Data Storytelling & Publication Support Intern

Boston Public Health Commission • Boston, MA

8d

About The Position

The Population Health and Research Office (PHAR) serves several important roles at the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC). Broadly these include conducting research, public health surveillance, analysis and interpretation of public health data, and program evaluation support that focuses on understanding health equity and the determinants of health. With expertise in analyzing, interpreting, and disseminating Boston resident health-related data, PHAR provides core population health functions including evaluation, informatics and epidemiological support to BPHC public health programs and initiatives, policymakers, other city agencies, community organizations and residents. We are seeking a detail-oriented, equity-driven intern with a foundation in public health analytics, health communications, technical writing, and data visualization to support the development of clear, accessible, and actionable public-facing data materials. This role will assist with transforming complex epidemiologic analytic findings into polished narratives, infographics, and publications that help Boston residents, partners, and policymakers understand key health trends and priorities. The intern will work closely with epidemiologists, analysts, and program staff to support data storytelling and publication development across a wide range of health topics to better support stakeholders in using data to inform decision-making, prioritize resources, and identify communities and health issues where targeted intervention can have the greatest impact.

Requirements

• Knowledge of or willingness to learn about the role of public health in addressing racism, the social determinants of health, and inequities in health outcomes as well as strategies to advance racial justice and health equity.
• Commitment to health equity and racial/social justice issues.
• Coursework or experience in public health, epidemiology, data science, health information design, or a related field.
• Basic proficiency with analytic tools (e.g., SAS, Excel, R, or similar).
• Strong writing skills with the ability to summarize complex information clearly.
• Experience or comfort designing visuals and layouts in Canva, Microsoft Office, or similar tools.
• Demonstrated commitment to health equity and responsible, community-informed data use.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, communicate proactively, and incorporate feedback.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred Experience with data visualization software (Tableau, PowerBI, ESRI StoryMaps, etc.).
• Experience producing infographics, dashboards, or public-facing reports.
• Experience with tools or processes that support auto-generating charts or templated visualizations (e.g., Excel automation, R Markdown, Python scripts, or other reproducible workflows)

Responsibilities

• Assist with cleaning, organizing, and analyzing population health datasets.
• Develop basic charts, tables, and other visualizations that accurately communicate health trends and limitations.
• Support interpretation of analytic results, with clear attention to context, uncertainty, and equity implications.
• Draft accessible and accurate narrative summaries to accompany data visuals.
• Support layout and design of reports, one-pagers, infographics, and story-map elements using Microsoft Word/PowerPoint, Canva, and similar tools.
• Generate new visual communication concepts—including infographics, icons, and public-friendly data summaries.
• Prepare draft materials for internal and external stakeholder review and incorporate edits.
• Ensure all products meet standards for clarity, accessibility, and health equity.
• Support the production of materials for major publications, including the Health of Boston Report and topic-specific data briefs.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees