Innovation Consulting Intern (Chemistry Focus)

RTI International is an independent, scientific research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Our vision is to address the world's most critical problems with technical and science-based solutions in pursuit of a better future. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach—one that integrates expertise across social, statistical, data, and laboratory sciences, engineering, and other technical disciplines to solve the world’s most challenging problems.

About The Hiring Group

The Center for Innovation and Applied Economics (CIAE) performs analyses and research to provide intelligence for a variety of client needs, from informing new product or market development efforts to identifying new manufacturing capabilities or practices. The team provides research and analysis to identify commercialization opportunities for technologies developed by government laboratories and corporations. CIAE supports a wide range of interdisciplinary domains, including but not limited to consumer packaged goods, food and agriculture, advanced materials, packaging engineering, clean energy and decarbonization technologies, circular economy, waste, and resource recovery, and space and defense applications.

CIAE works at the intersection of innovation, policy, and evidence—partnering with foundations, NGOs, universities, commercial firms, and government agencies to design and carry out evaluations of S&T programs and portfolios. Example client environments include commercial entities such as Syngenta, Newell Brands, and Medtronic; science-funding and mission agencies such as NSF, NASA, and NIH; as well as philanthropic and nonprofit organizations advancing research, health, and technology adoption.

What You'll Do

RTI International’s Center for Innovation and Advanced Evaluation (CIAE) is seeking a paid, virtual Innovation Consulting Intern (Chemistry Focus). The intern will support innovation consulting teams by conducting primary and secondary research that informs development of insights and actionable recommendations to clients facing technology-focused challenges. Interns will support project teams for commercial and federal clients looking to expand into new markets, acquire new technology, assess a technology portfolio, solve a technical problem, or iterate on their existing practices.

The Innovation Consulting Intern will be mentored by and work with staff to conduct tasks related to market research and commercialization of new technologies. While the intern will focus on projects requiring chemistry expertise (e.g., functional ingredients in food, chemicals of concern, consumer packaged goods formulations), they must be comfortable working in domains that are often outside the scope of a candidate's current study or experience.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research using secondary resources (published company information, SEC filings, scholarly journals, trade literature, and news articles), as well as primary resources (phone interviews) when needed
• Provide insightful analysis of opportunities identified during primary and secondary research in written and oral formats
• Develop marketing descriptions of new technologies and conduct research in a wide range of technology areas and industries
• Apply general technical acumen and scientific skills to evaluate a variety of technologies, while using AI-enabled tools strategically and responsibly

Internship Learning Objectives

• The intern will learn how to conduct, aggregate, and analyze research to develop actionable insights for federal and commercial clients.
• The intern will learn how to apply a chemistry background to understanding and solving technical needs for federal and commercial clients.
• The intern will learn how innovation consulting projects operate.

This is a part-time position between 15-30 hours per week.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled student or recent graduate of a science or business graduate degree program (such as a master's program in entrepreneurship or engineering management)
• Demonstrated comfort and willingness to regularly work outside the scope of the candidate's technical field of study, including communication with technical experts
• Detail-oriented and able to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team
• Exceptional written and oral communication, time management, and analytical skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Academic coursework in areas that include but are not limited to 1) food science or nutrition physiology; 2) sustainability or packaging, including the circular economy or chemicals of concern; 3) materials chemistry
• Experience or career interest in innovation, technology commercialization and consulting
• Experience in fields such as food science, consumer packaged goods, or sustainability is a plus
• Knowledge of or previous experience with product or process development, portfolio mapping/valuation, market research, technology evaluation, and/or technology transfer

Pay

Equal Pay Act Minimum/Range: $25.00-$30.00

Benefits

At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit-based annual increases, bonus opportunities, and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include:

• A competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability)
• Access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan
• Paid parental leave for all parents
• Financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments
• Financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities
• An employee assistance program
• Numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance