Quality Assurance: Product Inspector Internship

Program Dates

May 19th, 2026 - August 7th, 2026

About Wakefern

Wakefern Food Corp. is the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States and supports its co-operative members' retail operations, trading under the ShopRite®, Price Rite®, The Fresh Grocer®, Dearborn Markets®, Fairway Markets®, Gourmet Garage®, and Morton Williams® banners.

Employing an innovative approach to wholesale business services, Wakefern focuses on helping the independent retailer compete in a big business world. Providing the tools entrepreneurs need to stay a step ahead of the competition, Wakefern's co-operative members benefit from the company's extensive portfolio of services, including innovative technology, private label development, and best in class procurement practices.

Your contribution

If you are a student who is pursuing an education in Supply Chain Management, Food Engineering, Quality Assurance, Quality Control Management, or other related fields, these internship opportunities may be a great fit for you Wakefern prides itself in being the industry leader in Logistics and Distribution. Our organization currently services over 400+ retail stores throughout the northeast. The Logistics Infrastructure includes 9 warehouses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, housing 4 million square feet of warehouse space. Wakefern's fleet of over 2000 trailers ship approximately 1.4 million cases daily while traveling 52,000,000 miles per year This sophisticated operation utilizes state of the art technology to meet the needs of our more than 8 million customers.

Quality Assurance: Product Inspector (Produce) track:

This internship goes beyond a typical desk job, you'll be immersed in the core of our supply chain operations. The QA (Produce) Intern plays a hands-on role in inspecting fresh produce and other perishable items to ensure quality, safety, and compliance with Wakefern standards. This position involves physically examining inbound deliveries for grade, freshness, proper labeling, and packaging integrity, as well as monitoring temperatures and verifying weights and counts. Interns will gain first-hand experience with Wakefern's Food Safety and Quality Practices, USDA and FDA guidelines. Interns will be learning leadership skills mentored by supervisors to understand all skills required in a Quality Assurance Product Inspection department.

What you will do

• Work in a refrigerated warehouse environment.
• Inspects all inbound deliveries to ensure the purchased goods conform to all established product specifications, standards, and grade requirements.
• Performs random organoleptic inspections of inbound goods to assure the quality, grade, and wholesomeness of the product.
• Inspects all inbound deliveries for cleanliness and soundness of the transportation vehicle and the absence of cross contamination.
• Monitors product temperatures by means of physical probing of goods and observation of time and temperature recording devices.
• Verifies the weights and counts of received goods.
• Examines all packaging for proper labeling and enforces all packaging and labeling requirements of the FDA, USDA, and USDC.
• Monitors products in inventory and storage for quality and safety.
• Performs daily sanitation inspections of all applicable facilities and warehouses.
• Gathers and organizes all records and documentation to comply with all regulatory requirements.
• Monitors all control points, critical control points, and quality control points for each of the food safety and food quality plans for the applicable perishable food facilities.
• Physical demands include the ability to bend, stretch, extend, tug and pull based on inspection of various products, Ability to work in cold temperatures as low as 33 °F.
• 5 days on site - no remote work.
• Wear OSHA-Compliant Steel Toe or Composite Safety Boots when in the warehouse is required.
• Bilingual Spanish / English is a plus, but not required.
• Provide coverage for the Shift Supervisors, working any 5 of the 7-days, including weekends, holidays, vacations, and peak volume periods. Interns work 40 hours per week.
• Various projects as assigned.
• Interns will be based out of one of the following warehouse locations and may work one of the following shifts:

Locations/Shifts

Northern Perishables - Elizabeth, NJ

5:00am-1:30pm or 6:00am-2:30pm (shift times may be later on certain days to reflect events interns are required to attend)

Produce Facility - Newark, NJ

5:00am-1:30pm or 6:00am-2:30pm (shift times may be later on certain days to reflect events interns are required to attend)

What we are looking for

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must have completed 24 college credits with a 3.0 cumulative GPA or better
• Will be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate school for fall
• Successful completion of a substance abuse test is required
• Successful completion of a background check is required
• Reliable transportation is required
• Strong interpersonal, analytical, and customer service skills with the ability to multitask and manage time effectively
• Excellent communication skills (written, oral, and presentation)
• Strong MS Office skills (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint required)
• Ability to exhibit proper business etiquette when dealing with all levels of the organization
• Previous work experience in a retail environment is beneficial
• Must have flexibility with regard to schedule which can include coverage for a 7-day work week, weekends, holidays, vacations and peak volume weeks (interns will work 40 hours per week)

Company Perks

• Vibrant Food Centric Culture
• Corporate Training and Development University
• Collaborative Team Environment
• Educational Workshops
• Networking Opportunities
• Volunteer Opportunities

Compensation and Benefits:

First year Wakefern Supply Chain/Logistic Interns will be paid at $18.00 per hour. Master Students and Returning Wakefern Supply Chain/Logistic Interns will be paid at $19.00 per hour. Interns are not eligible for company benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan with company match & annual company contribution, paid time off and holidays.