Data Engineer / Data Platform Engineer Internship Spring 2027 Semester at the Dow Delivery Center at UIUC (Champaign, IL)

Location: Kankakee (IL, USA)

At Dow, we believe in putting people first and we’re passionate about delivering integrity, respect and safety to our customers, our employees and the planet.

Our people are at the heart of our solutions. They reflect the communities we live in and the world where we do business. Their diversity is our strength. We’re a community of relentless problem solvers that offers the daily opportunity to contribute with your perspective, transform industries and shape the future. Our purpose is simple - to deliver a sustainable future for the world through science and collaboration. If you’re looking for a challenge and meaningful role, you’re in the right place.

Dow has part-time Data Engineering and Data Platform Engineering internship opportunities within Dow's Enterprise Data & Analytics organization.

This position is an in-person, part-time (15-20 hours per week) internship role based out of Champaign, IL at the Dow Delivery Center at UIUC (University of Illinois Urbana Champaign) in Research Park. Individuals who are within one to three years of graduation and are currently enrolled at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign working towards a Bachelor's or Master’s degree in a related technical field are encouraged to apply. The duration of the internship is typically 14-15 weeks during the spring academic semester.

As a Data Engineer Intern, you will focus on the ingestion, persistence, and curation of data as defined by specific projects. The on-site Dow Delivery Center at UIUC people manager and technical manager will provide in-person mentorship across your day-to-day activities.

The Data Engineer Intern will work closely with a multi-disciplinary team to:

Create data pipelines for projects in the Azure environment.

Design, develop, test, and implement analytics. This includes the curation and ingestion of data from different source systems, driving end-to-end data flow for multiple solutions.

Identify opportunities for innovating with digital capabilities aiming to accelerate Dow’s digital transformation.

As a Data Platform Engineer Intern, you will work with a multi-disciplinary IT expert team of analysts, engineers, developers, and support team members to create and maintain Azure cloud-based data and AI solutions. The on-site Dow Delivery Center at UIUC people manager and technical manager will provide in-person mentorship across your day-to-day activities which may include:

Develop and implement Azure cloud-based solutions for data and AI, ensuring they meet the organization's requirements and standards. This includes utilizing tools like Azure Data Factory, Azure SQL, Azure OpenAI, Azure Function Apps, Azure Logic Apps, and Azure Databricks.

Maintain and monitor existing Azure infrastructure and workloads to ensure optimal performance, reliability, and scalability. Any failures or enhancements to be fixed with infrastructure as code tools such as ARM, Bicep and Terraform within Azure DevOps.

Ensure the security of Azure applications and infrastructure by implementing best practices and security measures with Role Based Access Controls, and authentication using Service Principals and Managed Identities from Entra as an Identity Provider.

Perform troubleshooting and root cause analysis for infrastructure issues to ensure minimal downtime and quick resolution.

Work closely with developers and senior employees to implement continuous delivery systems and methodologies on Azure. Designs that are created will be implemented following the best practices during sprints as part of the Agile methodology.

Document best practices, workflow, and strategies regarding solutions, knowledge transfer, and infrastructure maintenance in DevOps Wiki.

Qualifications

Required

Must be currently enrolled at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

Must be working towards a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a related technical field.

Must be within one to three years of graduation.

A minimum requirement for this U.S. based position is the ability to work legally in the United States.  No visa sponsorship/support is available for this position, including for any type of U.S. permanent residency (green card) process.

Preferred

A GPA of 3.0 or higher.

A degree discipline in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, or other Engineering Disciplines

Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP or Azure.

Familiarity with cloud-based data lakehouse platforms such as Databricks or Snowflake

Familiarity with Python, Scala, and SQL programming languages as well as scripting languages like PowerShell

Experience with structured/semi-/non-structured databases, data ingestion, and data modeling.

Multi-application and cross-platform design experience.

Proficiency in data visualization tools like Microsoft Power BI.

Knowledge of Agile Methodology, Scrum, or Kanban methodologies.

Knowledge of version control systems and code review practices.

Skills

Technical Proficiency: Background in computer science, computer information systems, or other engineering disciplines. Familiarity with cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), or Azure. Familiarity with Python, Scala, and SQL programming languages. For Data Platform Engineering specifically, familiarity with Python, Scala, and SQL programming languages as well as scripting languages like PowerShell. Experience with structured/semi-/non-structured databases, data ingestion, and data modeling.

Problem-Solving Skills: Effectively troubleshoot and resolve issues.

Collaboration and Communication: Works well with cross-functional teams and communicates effectively (spoken and written).

Security and Compliance: Familiarity with security and compliance best practices and standards.

Innovation and Improvement: Continuously seeks opportunities to improve existing processes and implement new technologies.

Documentation and Reporting: Maintains thorough documentat