ABOUT POET

At POET, it is our mission to be good stewards of the Earth by converting renewable resources to energy and other valuable goods as effectively as humanly possible. For over thirty-five years, our drive and passion to change the world has enabled us to become the largest producer and marketer of bioethanol and a leader in sustainable products in the world.

CULTURE IS KING AT POET

We’re all on the same team. We always communicate. And we park our egos at the door. These aren’t just slogans on our walls. It’s the way we do things at POET. We provide an environment for team members to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It’s the best way to optimize health, wellness, and productivity in a sustainable way. We work hard. We play hard. We have frequent team events, volunteer efforts, and we know how to celebrate wins!

JOB SUMMARY & RESPONSIBILITIES

As a Procurement Intern, you will be responsible for providing key support to the Procurement team. You will assist with managing bid requests, researching and analyzing spend with vendors, working with vendors to ensure timely delivery, and varied data entry. The Procurement Intern’s role is to ensure professional execution of the procurement process from contracts and bidding to purchase order processing, delivery, installation, and performance tracking. This may include but is not limited to order tracking, spend analysis, and operations analytics.

This is an on-site role located at POET’s corporate headquarters in Sioux Falls, SD. Responsibilities include:

• Working with internal stakeholders to plan and execute requests for proposals and/or bid packages, including bid receipt confirmation, documentation management and bid review and selection process.

• Analyzing spend in assigned categories to identify opportunities to increase value.

• Researching industry trends and leaders to provide strategic recommendations to internal business units.  

• Extracting and summarizing data from our procurement software.

• Assisting with vendor relationship management including researching potential new vendors, negotiations and business reviews.

• Reviewing and updating contractor compliance and qualification status of vendors.

• Following up with vendors to ensure on-time delivery of goods.

• Compiling information from multiple data sources to create vendor scorecards.

• Providing timely status updates on projects and tasks.

• Since we’re all about teamwork and getting the job done, your skills may be put to a lot of other uses!

The POET Never Satisfied Internship openings are for Summer 2027. We post Internships in early September with the intention of having interns selected by November 1st.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• High school diploma or equivalent required. Junior or senior level status working toward a bachelor’s degree majoring in an accredited program, preferably in Business, Economics, Supply Chain, or Engineering.

• Strong written and oral communication skills, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.

• Excellent organizational and time management skills as well as the ability to adapt to change.

• Knowledge of the basics of Microsoft Office Suite and the ability of learning new programs.

A SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE

• High level of personal integrity

• Eager to learn and change the world.

• Ability to work in a fast paced, dynamic and changing environment.

• Interpersonal skills – ability to effectively interact with individuals at all levels within/outside the organization

• Demonstrated relationship-building skills.

• Demonstrated problem-solving and critical thinking skills

• Ability to embrace and promote change

• Innovative mindset

• Ability to think objectively

• Self-awareness in the face of uncertainty

• Ability to work in a team environment

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position operates in an office environment, working at a personal computer where you may sit or stand. Most of our Sioux Falls office workspace consists of an open-concept design intended to promote open communication and collaboration.

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

At POET, we encourage internal development and growth by allowing team members to carve their own path to success. Leaders support team members with the necessary resources to develop their skills, achieve goals, and create the most value. We believe in developing our team members to their highest potential and recognizing contributions that add value to the organization. Each new team member’s position and compensation are carefully determined by considering their unique qualifications and skillset.

PERKS

• A multifaceted wellness program encompassing the whole person – mentally, physically, and spiritually
• On-site fitness centers or fitness reimbursements
• Safety and cold-weather gear reimbursements

POET is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to maintaining a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, abilities, merit, and other legitimate business factors, without regard to any legally protected characteristic. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, working conditions, promotion, and termination.