Student Intern (Economic Development)

Carlsbad - The Community:
The City of Carlsbad is ideally situated in north San Diego County where great climate, beautiful beaches, lagoons, and abundant natural open space combine with world-class resorts, family attractions, well-planned neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a charming village atmosphere create the ideal California experience. Covering nearly 40 square miles, the City of Carlsbad is currently home to about 115,000 residents. Thanks to an award-winning growth management plan, the city's infrastructure and services keep pace with development and promote an excellent quality of life.

You belong in Carlsbad

The City of Carlsbad embraces and recognizes the vital relationship of an inclusive, engaged work environment and innovative excellence. An equitable and inclusive work climate comprises personal experiences, values, and views shaped from differences of culture and circumstance. Our organization appreciates belonging, creativity, recognition and retention of its employees and is committed to hiring and developing motivated, productive and talented employees who provide services and enhance our quality of life. We work to embrace open and equitable access to opportunities for learning and development as our responsibility and goal.

The Position

There is one student-intern position in the Economic Development Department.

This opportunity will provide exposure to a wide variety of public sector professional and trade career options while supporting specific learning objectives.

Student interns may be assigned to specific projects or tasks, according to the intern's interests and skills and based on city needs. Specific duties and areas of responsibility will depend on the student's educational or training program.

Why Carlsbad?
The City of Carlsbad is committed to helping new talent grow! Our interns get exposure to important projects that have a real and positive impact on the community we serve. You will work alongside seasoned professionals who are experts in their fields, mid-level managers on their way up and new hires, fresh out of school. This network of colleagues is here to support you as they share their passion for public service, with the hope that you will carve out your own career path that is personally and professionally fulfilling.

Area of Focus

Economic Development

This intern position will focus on supporting the City's Economic Development initiatives, particularly with data-driven decision-making, economic analysis, and marketing strategies that support both small business development and broader economic growth in the city.

A key component of this role will involve contributing to the Small Business Liaison Program by creating content materials that provide resources and guidance to small businesses in Carlsbad.

The intern will help develop digital resources that assist businesses in navigating city processes, accessing available support, and growing their operations. Additionally, the role will involve working on projects that enhance the City's Life in Action campaign, which promotes Carlsbad as a premier location for businesses, talent, and residents.

The intern will gain hands-on experience with data and analysis work. There will also be opportunities to develop and apply technical skills in software such as Tableau and Python, alongside learning advanced digital marketing techniques.

Key Responsibilities - Economic Development

• Assist in collecting, organizing, and analyzing economic and demographic data using software tools such as Tableau and Excel.
• Support the preparation and visualization of data for reports, presentations, and dashboards related to the City's economic development initiatives.
• Contribute to the Life in Action marketing campaign by helping to create content for social media, websites, and other digital platforms.
• Participate in special projects, including research on economic trends, business outreach, and community engagement activities.
• Learn and apply data analysis techniques to inform strategies that promote business retention, attraction, and expansion in Carlsbad.
• Assist in preparing materials for meetings, workshops, and public presentations related to economic development.
• Assist with special projects as assigned related to data informed decision making for operational efficiency.

• Proficiency in using data analysis and visualization tools such as Tableau, Excel, Python and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
• Strong interest in economic development, data analysis, and digital marketing.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to think creatively and apply problem-solving skills to real-world challenges.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks/projects and work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Familiarity with digital marketing strategies, including social media and content creation, is a plus.
• Ability to learn pertinent Federal, State, and local laws and ordinances.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with City staff and the general public.
• Ability to think creatively and quickly while managing multiple tasks/projects.

• Must be currently enrolled in an accredited academic course/program or technical/trade school or be a recent graduate.