Product Operations Process Automation Co-op

IDC Research Inc.•Boston, MA

9d•$25 - $35•Hybrid

About The Position

As a Product Operations Process Automation Co-op, you'll work directly alongside IDC's Director of Product Operations to map, streamline, and begin automating the manual processes that keep IDC's product catalog, fact sheets, and operational systems current and accurate. This is not a passive, observational role. You'll identify where repetitive work can be accelerated or eliminated through AI tools and automation, and you'll help build the lightweight solutions that make it happen. You'll be embedded in IDC's Business Operations team — the operational backbone behind IDC's world-class technology market research and advisory business — and your work will have direct, visible impact on the teams that produce and deliver IDC's research every day.

Requirements

Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business Administration, Data Analytics, or a related field
Strong interest in process automation, operational systems, or business technology — you find inefficiency genuinely frustrating and want to fix it
Experience using AI tools, ideally Claude, in coursework, internships, or personal projects to accelerate or automate work
Familiarity with Python, SQL, or workflow automation tools (Power Automate, Zapier, or similar); proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint required
Strong analytical and documentation skills — you can map a messy process, spot the problem, and explain the solution clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment without losing track of the details that matter
Comfortable working across business and technical teams; collaborative, curious, and self-directed — you don't wait to be told what needs fixing

Responsibilities

Map current-state workflows for the product catalog, fact sheets, and other operational data systems to identify where manual effort is concentrated and where errors most commonly occur
Design improved future-state processes that reduce repetitive work, improve data accuracy, and create more scalable operating patterns
Build lightweight automation solutions — using AI tools, scripting, or workflow platforms — that eliminate manual steps and improve the reliability of IDC's operational data
Work with the Director of Product Operations to prioritize automation opportunities based on impact, feasibility, and alignment with 2026 business priorities
Document new processes and automation logic clearly so that solutions are maintainable and transferable across co-op cohorts
Identify opportunities to embed AI tools into Business Operations workflows, with a focus on tasks that are repetitive, rule-based, or time-intensive
Experiment with AI-assisted processes — including Claude and other tools — to accelerate data maintenance, content updates, and operational reporting
Share findings and working prototypes with the broader team through IDC's AI Playground sessions, helping surface best practices that others can adopt
Evaluate automation tools and platforms (Power Automate, Python scripts, low-code solutions) and recommend approaches that fit IDC's technical environment
Support the accuracy and completeness of IDC's product catalog and fact sheets by identifying gaps, inconsistencies, and outdated entries that automation can help address
Develop lightweight quality-checking processes or tools that flag data issues before they create downstream problems for Product, Sales, or Marketing teams
Work with cross-functional stakeholders to understand how operational data is used, where hand-offs break down, and where automation can improve reliability at the seams
Support the rollout of IDC's evolving operating model by helping document, design, and improve core business processes tied to research delivery and operational systems
Contribute to Program NEXUS — IDC's initiative to optimize market intelligence production for greater speed, quality, and operating performance — by identifying automation opportunities within its scope
Help develop governance frameworks and workflow standards that make improved processes stick and scale