Winter 2026 Co-op - Coffee Processing

Winter 2026 Co-op - Coffee Processing

As a Winter 2026 Co-op - Coffee Processing in Knoxville, TN, you will support coffee processing activities across our Knoxville, TN plant. Additionally, you will be provided with a mentor from the senior leadership team that will provide weekly guidance on the problem solving and actions necessary to develop the continuous improvement throughout the site in all aspects of the business and key performance indicators (KPIs). You will play a critical role in supporting and driving key plant strategic initiatives while helping minimize downtime and failure rates while maximizing productivity.

Shift/Schedule:

• The KDP 2026 Winter Co-op Program will run from January – December 2026.
• Location: Knoxville, TN (Plant)
• Full-time; 40 hours per week 
• Monday-Friday 
• 8:00am until 5:00pm 
• In-person

As a Coffee Processing Co-op, you will:

• Uses Lean Six Sigma and RCM concepts to optimize work processes, adapt maintenance tools and procedures to improve equipment utilization and reliability, and minimize service quality incidents.
• Reliability analysis and implementation of predictive maintenance elements.
• Data analysis and data mining activities for machine failure events.
• Gathers and examines basic reliability data from shop floor studies or database and correlates the data for analysis using well-defined engineering techniques, principles and procedures.
• Projects include process improvement, process gap analysis, yield testing and yield improvement.
• Performs detailed/routine engineering calculations involving relatively simple tests on less complicated system details where ingenuity and high-level judgment are not required.
• Assisting others in root cause failure analysis to avoid future failures.
• Conduct regular status meetings with all stakeholders, keeping the stakeholder’s needs and requirements continuously in view.
• Be engaged with industry trends and how to leverage new technology into design standards to drive profitability
• Establish clear ownership of project tasks within the team and a clear schedule for when each task will be performed. Ensure that team members have the tools needed and provide timely feedback.
• Supports Maintenance Manager and TPM team in planning equipment and maintenance resources and correcting existing discrepancies.
• Lead kaizen activity for reliability, maintainability, and total productive maintenance. This will include but not limited to supporting, developing, driving and improving activities for 5S, teamwork, autonomous maintenance, and sustainable TPM systems.
• Participates in technical audits and compliance assessments, and follows up on closure of remedial action plans
• Performs other duties as assigned within the scope of the position.

Elements of the KDP Co-op Program include:

• Engaging and partnering on innovative projects to gain experience in a challenging, cross functional team environment
• Participate in meet & greets and lunch & learns with KDP executives and other organization leaders
• Receive professional development training such as networking, professional skills development and presenting
• Be paired with a mentor to enhance your knowledge of other parts of the business and build your network
• Complete a project from start to finish and present it and your takeaways to your team, department vice president and other KDP stakeholders

• $31/hr
• Paid bi-weekly
• Sign-on Bonus: $5,000 (paid within 30 days of employment)

• Enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program in Engineering or Applied Science.
• Creative problem solver (as opposed to a process follower) in ambiguous situations
• Effective interpersonal communication, planning, problem solving, and organizational skills in a global environment
• Self-motivated approach and experience in dealing with ambiguity while performing critical project steps
• Experience in defining project prioritization and flexibility to shift project focus upon business decisions
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, Visio, Power Point systems, and Power BI
• Prior use with Minitab is a plus

Please note: This position is limited to persons with permanent right to work in the United States. 

We incorporate HireVue, an automated interview tool, into our campus recruitment process. Please visit this link to learn more about HireVue and how to prepare. *We recommend checking with your campus career center for additional preparation resources such as InterviewStream, Big Interview and more.

Keurig Dr Pepper (NASDAQ: KDP) is a leading beverage company in North America, with a portfolio of more than 125 owned, licensed and partners brands and powerful distribution capabilities to provide a beverage for every need, anytime, anywhere. We operate with a differentiated business model and world-class brand portfolio, powered by a talented and engaged team that is anchored in our values. We work with big, exciting beverage brands and the #1 single-serve coffee brewing system in North America at KDP, and we have fun doing it!

Together, we have built a leading beverage company in North America offering hot and cold beverages together at scale. Whatever your area of expertise, at KDP you can be a part of a team that’s proud of its brands, partnerships, innovation, and growth. Will you join us?

We strive to be an employer of choice, providing a culture and opportunities that empower our team of ~29,000 employees to grow and develop. We offer robust benefits to support your health and wellness as well as your personal and financial well-being. We also provide employee programs designed to enhance your professional growth and development, while ensuring you feel valued, inspired and appreciated at work.

Keurig Dr Pepper is an equal opportunity employer and recruits qualified applicants and advances in employment its employees without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability or association with a person with a disability, medical condition, genetic information, ethnic or national origin, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.