Intern (Research, Storytelling & Community Impact)

Steer•Pittsburgh, PA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Fourth Economy's Research, Storytelling & Community Impact Internship is open to undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates with interests in communications, journalism, public policy, economic development, community development, sociology, nonprofit management, marketing, public health, urban studies, or related fields. We are seeking a curious, creative, and motivated individual who enjoys learning, experimenting, and helping others understand complex ideas through research, storytelling, and engagement. This internship focuses on helping Fourth Economy tell the stories behind the data. Interns will support research, writing, communications, engagement activities, events, and special initiatives that help communities, organizations, and regions understand complex challenges and opportunities. The intern will work alongside consultants, researchers, and engagement specialists to document community experiences, translate research into accessible content, support public engagement efforts, and identify compelling ways to communicate impact. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys both strategic thinking and execution and is excited to test new ideas and approaches. As part of this internship, the selected candidate may help support Fourth Economy's Agents of Change initiative, a series of conversations and gatherings designed to bring together practitioners, community leaders, nonprofits, researchers, and residents to discuss pressing challenges and innovative approaches related to economic mobility, opportunity, and community development. The intern will have opportunities to help research topics, identify speakers and participants, develop communications materials, support event logistics, document conversations, and capture lessons learned that can be shared more broadly.

Requirements

Strong written communication and storytelling skills
Interest in community development, economic mobility, public policy, housing, workforce development, public health, or related topics
Experience conducting research and synthesizing information from multiple sources
Ability to organize information and identify key themes, trends, and insights
Strong attention to detail and project management skills
Comfort managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a team
Curiosity, creativity, and willingness to learn

Nice To Haves

Experience with interviews, journalism, communications, marketing, content creation, event planning, or community engagement is a plus
Experience with Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, social media platforms, website content management systems, or related communications tools is a plus

Responsibilities

Conducting desktop research on community and economic development topics
Supporting interviews, focus groups, and stakeholder engagement activities
Drafting reports, articles, blog posts, case studies, newsletters, and other written materials
Supporting Fourth Economy's social media, website, and thought leadership content
Helping manage conference calendars, speaking opportunities, event logistics, and content preparation
Assisting with the planning and coordination of the Agents of Change initiative and other events
Identifying stories, themes, and insights that emerge from research and engagement activities
Testing new communications, engagement, and storytelling approaches to help expand Fourth Economy's reach and impact
Exploring emerging tools and technologies that can improve how we share information, engage stakeholders, and communicate results
Help research topics for the Agents of Change initiative
Identify speakers and participants for the Agents of Change initiative
Develop communications materials for the Agents of Change initiative
Support event logistics for the Agents of Change initiative
Document conversations from the Agents of Change initiative
Capture lessons learned from the Agents of Change initiative that can be shared more broadly
Conduct background research on community and economic development topics
Draft articles, blogs, case studies, summaries, presentations, and communications materials
Support social media content creation and content planning
Help translate technical information into accessible and engaging content
Identify opportunities to elevate client stories, project outcomes, and organizational thought leadership
Support stakeholder interviews and engagement activities
Help manage conference schedules, event logistics, and speaking opportunities
Assist with planning and coordination of Agents of Change and other convenings
Participate in community meetings, workshops, and events
Test new ideas, tools, and approaches related to engagement, communications, and storytelling
Document key insights and lessons learned from events and conversations
Join internal meetings and learning sessions
Shadow project teams and business development activities
Connect with Fourth Economy and Steer staff to learn about different career paths and project types
Gain exposure to consulting, project management, business development, and thought leadership activities