Unilever Process Engineer Intern 2026 – Durban

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Unilever is hiring a Process Engineer Intern for its Supply Chain team at the Indonsa Factory in Newlands East, Durban. This opportunity is ideal for Chemical Engineering and Industrial Engineering graduates seeking practical experience in FMCG manufacturing, process optimisation and continuous improvement.

Job Overview

Position: Process Engineer Intern
Company: Unilever
Reference: R-1182847
Department: Supply Chain
Industry: FMCG / Manufacturing
Location: Newlands East, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
Employment Type: Full-time Internship
Work Mode: 100% On-site
Closing Date: 17 August 2026

About the Role

The Process Engineer Intern will work directly with production line teams to improve manufacturing performance, eliminate waste and losses, troubleshoot process problems and establish sustainable technical standards.

The role provides practical exposure to World Class Manufacturing (WCM), process control, root-cause analysis, data analysis and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

  • Identify and eliminate production waste and losses.
  • Troubleshoot process-related issues.
  • Analyse production KPIs and process data.
  • Conduct root-cause analysis.
  • Develop and implement corrective actions.
  • Support process design and simulation.
  • Work with Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs).
  • Assist with end-to-end project management.
  • Develop and maintain technical standards.
  • Train line teams on technical standards.
  • Restore and maintain basic operating conditions.
  • Identify successful practices and extend them to other production lines.
  • Apply WCM tools and methodologies.
  • Support Six Sigma and DMAIC problem-solving.
  • Help improve production stability and efficiency.

Minimum Requirements

Applicants must have:

  • A Degree in Chemical Engineering or Industrial Engineering, or BTech.
  • Understanding of continuous processing.
  • Exposure to FMCG or manufacturing environments.
  • Knowledge of statistics and process control tools.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to make logical, data-driven decisions.
  • Ability to clearly communicate technical findings.
  • Ability to understand operating principles and establish operating standards.

Skills That Will Be Valuable

  • Process optimisation
  • Manufacturing analysis
  • Data analysis
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Statistical analysis
  • Six Sigma
  • DMAIC
  • Root-cause analysis
  • Process control
  • Project management
  • Technical training
  • Continuous improvement
  • Teamwork and communication

World Class Manufacturing Exposure

The successful intern will gain exposure to Unilever’s WCM approach, including:

  • Autonomous Maintenance (AM)
  • Professional Maintenance (PM)
  • Focused Improvement (FI)
  • Quality tools
  • Loss elimination
  • Process stability
  • Technical standards
  • Root-cause analysis
  • Continuous improvement

Candidate Profile

Unilever is looking for an engineering graduate who can work with production teams, analyse technical problems and use data to identify practical solutions.

The ideal candidate should be:

  • Analytical and detail-oriented
  • Comfortable working in a factory environment
  • Strong at problem-solving
  • Confident communicating technical information
  • Team-oriented
  • Data-driven
  • Interested in manufacturing excellence
  • Willing to learn and apply new engineering methodologies

Working Environment

This is a factory-based position at Unilever’s Indonsa Factory in Newlands East, Durban.

The role requires 100% on-site attendance, so applicants should be prepared to work directly within the manufacturing environment.

Applicants must also have the legal ability to work in South Africa.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

The internship offers engineering graduates the opportunity to develop practical skills in:

  • FMCG manufacturing
  • Process engineering
  • Production optimisation
  • World Class Manufacturing
  • Continuous improvement
  • Statistical analysis
  • Engineering project management
  • Technical problem-solving

It can provide valuable practical exposure for candidates looking to build a career in manufacturing, process engineering, supply chain or industrial operations.

Application Information

Job: Process Engineer Intern
Reference: R-1182847
Location: Newlands East, Durban
Closing Date: 17 August 2026

Interested applicants should search for “Process Engineer Intern – R-1182847” on Unilever Careers and submit their application before the closing date.

Apply Here