Trine interns relish opportunities at Zimmer Biomet

WARSAW, Ind. — Paige Hull says every biomedical engineer has heard of Zimmer Biomet.

“Most, if not, all hope and pray they will just get the chance to have an interview,” she said.

Hull and two other Trine University biomedical engineering majors got much farther than an interview, completing internships with the medical device giant this past summer.

Emily Hess

Emily Hess, from Fort Loramie, Ohio, completed her second internship with the company.

Her first came after her freshman year at Trine. She had talked to a Trine graduate working at Zimmer Biomet at the Career Fair and decided to apply.

“Given that most companies don't consider freshmen for internships, landing one at Zimmer Biomet felt like a dream come true,” she said.

Near the end of her first internship, the company extended the offer for a second.

During both experiences, she served in the role of a manufacturing engineer.

Her first summer, she was assigned to engineers who work in the department that produces artificial hip joint sockets. She also worked with the instruments packaging department to create a new floor plan. She coordinated with external contractors to plan equipment relocation and contributed to process improvements within the acetabular (artificial hip join socket) fusion bonding furnace area.

For her second internship, she was stationed in the investment casting foundry. In investment casting, a wax pattern is coated with a ceramic material. Once the material hardens, the wax is melted and molten metal is poured into the mold. After extra metal is removed, the final product is ready to be machined.

During her time in the foundry, she oversaw the installation of a new vertical storage unit and coordinated with another contractor to relocate four existing units within the foundry. She collaborated with Zimmer Biomet’s Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) team to develop a lock-out tag-out procedure conforming to FDA guidelines.

“The most rewarding aspect of both my internships has been the level of responsibility entrusted to me,” she said. “I have been assigned significant projects typically handled by full-time engineers, rather than being relegated to paperwork or smaller tasks typically assigned to interns.”

She said the internships have reinforced her decision to pursue a career in biomedical engineering, specifically at Zimmer Biomet.

“Through these experiences, I have not only deepened my knowledge of medical manufacturing but also honed my professional skills,” she said.

Michaela Doiron

Michaela Doiron of Zachary, Louisiana, applied for an internship at Zimmer Biomet after Hess told her about her internship experience there.

“I wanted to get out and explore the field to really understand what BMEs do in their day-to-day lives,” she said.

She met two Zimmer Biomet employees at Trine’s Career Fair and filled out an application, which led to an interview. 

“I truly did not realize how many people applied for an internship at Zimmer Biomet and how selective their program is until I heard some of the numbers,” she said.

The company allowed her to finish the postseason with Trine’s softball team before starting her internship.

She worked as an operations engineering intern working in the quality department supporting the knee department.

“There are not many classes relating to the quality department. Exploring this department has been an eye-opening experience,” she said.

Her work included updating the racking configuration for end-of-line projects and updating the criteria used to inspect parts.      

“On top of that, I have been part of different groups that have completed projects. I have enjoyed working with these interns all summer long and collaborating with them,” she said. “For most of the projects, we are speaking to operators and getting their feedback. This has led me to become a little more outspoken than I was at the beginning of the summer.”

She said the problem-solving skills she has gained in classes at Trine were helpful on the internship. The opportunity also has provided the ability to network, with Michaela saying she built relationships with many at Zimmer Biomet.

Paige Hull

Paige, from New Lenox, Illinois, said when she applied to Zimmer Biomet she didn’t expect to hear back, but she would have felt worse if she hadn’t tried.

“The worst thing that can happen is they won’t reach out and I lose nothing in the process,” she said.

Once she received the news she had been selected, “I called everyone that was important in my life and told them that I had got the internship and that I couldn't have been happier.”

She worked in Zimmer Biomet’s Clinical Affairs group. She said her tasks ranged from “documents needing to be scanned to working on protocols that need to be perfect so that surgeons know what they need to be doing for the specific implant they will be in charge of.”

She also was able to sit in on site visits, either to prep and train workers or discuss about the end of a clinical study and the results.

“I've been able to do and participate in many things others will never get the chance to do, and I am so thankful for that,” she said. “Getting my hands dirty in the working field will help me prepare more for any job that might come my way, and I believe I will be ready for It.”