Research Intern - Filene Research Institute
Organization Description
Filene Research Institute exists to help credit unions empower people to achieve financial wellness. We are an independent, consumer finance think-and-do tank dedicated to changing people’s lives through ideas, truth and cooperation. We aim to create change through insightful research, novel ideas, and rigorous experimentation to make real and lasting impact in people’s lives.
We live by the famous words of our namesake, credit union and retail pioneer Edward A. Filene: "Progress is the constant replacing of the best there is with something still better." Together, Filene and our thousands of supporters seek progress for credit unions by turning questions into research, research into ideas, and ideas into action. Filene is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Role
Research Intern
Job Location
Hybrid based out of the Madison, WI office or Fully Remote
Start Date
Flexible: November 2022 - May 2023 at part-time, with possible extension through Summer 2023 at full-time
Contact Information
Andrea Espy (andreae@filene.org)
Position Overview
Reporting to the Senior Director of Research, the Intern will work with Filene’s research team, supporting research that explores solutions to pressing challenges facing credit unions and their communities. The Intern will have a unique opportunity to learn about the credit union system, its position in the consumer finance industry, and its potential to make a positive impact. Filene plays an important role in the ecosystem, leveraging research, innovation, and business partnerships to transform consumer and cooperative finance and make a difference in people’s lives. The Intern will be focused primarily on custom market research for credit unions, as well as commissioned research and thought leadership to support Filene’s mission to support credit unions and the communities they serve.
The Research Intern will support the entire research process, from initial client contact to scoping to final development of final deliverables. Projects will include custom research on consumer insights and industry analysis. Specifically, the intern will be responsible for support in the following areas:
- Survey development and testing
- Data cleaning and basic analysis
- Developing templated reports and deliverables
- Supporting client outreach and communication
- Managing team administrative duties
- Other assigned duties as needed
The Intern’s time will be divided across a range of projects and require effective time management and organizational skills to guide a fast-paced research output. The Intern will also work closely with teams across Filene, including coordinating on original research and innovation, product incubation and testing, event and communities, marketing and communications, and advisory services. The Intern is expected to work collaboratively across the organization, as well as independently.
Job Responsibilities
The Research Intern will work with the research team to:
- Help execute custom market research projects, specifically those based in survey research, as well as other commissioned research and thought leadership projects.
- Function as an analyst in support of Filene research with responsibilities including developing and maintaining databases, inputting and cleaning raw data, assessing data quality, performing quantitative and statistical analyses, and generating compelling data visualizations.
- Conduct basic desk research (e.g., finding relevant articles, summarizing published research, etc.) and other supporting analysis and write compelling research outputs and ancillary products (templated slide decks, workshop guides, etc.).
- Effectively maintain data and physical and electronic storage for applicable materials (research outputs, files, product samples, project folders, etc.).
- Learn about consumer and cooperative finance, practice the basics of research in financial services, and build portfolio-worthy projects.
- Own select team administrative duties to help maintain organization and project management (e.g., notetaking, agenda management).
- Assist with a variety of other projects and tasks that help Filene advance credit union growth and impact.
The statements above are not intended to be all-inclusive and other duties will be assigned as needed.
Job Requirements
The Research Intern must be a current and active university student: Junior, Senior, or Graduate-level. The Intern must also demonstrate:
- Self-motivation and autonomy to take initative on project tasks and assignments.
- Excellent time management and organization skills.
- The ability to prioritize work assignments and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Strong interpersonal and written and oral communication skills, including the ability to summarize ideas clearly and succinctly.
- Ability to work cross-functionally across different Filene teams.
- The ability to learn and embody Filene’s vision and mission and the values of cooperative finance.
Helpful but not required:
- Prior experience with market research, statistics and quantitative research, and/or financial analysis
- Prior experience with project management
- Basic knowledge of the credit union industry and/or financial services