BHM IQ SUMMER 2026 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Position Summary:
The Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), a regional economic development chamber, is an organization dedicated to using data-driven, data-informed frameworks and initiatives to drive economic growth in the Greater Birmingham region. To successfully reach these goals, the BBA established the Birmingham Intelligence Quotient (BHM IQ) as the premier regional business intelligence center to empower economic developers and business leaders with pertinent information about the state of our economy. In summer 2026, BHM IQ is starting the inaugural internship program for young professionals who are interested in learning key skills and knowledge surrounding economic development business intelligence and core competencies of strategic economic research.
Reports to: Manager, Business Intelligence
Time Commitment: June 8, 2026, to July 30, 2026; 20 hours per week
Pay Expectations: $21/hr
Scope of Work/Role Responsibilities:
- Conduct deep dive research into one of the BBA’s target industries (e.g., Advanced Materials & Metals) alongside the BHM IQ team
- With support from the BHM IQ team, respond to requests from economic development partners and stakeholders
- Meet with local economic developers across the region to gain insights about their target and existing industries
- Share ongoing progress updates in recurring meetings on project-related tasks and requests
- Deliver a final presentation to the team highlighting key insights gained and contributions made to supported projects
Qualifications/Requirements:
- Currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate as a rising sophomore or higher in a program related to economic development principles (Business, Economics, Public Policy, Finance, Public Administration, Political Science, or related) and desire to learn about the economic development field from practitioners
- Data analytics experience through academic and/or professional research
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite products or similar
- Professionalism through consistent timeliness, appropriate workplace attire, and personal accountability
- Strong organizational and written communication skills
- Ability to conduct professional conversations with business leaders, economic development executives, and community leaders as a representative of the BBA and of the Greater Birmingham Region
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Ability to conduct research independently and ask questions to form data-driven solutions and conclusions
- Experience with data visualization tools like Power BI, Tableau, Looker, or similar
- Experience with data cleaning, parsing, and validation
