Position	Transport Member Relations Support (12 Month Internship)
Location	Ireland
Reporting To:	Member Relations Manager
Date	October 2026

The opportunity:

Reporting to the Member Relations Manager, this rolling 12-month internship placement will support the delivery of high milk quality and compliance standards across the milk collection process. Working on a blended basis across Lakeland Dairies sites and through farm visits, you will gain practical experience across the milk supply chain while working closely with Transport, Member Relations, Quality and laboratory teams. You will support milk quality acceptance testing, sampling compliance, data analysis and follow-up activity, helping to identify risks, improve standards and strengthen communication with milk collection drivers and milk suppliers.

What does success look like?

Monitor approved milk sampling techniques, sample handling requirements and traceability procedures.

Carry out routine spot checks with Member Relations across milk collection, sampling and tanker hygiene practices.

Check that milk samples are collected, labelled, transported and documented correctly.

Assist with milk quality acceptance testing and review relevant laboratory results.

Support investigations into sampling queries, milk quality concerns, temperature issues and suspected out-of-specification cases.

Review milk quality, sampling and compliance data to identify trends, recurring issues and improvement opportunities.

Prepare clear reports and maintain accurate records of checks, findings, actions and outcomes.

Identify and escalate risks affecting milk quality, food safety, traceability or compliance.

Support follow-up actions arising from spot checks, audits, investigations and quality findings.

Contribute to continuous improvement in milk collection, tanker hygiene, sampling and data integrity.

Support driver training and refresher programmes on milk quality, sampling, tanker hygiene and compliance.

Build effective working relationships across key teams and communicate findings constructively and promptly.

Key Competencies

Attention to Detail

Analytical Thinking

Communication & Interpersonal Skills

Collaboration & Teamwork Planning
Problem Solving & Accountability

What you will need to succeed:

A relevant third-level qualification, or current participation in a suitable programme, in Food Science, Dairy Science, Agriculture, Quality, Supply Chain, Data Analytics or a related discipline.

Strong attention to detail and a methodical approach to checking, recording and following up information.

Strong IT and analytical skills, with the ability to review, trend and report data accurately.

Good communication and interpersonal skills, with confidence working across teams and engaging with drivers and milk suppliers.

Good organisational and time-management skills, with flexibility to work across sites and attend farm visits.

A full driving licence and access to a car.

Awareness of milk quality standards, HACCP principles and dairy industry practices is desirable.

Exposure to auditing, compliance, quality assurance, laboratory testing or data analysis is desirable.

An understanding of milk collection, dairy transport, farm operations or the wider milk supply chain is desirable.

Why join Lakeland Dairies

At Lakeland Dairies we offer far more than just a job. Our business provides purpose-driven careers rooted in heritage, community, and continuous growth. By joining our team, you become part of a rich history of cooperative excellence, deeply embedded in the fabric of local communities across Ireland. We truly live by our core values every day, fostering a fantastic, inclusive workplace culture where collaboration and integrity drive our global success. Here, your ambition matches our commitment to your future, offering amazing opportunities to develop your skills, advance your career, and make a meaningful impact on the global food supply chain.

We are committed to equality and believe in building a diverse organisation that is representative of and responsive to the needs of our customers and stakeholders.

A NOTE FOR RECRUITMENT AGENCIES:

We prefer to hire people directly, but we do have a preferred supplier list for when we need a helping hand. We'll be in touch directly if we need you!

Req ID: [[id]]

Transport Member Relations Support

Benefits

Job Description