Communications Intern (Paid)
Solugen
14549 Minetta St., Houston TX 77035
Position
Communications/PR Intern
About Solugen:
Solugen, Inc. is a revolutionary technology company seeking to use biology to transform the chemicals industry. Solugen was founded in 2016 and is a post-Series B venture-backed startup company supported by renowned venture capital firms including Founders Fund, Fifty Years, Refactor, and Y Combinator. Located in Houston, Texas, Solugen is currently scaling up its manufacturing facility to use its chemienzymatic process to manufacture biobased chemistries for water treatment, agriculture, and personal care. Solugen currently has 75+ full time employees.
Position Overview
If you are currently enrolled as a student, Solugen’s paid Internship Program enables you to get to know our company and immerse yourself in the bio-chemicals industry. It gives you day-to-day involvement in actual Communications/PR work and projects. During your internship you will be provided with regular assessments and performance feedback. This is to ensure you get the most from your experience and help you decide if a potential career with Solugen is right for you.
Following completion of a successful internship, you have the potential to be offered a returning internship or full-time role dependent on your graduation date and business needs.
Key Outcomes
- Learn about Solugen’s business and the larger chemical industry.
- Learn about Communications/PR project methodology and delivery.
- Learn about Communications/PR interactions and how Communications supports the business on a day-to-day basis.
- Support Solugen employees on a day-to-day basis with Communications/PR requests and needs.
Key Competencies
Job Specific
- Supporting the PR manager in implementing the company’s PR strategy.
- Creating engaging content for media releases, social media platforms, and newsletters.
- Updating and maintaining the company’s social media pages.
- Building relationships with clients and potential clients, suppliers, and the media.
- Providing assistance to the PR manager with the scheduling and organizing of events.
- Giving input on marketing initiatives and suggesting creative ways to improve the company’s public image.
- Conducting research on marketing initiatives of the company’s competitors.
- Monitoring of media coverage on events and media releases that were issued and creating press clippings.
- Updating media lists.
- Performing administrative duties.
- Assist with drafting, editing, issuing press materials and dealing with inquiries from the press to develop and maintain relationships with influential media to secure and grow coverage
- Draft fact sheets, recap sheets, press kits, press breaks and press pitches
Company Specific
- Ask a lot of questions, be curious, and have insights into your work
- Be nimble, embrace the speed and ambiguity of startup culture
- A passion for green chemistry and fighting climate change
- Be comfortable working on multiple assignments simultaneously
- Emphasize safety above all else
- Respect for others
- Creative problem solving
- Willingness to learn and research new technology/engineering/science concepts
Qualifications
- 3.0 Cumulative GPA
- Enrollment in a BA or BS degree in PR, Communications, or Journalism.
- Basic computer skills, MS Windows, MS Office, and/or Google Workspace.
- Basic image and video editing, and graphic design skills (Adobe Suite)
- Excellent understanding of various social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
- Basic budget management skills to track spending on sponsorships, events, and marketing material.
- Comfortable with public speaking and engaging with customers.
- Extremely strong written and verbal communication skills
- Strong customer service experience with proven ability to solve problems.
- Good research and analytical skills.
- The ability to prioritize your workload and keep to strict content deadlines.
- Knowledge of copywriting and editing.
- Candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, an alien admitted as permanent resident, refugee, asylee, temporary resident, or an individual who possesses valid work authorization.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous internship experience is a plus
- Proven leadership and/or participation in extracurricular activities preferred
- Other work experience not related to position/area of study will be taken into consideration
Solugen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other legally protected status.