Environmental Engineering Intern

About the Role

SDI Biocarbon Solutions is an environmental engineering internship embedded in an active manufacturing environment at Steel Dynamics BioCarbon Solutions in Columbus, MS. This internship will take place during the Summer 2027 term. The experience emphasizes mentorship, data-driven problem-solving, and visible outcomes, with work informing real operational and sustainability decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with environmental permitting by gathering data, drafting submittals, coordinating with consultants, and communicating with regulatory agencies.
• Collect, validate, and analyze environmental data for emissions, water quality, and waste streams, and build tracking tools and reports to demonstrate compliance with permit limits.
• Conduct field inspections of emission points, stormwater controls, waste accumulation areas, and radiation detection portals, document findings, and follow up on corrective actions.
• Perform sampling and monitoring to verify compliance with permit conditions, maintain chain of custody, and organize sampling records.
• Prepare or assist with required regulatory reports including emission inventories, Title V reports, SARA and Tier II submissions, deviation logs, discharge monitoring reports, and routine quarterly and annual filings.
• Participate in root cause analyses for exceedances or abnormal trends and help develop corrective and preventive actions with operations and maintenance teams.
• Support operation and performance tracking of pollution control equipment such as baghouses, scrubbers, and oxidizers, and recommend improvements where appropriate.
• Contribute to sustainability and decarbonization initiatives focused on emissions reduction, waste minimization, water stewardship, and recycling.
• Assist with contractor and vendor coordination, waste profiling and manifests, and value-driven procurement to meet program goals.
• Help prepare for audits and inspections by organizing documentation, participating in walk-throughs, and supporting responses to findings or Notices of Violation.
• Develop and deliver basic training or job aids for environmental requirements, and partner with the SDI Corporate Office on projects as needed.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Clear communication and organized documentation skills to collaborate with operations and support compliance reporting.
• Experience with data analysis and tracking tools.
• Familiarity with environmental regulations and compliance reporting.
• Exposure to pollution control equipment such as baghouses, scrubbers, and oxidizers.
• Understanding of environmental management systems (EMS).
• Experience with root cause analysis.
• Ability to conduct field assessments and inspections.
• Proficiency in preparing and interpreting data for reports.
• Experience with hazardous material handling and stormwater systems.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Environmental, Chemical, Biology, or other engineering fields with an environmental emphasis.
• Minimum of 3.0 GPA.