NC East Alliance Job/Internship Opportunities 

Summer Internship 

Internship Overview:

The NC East Alliance seeks a highly motivated Intern to support the work of our Vice President of Community Development, Bianca Shoneman, for the duration of the internship. This position offers hands-on experience in regional economic development across NC East Alliance’s 29-county footprint, with a targeted emphasis on the northeastern counties of Camden, Currituck, Hertford, Pasquotank, Perquimans, and Chowan.

The Intern will play a meaningful role in advancing regional competitiveness by assisting with site survey coordination, including industrial and economic development site assessments, and supporting data-driven decision-making for prospective projects. In addition, the Intern will collaborate with the Alliance’s Applied Research Institute (ARI) to develop, analyze, and deploy customized datasets that help client communities better understand their economic, demographic, and workforce conditions.

This internship is designed for a senior-level undergraduate or graduate student seeking applied experience at the intersection of economic analysis, research, and regional development strategy

The 29-county region is primarily rural. Rural counties across North Carolina, particularly in the eastern part of the State, face significant barriers to economic development due to a lack of site readiness data compared to their urban counterparts, such as Greenville, Raleigh, and Charlotte. This represents an opportunity for the Intern to fully engage with a region that is in dire need of economic development assistance, while under the supervision of a seasoned economic development professional.

Description of Work:

The Intern will work closely with the Vice President of Community Development, Bianca Shoneman, and county leadership, including county managers, county councils, and economic development entities and partners to:

• Managing EDPNC requests in the NCEA Region.
• Work with the NC East Alliance team to help research and analyze the county’s needs through a survey.
• Facilitate collaboration with county officials, economic development partners, and local business leaders.
• Participate in business retention meetings to understand client needs and promote regional assets.
• Attend professional development sessions provided through the Vice President, Bianca Shoneman, and through the fellowship program to enhance skills and regional knowledge. This will include the June NCEDA conference, the Basic Education for Economic Developers course in August, and attending the Fall conference, where the Intern will share about this project with assistance from the NC East Alliance staff.

Deliverables:

• A stakeholder engagement plan outlining strategies for cross-county collaboration from the Intern’s notes and observations
• Bi-weekly progress updates and a final internship impact report
• Participation in all scheduled professional development activities with documented reflections that will be shared weekly.

This Intern will strengthen the NC East Alliance’s capacity to respond to industry growth and foster deeper regional cooperation, ultimately contributing to long-term economic vitality. We hope to engage this Fellow in a meaningful, life-changing experience working with counties in our region.

The Intern will be provided with all necessary tools to complete this work, access to office space at the NC East Alliance’s offices in Edenton and Greenville. Regional travel will be required.

To apply, send resume and cover letter to Bianca Shoneman at [email protected].