R&D Intern - IC; Summer

Innovation Center, 777 Forest Edge Dr, Vernon Hills, Illinois, United States of America

Posted Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 6:00 AM

We are seeking a motivated, inquisitive, and skilled summer intern to assist in Oil-Dri Fluids Purification R&D at the Vernon Hills, IL Innovation center.

• Learn bleaching/deodorization basics and assist with Technical Service Request work. (20% of time)
• The Intern then leverages these learned skills to assess reproducibility in our lab-scale edible oils R&D workflow. (20 % of time).
• Summer intern would also investigate differences analytical methods used to quantify the amount of edible oils left on bleaching clays (20% of time).
• Summer intern would assess the data they generated, make conclusions related to the project statements, review the data with ODC teammates, and present the work to the other Summer Interns as well as in a final Summer Intern Research Report (10% of time).
• Additionally, the Intern will assist in using AI tools to upgrade archived data (30% of time).

• Pursuing BS in Chemistry or related degree

• Undergraduate laboratory experience
• Understanding of scientific principles.
• Proficiency in mathematics.
• Competency with Microsoft Excel and the Office suite.
• Familiarity with analytical techniques
• Respect for laboratory safety
• Strong capacity for creative thinking.
• Demonstrated problem-solving abilities.
• Commitment to continuous learning and proactive initiative.
• Hybrid work environment:
  Monday - Wednesday (onsite) / Thursday - Friday (remote)
• Benefits:
  Oil-Dri’s paid time off policies comply with the Illinois Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance.
• $18 - 22/hour (dependent on academic year)

Oil-Dri Corporation of America is a leading manufacturer and supplier of specialty sorbent products for consumer and business-to-business markets that has been voted as a Top 100 workplaces in the Chicago Tribune. Oil-Dri’s products are sold in the pet care, animal health, fluids purification, agricultural, sports field, industrial and automotive markets. Oil-Dri controls millions of tons of specialty mineral reserves, including calcium bentonite, attapulgite, and diatomaceous shale.

The company’s mines and manufacturing facilities are located in Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois, and California. Oil-Dri is a family-controlled and operated organization that emphasizes honesty, integrity, and accountability. The company is dedicated to fulfilling its mission to Create Value From Sorbent Minerals.

Oil-Dri is committed to providing equal opportunity for all teammates and qualified candidates without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, mental or physical disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Accordingly, all employment decisions and personnel actions or programs such as hiring, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, transfers, reductions in workforce, and training, etc.

will be consistent with the principle of equal employment opportunity.