Diversity & Inclusion Research Intern (Fall 2024)

Working for Equity Residential (EQR), an industry leading multi-family REIT headquartered in downtown Chicago, means being part of a community and striving to provide the best in apartment living, speaking boldly about new ideas for innovation, and inspiring creativity in the ways we work together.

Our portfolio of high-quality properties in growth markets New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver, to name a few provides homes where people most want to live.

We've got the best people in the business, and our experience shows in our dedication to residents and in how much we value each other as colleagues.

That’s why our employees say they are proud to work at Equity, a company that knows how to Live Remarkably.

Equity Residential’s corporate fall 2024 intern program is a part-time (24 hour a week commitment), 12 week paid internship based in Chicago.

The program starts September 17, 2024 and runs through December 10, 2024. The selected intern will work with the internal Communications group for the length of the program and will have the opportunity to collaborate with various interns in other business areas (HR, Property Operations, Investments) and will be a rising college junior.

The purpose of Equity's Corporate Internship Program is to attract emerging diverse talent and promote learning about Equity and the real estate industry.

Participants will have the opportunity to accelerate their professional growth and diversify their work experience by engaging with different business partners throughout the program.

Please note : Our internship experience will be a hybrid in person / remote platform for fall 2024, with two partial days a week of required on-site participation (Tuesday & Thursday) at our corporate office in Chicago.

Relocation is not provided.

WHO YOU ARE

Organized, Flexible, and Adaptable. You have a keen eye for detail and pride yourself on delivering quality work. You multitask well, re-prioritize accordingly, and meet deadlines consistently.

You keep your cool during stressful situations, remain resilient, and quickly find solutions in order to meet the changing needs and priorities of the business.

A Collaborator and Trusted Team Player. You enjoy partnering with others whether internal or external and build constructive working relationships that foster cooperation in order to get work done and deliver great results.

You are united with teammates and follow through on commitments.

A Strong Communicator. Your writing and speaking skills are clear, articulate, and effective, demonstrating your ability to interact with all levels and helping you connect well with others.

Creative. You like thinking outside the box to come up with smart solutions to new challenges, and you embrace the opportunity to live in the gray.

A Solution-Oriented Team Player. You are united with teammates and follow through on commitments.

Passionate. Motivated. Eager to Learn. You ask smart questions, challenge the status quo, and regularly seek to understand.

You invest extra energy to reach your goals.

OVERVIEW OF THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

A first-hand experience of day-to-day life at a REIT and resources to learn the programs / tools and processes used in the industry.

Perform research and prepare reports on assigned topics and / or projects. May create or update systems or databases for specific department needs.

Present project results to department personnel or management.

Work collaboratively across EQR departments and functions to establish and update a strategic plan that maximizes value and enhances returns for every asset within the portfolio.

Represent Equity Residential in a professional manner at all times. Consistently maintains a professional courteous attitude when dealing with residents, coworkers and the general public.

Position Overview

The D&I Research Intern will work closely with the Manager of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) as well as the rest of the HR team to coordinate and facilitate activities that ultimately drive our strategy forward.

This is a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience and exposure to various functional areas of HR, such as Learning & Development and Communications.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Opportunity to collaborate with the Manager of D&I on core diversity and inclusion initiatives and strategies.

Research best practices for diversity and inclusion ideas that align with Equity’s culture and values.

Create written and visual materials to enhance the cultural competence of our employees.

Partner with the HR Business Partners to accomplish department and function goals.

Network and engage with key stakeholders across the organization to establish and accomplish key deliverables.

REQUIREMENTS

Prefer candidates pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Political Science, English, Communications, or a related field.

Ability to effectively and objectively communicate and work with internal and external customers, as well as strong organizational skills and a keen eye for detail.

Must be comfortable working autonomously and multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment with fluid deadlines.

Familiarity and previous experience with Microsoft Excel and Google Applications (Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets), and Canva.

Unrestricted authorization to work in the United States (currently, we are not offering this program under OPT or CPT or sponsoring work visas for these roles).