Economic Development Intern

Economic Development Internship – Gain Real-World Experience in Your Community!

The Economic Development Intern will gain valuable experience working on a variety of projects related to economic development, volunteerism, and marketing with the City. This internship offers a well-rounded, comprehensive experience, perfect for candidates with a passion for community development and growth. The position requires a flexible schedule, including some evenings and weekends. 

As an Economic Development Intern, you'll have the opportunity to: 

• Collaborate with local businesses: Work one-on-one with business contacts throughout the community to help support and grow the local economy.
• Plan and organize large events: Assist with the coordination of community events that have a big impact on local engagement and business development.
• Marketing and communication: Get involved in marketing and communication efforts for large-scale events, helping to promote and communicate key initiatives.

If you’re passionate about supporting local businesses, engaging with the community, and gaining real-world government experience, we encourage you to apply! 

The Economic Development Intern will engage in responsible, entry-level work focused on community and economic development. You’ll have the opportunity to work closely with the Economic Development Manager on a variety of exciting projects that contribute to local growth and innovation.

• Special Projects: Participate in and/or manage special projects under the supervision of the Economic Development Manager.
• Research & Inquiries: Research and respond to inquiries, helping to support the development of community initiatives.
• Public Presentations: Assist in preparing presentations for public meetings, providing support to communicate key initiatives.
• Data Collection & Assessments: Collect data and perform field assessments for economic development programs.
• Report Preparation: Help prepare detailed reports to track the success of programs and projects.
• Record Keeping: Assemble and maintain permanent records related to economic development activities.
• Public Meetings: Assist with setting up and conducting public meetings, helping facilitate community engagement.
• Outreach & Marketing: Collaborate with the team to create outreach and marketing materials as part of our broader economic development branding strategy.
• Policy Research: Conduct primary research on how peer cities approach economic development through policies, programs, and resources.
• Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Support efforts to promote local innovation and entrepreneurship, helping drive economic growth in the area.
• Non-Profit Coordination: Work with local non-profit organizations to support community development initiatives.
• Email Campaigns & Marketing: Help develop and implement email campaigns and assist with updating departmental marketing materials (flyers, profiles, etc.).
• Other Duties: Assist with various tasks as assigned to support the Economic Development team.

To be eligible for this internship opportunity, you must be:

• Pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in Public Administration, City & Regional Planning, Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Finance, or a related field; or have obtained one in the last 12 months. 
• Enrolled in, or have successfully completed, Public Administration, City & Regional Planning, Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, or Finance college course.
• Possession of a valid driver's license 

To excel in this role, you should have:

• Prior experience in economic development, planning, public administration, or related fields (this can include professional, volunteer, or student experience).
• Previous exposure to an office environment, including experience with customer service, report writing, and/or project management.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to multi-task effectively, prioritize responsibilities, and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• A confident, proactive attitude that will help you thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

We are asking for a commitment through our 10-week program, fromJune 16th - August 22nd. Preference will be given to candidates that are available to work up to 40 hours per week throughout the program. If you are a top candidate, your availability and assigned schedule will be discussed with you before moving into the background check process. 

Our core business hours are Monday - Friday, 8am to 5pm, with an hour for lunch. We are physically in the office every day, and you will have an assigned desk with a City issued computer! This position is not eligible for remote work, so you must be able to commit to being onsite to be considered for this role.

This summer launches our 3rd year of a formal internship program: Next Step, Auburn. You can learn more about what this means for you as an intern here!

The pay rates for this position will be offered as follows:

Freshman & Sophomores: Step 1 - $19.42

Juniors & Seniors: Step 2 - $20.95

Postgraduates: Step 3 - $22.48

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
Team Auburn values diverse perspectives and life experiences and welcomes applications from people who will help us consistently demonstrate the values of equity, respect, and partnership. The department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and veterans. Individuals interested in joining our team must be committed to racial, social, and economic equality for ALL people in our community. 
 
The City of Auburn is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer.  No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.


READY TO APPLY?
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format or would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
The City of Auburn is dedicated to building an inclusive, informed city, with opportunities for all. In alignment with that goal, the City has adopted an anonymous application process that prevents hiring managers from seeing personal identifiers, including names, addresses, and other similar information. This eliminates the possibility of unintentional or implicit bias during the initial screening of applications.  For that reason, hiring managers will not be viewing any attachments to your application, including a cover letter or resume, during the initial screening.

Please make sure to submit a complete, detailed, and updated job application, and thoroughly answer the supplemental questions prior to the submission deadline! You must meet the minimum qualifications to move forward in the screening process.

Please note that if you are selected to move forward after an interview, a background check, and reference check will be completed before an official job offer will be made.

COMMUNICATION FROM THE CITY OF AUBURN
We primarily communicate via e-mail during the recruitment process. E-mails from auburnwa.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure you receive notifications in a timely manner.  As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders.

CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions, please contact Brianna Winters, HR Coordinator, by email at bwinters@auburnwa.gov.

Salary : $19 - $22