What are the responsibilities and job description for the Systems Engineering Intern position at Franklin Electric?
Department: Internship
Location: US - Indiana - Fort Wayne
We are seeking a Senior-Level Systems Engineering Intern to support the development and sustainment of integrated water pumping systems. This role is designed for students who are ready to apply systems engineering principles—requirements, interfaces, system behavior, risk, and verification—to real, fielded products.
The intern will work at the system level, bridging electrical, mechanical, controls, and application domains to understand how subsystems interact and how performance, reliability, and usability are achieved across the product lifecycle.
This role is well suited for students pursuing a Master’s degree in Systems Engineering or senior-level undergraduates with strong systems coursework and interest in complex electromechanical systems.
Key Responsibilities
Key Systems Engineering Responsibilities
- Analyze and understand system-level requirements and how they flow down to motors, drives, controls, and mechanical subsystems
- Support root cause analysis of field issues by evaluating system behavior across operating conditions, interfaces, and use cases
- Identify and document system interactions and failure modes using structured methods (e.g., DFMEA, fault trees, causal analysis)
- Evaluate potential corrective actions and design trade-offs, considering performance, robustness, risk, and user impact
- Assist in defining and executing system verification and validation activities, including lab testing and field correlation
- Provide system-focused feedback to improve technical documentation, manuals, and technical bulletins
- Communicate findings in a clear, structured systems-engineering format to field engineers and cross-functional teams
- Configure and evaluate VFD–motor–pump system behavior across different operating scenarios
- Analyze control system behavior (e.g., stability, response, limits) in the context of overall system performance
- Use lab testing to validate hypotheses about system interactions, not just component functionality
- Support integration and system debug efforts that span controls, electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic domains
Required Qualifications
- Pursuing a Master’s degree in Systems Engineering, or senior standing in Electrical, Mechanical, Controls Engineering, or a related field with strong systems emphasis
- Solid understanding of systems engineering concepts, including:
- Requirements definition and flow-down
- System interfaces and integration
- Failure and risk analysis (e.g., DFMEA)
- Verification and validation
- Use Case development
- Strong analytical and system-level debugging skills
- Understanding of control system principles, including PID concepts
- Ability to clearly document and communicate system behavior and trade-offs
- Experience with CODESYS-based controls development, including C and ladder logic programming
- Proficiency with MATLAB and/or Python for system modeling, data analysis, or test result evaluation
- Coursework or experience with electromechanical systems, including VFDs, motors, or pump systems
- Familiarity with systems engineering methods, including requirements flow-down, failure analysis, and risk assessment (e.g., DFMEA)
- Experience translating lab and field data into system-level insights and design recommendations
- Hands-on experience applying systems engineering theory to real-world products
- Exposure to how system-level decisions impact performance, reliability, and field success
- Experience working across disciplines to resolve complex, multi-domain issues
- Opportunity to contribute to products used in demanding real-world applications at Franklin Electric
As a global company, Franklin Electric offers many opportunities to build your experience and knowledge. Our Intern positions offer responsibility, autonomy, and best-in-class training. The Franklin Electric Intern Program includes networking opportunities, lunch and learns, many opportunities for team building (like the competitive Intern Cornhole Tournament), and a presentation to Senior Leaders and Executives in the company.
Come join our Intern Program where you will not only grow in your career - but you will know you are a part of a company that is making a difference worldwide. Take a look at this video to see our Global Headquarters here in Fort Wayne, Indiana.