Operations and Logistics Intern
Host Company:
Signus
Location:
Dates of Internship:
June 11 - August 3, 2012
Language Level:
3 (Intermediate Spanish)
Internship Description:
Signus is a complex integrated management system that incorporates manufacturers, retailers, consumers of new tires, recyclers, and consumers of post-recycling raw materials.
For years in Spain it was the responsibility of the last possessor of used tires, usually auto shops, to dispose of them properly. Since there was little economic incentive to recycle them, there was no market for the recycled raw materials and the cost of processing was high – most ended up in landfills, and many others were thrown away illegally.
IIn 2005, the Spanish government decreed that the manufacturers of tires were responsible for managing their disposal as well. Thus Signus was born as a not-for-profit collaboration between the major Spanish and international tire manufacturers to manage and make profitable (or as inexpensive as possible) the recycling and disposal of used tires.
Skill & Experience Required:
Ideal candidates will be independent, serious and high achieving students. A background in economics would be a plus, as would a marketing background – a key component of Signus’ work is effectively communicating the costs and benefits of environmentalism to businesses. Signus’ operational and logistics team deals with the complex task of coordinating hundreds of stakeholders throughout Spain to most efficiently collect and recycle used tires. Chemists and engineers on the research and development team seek new ways to recycle and new uses for the recycled materials, thereby making them more valuable. Signus seeks one or more interns with the proper background and qualifications to fit into either of these teams.
Sample Projects:
Interns could participate in valuable market research projects to generate more data and better understanding of the markets for recycled materials. They may also be involved in a critical upcoming IT project: to help translate Signus’ proprietary software into English, thereby making it more easily transferrable to similar projects/non-profits in other European countries. An intern with a high level of Spanish could also participate in process brainstorms in which Signus team seek to improve their overall system through innovative ideas and overhauls of the status quo.
Benefits for Intern:
For anyone interested in environmental issues, recycling, corporate social responsibility, operations/logistics, or supply chain management, this is a great opportunity to see a government-led environmental directive being carried out by the private sector.
Benefits for Company:
Signus is still a young organization and is always aiming to re-envision and innovate their management systems, the value of environmentalism to the for-profit sector, and the market for recycled materials. An intern’s perspective and enthusiasm would contribute greatly to this.
Placement Functions:
