Economic Development Associate/Intern

City of Williston • Interim • ND, ND • $18 / hour • 1w ago

The City of Williston Economic Development Department is seeking an Economic Development Associate/Intern, for the period of May 2026 through August 2026. (Dates are flexible)

Within the first week of the internship, the intern will identify, with the Executive Director, a project to complete over the term of the internship. This project will be tailored to the intern’s background field of study.

Detailed Job Description: The Summer program offers an up to 12-week paid internship opportunity with the City of Williston Economic Development office in Williston, ND. The internship program is a combination of mentoring, learning activities, and project work designed to give a broad exposure to the inner workings of the economic development office. The nature of the assignments will vary, allowing the opportunity to exercise customization and creativity, while providing a practical and challenging business experience.

Experiences will include but not limited to:

Assisting with the redevelopment efforts of Williston Square.
Attendance at sponsored community outreach events.
Working with our partner the Small Business Development Center.
Exposure to workings of city government departments and the Board of City Commissioners.
Business development and marketing techniques
Navigating the political aspects of business development
Exploring finance and grant opportunities for business development
Other

Responsibilities of the Internship will include assisting with business plans/models pertaining to community development strategy:

Writing letters and emails to community stakeholders/dignitaries
Accompanying staff on meetings
Interaction with city and state government officials
Supporting various office duties

Learning Outcomes –

By the end of the internship the student will increase their general understanding/skills in the following areas:

Community business recruitment and development
Community outreach activities
Community public relations
Economic development marketing techniques
Local and state politics pertaining to business development.

2. Gain professional development/awareness in the following areas:

General community business development and marketing activities

Desired Majors and or fields of study: Business Admin, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations.

Special Requirements:  Excellent organizational skills, ability to work independently, general interest in community economic development, willingness to work in a team environment, flexibility, desire to work on varying projects, and ability to be creative and unique. *Experience with graphic design or visual content creation is a strong plus.

Compensation: The internship will consist of up to 40 hours per week, depending on department needs and the intern’s availability. The compensation shall be $18.00 per hour.
Note: The hours per week can be flexible and tailored towards the intern. We want to see our interns have a great experience.