POSITION FILLED

Product & Market Researcher

Wisconsin Innovation Service Center

Job/Project Description

The Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC) is looking for approximately 8-10 students to be Product & Market Researchers.

WISC’s talented staff works directly on projects for business clients from across the United States and some foreign countries. WISC assists innovative manufacturers, technology businesses, and inventors with early-stage technical and market feasibility assessments of new product and service ideas, as well as with investigating market expansion opportunities.

Researchers identify and analyze competitive products and industry trends. Researchers will also be working closely with selected Wisconsin manufacturers and communities for Planned Innovation, a cutting-edge entrepreneurial, multi-oriented process for achieving and sustaining growth and profits through continuous innovations in products and services. We are seeking highly motivated students capable of working in a project-driven, independent atmosphere.  Student researchers communicate with representatives from diverse disciplines (business, technical).

This YEAR LONG internship is a PART-TIME position. If desired in the summer, an intern may work full time (up to 40 hours/week). The internship is PAID at a starting rate of $8.00/HOUR. This internship BEGINS IN MAY. This is a long-term opportunity and interns will ideally stay on until graduation.

Qualifications

• Excellent reasearch skills required.
• Excellent analytical skills required.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written) required.
• 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA required (Hawk Internship Program Requirement).
  

MANDATORY HIP Career Development Education Activities

The Hawk Internship Program (HIP) includes the MANDATORY completion of a series of career development activities designed to help interns get the most out of their internship experiences. The student hired for this HIP opportunity (a “Hawk Intern”) must complete the following items:

• Meet with Internship Coordinator Laura Jacobs (Career & Leadership Development) BEFORE beginning work at the internship site. Expectations will be reviewed, and you will be expected to sign an agreement indicating that you understand and will abide by those expectations.
• Complete a Statement of Intent, a one to two page paper discussing your interest in and goals for the internship. You will also write up a Learning Contract with your site supervisor. Both documents must be submitted to the Internship Coordinator by the second week of the internship.
• Midway through the internship, the Internship Coordinator will conduct a Progress Review. This check in with you and your supervisor will be in the form of a site visit, conference call, or individual meeting.
• Complete a Reflective Summary, a two page paper reflecting on your internship experience. This document must be submitted no later than the final day on the job.
• Complete an Evaluation of the employer.

Hawk Interns who complete all of these activities will not only have a true internship experience, they will also receive a certificate of internship completion from the university.

These activities are not for credit. Hawk Interns who wish to seek academic credit for their HIP internship must speak with the faculty internship coordinator in their major field of study. In order to earn academic credit, you may need to meet certain prerequisites (ex. higher GPA, previous coursework). Further questions about earning academic credit for an internship may be directed to Laura Jacobs, Internship Coordinator.

About the Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC)

The mission of WISC is to help existing and aspiring entrepreneurs make more profitable product and market development decisions. WISC research services provide insight on products and services from a wide variety of industries through projects covering new product feasibility, competitive intelligence, licensing/strategic partnering, distributor assessments, and customer satisfaction.

Comments from Former Employees:

• WISC was a great opportunity.  I learned a lot from my experience and it put me ahead of my peers that were interviewing for the same positions.
• It was a great experience.  I learned a lot about business and had a wonderful time working there.
• Exposure to numerous product/service concepts of WISC helped me become a creative person, an “idea generator” and excellent brainstormer in the professional world.  It was a proactive contribution to my college career and business success.
• I was constantly learning new information about products/services and their industries.  It was an interesting and exciting place to work.  I developed writing skills that have helped me with professional reports.

Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC)
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Employees:  4
WISC Website