value to our customers and differentiate from competition
• Being a thought leader and consultative partner within the industries we serve

Are you a motivated, detail-oriented individual with a passion for process improvement?

Cawood is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Operational Excellence Intern to support key initiatives that drive continuous improvement across our sites. This internship offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in Kaizen Fundamentals, process optimisation, and team facilitation while contributing to strategic business priorities.

What You'll Do

• Participate in the planning and execution of process improvement initiatives across the business.
• Contribute to Kaizen events and waste walks focused on identifying and eliminating inefficiencies.

• Document and present findings, recommendations, and outcomes to improve efforts.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance operational efficiency.

• Help build and sustain visual management tools including Daily Boards, Standard Work, and action trackers.
• Document and present findings, recommendations, and outcomes to improve efforts.

What We're Looking For

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree (Science, Engineering, or Business preferred)
• Strong analytical and process-oriented mindset
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Interest or experience in Lean, Kaizen, or operational excellence methodologies
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Comfortable facilitating discussions and leading small groups
• Curious, proactive, and eager to learn
• Willingness to travel to other business unit sites if needed

What You'll Gain

• Practical experience in operational excellence and Kaizen methodologies
• Exposure to real-world business challenges and strategic initiatives
• Mentorship from experienced professionals
• Opportunities to lead and contribute to impactful projects
• A chance to build your professional network and enhance your career prospects

Ready to make a difference this summer?

Apply now and become part of a team that's driving operational excellence across Cawood.