HNI Corporation offers you internship opportunities in a wide variety of areas.  After all, we're the parent corporation of nine operating companies, each of which excels in a specific market.  You can see a map of our locations by following this link: Map of HNI Locations

Although internships are available throughout the United States and year-round at our many operating companies, our largest internship program is in the summer and is based in Muscatine, Iowa.

Corporate-Based Summer Internship Program

Your Experience

HNI's corporate-based internship program is located in Muscatine, Iowa with opportunities for internships at our corporate headquarters as well as The HON Company and Allsteel.  During your internship, you'll complete one or more long-term projects that are tailored to your interests and qualifications. 

We're also committed to your professional development.  You'll be paired with a manager who will ensure that your internship experience is valuable, provide you with opportunities to learn and grow, and serve as a trusted mentor.  Development activities for interns will expand your talents and opportunities:

• Lunch 'n Learn sessions will allow you to meet other interns, connect with senior management, such as HNI's Chairman, President, and CEO; our Vice President and CFO; and many other company leaders.
• Workshops just for interns will help you build invaluable career skills in an encouraging environment. 
• HNI will encourage you to become actively involved in the local community of young professionals by sponsoring your membership to the Young Professionals Network of Muscatine.

Midterm and final performance reviews will celebrate how far you have come and help you learn how you can develop further.  To highlight the importance of the work that you will accomplish during your time at HNI, you will make a final presentation to executive-level managers at the end of your internship experience. 

What Will You Be Working On?

The projects you work on will be adapted to suit you.  We want you working on projects that meet your interests, emphasize your strengths, and help you grow professionally.  Internship departments and past internship projects are listed below:

• Accounting
• Developing a new corporate cash forecasting model
• Reducing accounts payable liabilities at manufacturing plants by conducting on-site research and creating a new invoice-processing system
• Engineering
• Manufacturing
• Improving efficiency in production of a new product line by 100%
• Improving the Six Sigma process for a product by 100%
• Product Design
• Eliminating ergonomic deviations in office furniture
• Improving each step of the concept development process
• Testing material strength and performing comparative analysis on different production materials
• Finance
• Developing a new process for streamlining financial reporting among departments
• Analyzing the performance of acquired companies and projecting their long-term performance against optimistic, realistic, and pessimistic market scenarios
• Information Technology
• Creating intranet applications, including online learning programs for HNI members
• Conducting member training for IT-related issues
• Law
• Launching a new ethics training campaign to ensure 100% member participation
• Developing member training courses for legal and business ethics issues
• Marketing
• Analyzing sales promotions to determine their effectiveness and devising strategies to increase promotional success in the future
• Researching end-user wants and needs for an operating company's quick-ship program to increase orders shipped through this program by 10%
• Benchmarking marketing programs against those of competitors and other businesses to improve customer satisfaction
• Public Relations
• Preparing an HNI operating company for NeoCon, the furniture industry's biggest trade show
• Writing news releases regarding executive management decisions
• Learning the launch process for a national advertising/PR campaign

• Human Resources (Member and Community Relations)
• Creating and implementing a more effective screening process for job candidates
• Researching and summarizing benefits programs across all operating companies
• Quality
• Developing a new product-testing method for office panel systems
• Preparing for recertification from the International Standards Organization by collaborating with an operating company's test lab
• Safety
• Completing ergonomic assessments of production line movement to pinpoint potential causes of injuries and reduce the chance for injury
• Supply Chain
• Creating a Forecasting Report Card to measure the accuracy of demand forecasts by comparing forecasts with historical data
• Determining the cost savings of bulk-packing component parts and implementing improved packing standards

• What's Muscatine Like?

With a population of about 23,000, Muscatine maintains its small-town charn, yet has quick access to metropolitan areas.  The Quad Cities are located just 25 minutes northeast of Muscatine, and the Iowa City/Coralville area is located about 40 minutes northwest of Muscatine.  Both areas offer exciting attractions and events that you can explore throughout your time in the area.  Discover more by clicking the links below:

Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau
Iowa City / Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau

Muscatine Convention and Visitors Bureau

Frequently Asked Questions

What basic requirements do you look for in internship candidates?
In most cases, interns working for HNI and its operating companies have completed two or three years of college education and are in good academic standing.  Our ideal internship candidate has been actively involved on campus and may have had previous relevant work experience. 

How does your selection process work?
You'll probably first seek an internship with HNI through your university's career fair or by submitting your application through our careers Web site.  After reviewing candidates, we may invite you to interview on-campus or on-site at HNI Corporate Headquarters or at one of HNI's operating company locations. 

I'm not from Muscatine!  Where will I live?
If you need housing in the Muscatine area during the summer, you may be eligible to use HNI-sponsored housing free of charge.  You can speak to an HNI recruiter about your eligibility.  HNI-sponsored housing arrangements are through Muscatine Community College Student Apartments.  You can follow the link below to find more information about living arrangements and see a layout of apartment design: Muscatine Community College Student Apartments

Can I get academic credit for my internship?
Check with an academic advisor at your university to determine whether academic credit is available and beneficial in your case.  If it's a good option for you, we will encourage and facilitate the use of your internship for academic credit.

Think you'd be a good candidate?
We want to hear from you!

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