Economic Development Intern (Administrative Intern) (Part-time)

City of Tustin•Tustin, CA

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Tustin’s Economic Development Division is seeking a motivated Economic Development Intern to support communications, marketing, and public relations initiatives that showcase Tustin’s business community and citywide programs. This position is ideal for current students or recent graduates interested in public engagement, content creation, digital marketing, and local government communications. This is an in-person, limited-term internship opportunity expected to last approximately 6 to 7 months, with interns scheduled to work a minimum of 32 hours per week. Interns will work closely with staff on high visibility projects that strengthen the City’s connection with residents and local businesses. The Intern position is a training classification designed to provide meaningful on-the-job experience to current students or recent graduates pursuing or possessing degrees in Communications, Marketing, Public Administration, Business Administration, Public Relations, Urban Studies, or related fields. Given that this is a part-time, at-will, non-benefitted position, work hours will be limited to fewer than 1,000 per fiscal year, with employees generally scheduled to work a minimum of 32 hours per week.

Requirements

Graduation from high school and enrollment in an associate or bachelor’s degree program with major coursework in Communications, Marketing, Public Administration, Business Administration, Public Relations, Urban Studies, or a field related to the area of assignment (or completion of such degree within the past three (3) years).
Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license and an acceptable driving record.
Satisfactory results from background investigation, physical examination and administrative screening.
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Team-oriented
Personable
Comfortable engaging directly with the public
Willingness to learn

Nice To Haves

Experience in customer service, outreach, community engagement, or team-based environments is preferred.
Familiarity with social media platforms, Canva, and AI-assisted content tools is also desirable.

Responsibilities

Conduct outreach to new and existing businesses, including in-person visits, phone calls, and email communication
Serve as a City representative when engaging with business owners to gather stories, needs, and insights about their operations
Draft business highlight articles, success stories, and economic development features for use on City social media, newsletters, and the website
Create digital content (graphics, photos, short videos) using Canva and AI-assisted tools to support business promotion and public engagement
Support the City’s social media and communications efforts by drafting posts, gathering business-related content, and updating content calendars
Assist with economic development programs such as business retention visits, small business outreach events, and resource campaigns
Maintain and update business contact lists, databases, and outreach logs; prepare summaries and reports based on interactions
Support research tasks, including compiling local business trends, industry information, and economic development data
Assist with special projects such as mapping, surveys, development of marketing materials, and community engagement initiatives