• Community Health Needs Assessment Intern – Summer and Fall 2026 – Remote

    Candidates must have secure home internet access, a hotspot, or VPN and be able to work Monday, Tuesday, and/or Wednesdays with flexible hours. 

    Opportunity for optional in-person work in the Springfield, IL office (if in the area).

    Join our team at the Office of Transformation within the Division of Health Data and Policy at the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to support data-driven public health initiatives through the IPLAN (Illinois Project for Local Assessment of Needs) and IQuery systems. In this role, the intern will assist in preparing, analyzing, and updating public health datasets used by local health departments across Illinois. The intern will develop skills in using Tableau, SAS, and other related software used to analyze and visualize data. This internship will offer the intern the opportunity to work with the Division of Health Data and Policy staff, informatics team, and local health departments on different data related requests necessary for the preparation of IPLAN applications.

    This opportunity is ideal for students interested in public health data, informatics, and analytics. The intern’s work will directly support local health departments in identifying and addressing key health issues, while also contributing to statewide data transparency and decision-making.

    Responsibilities:

    • Work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary group of experts, including statisticians, demographers, informaticians, and public health administrators to update and maintain the IQuery online health data system. 
    • Prepare datasets and data files in standardized formats for upload into the IPLAN/IQuery system. 
    • Analyze, compile, and upload health data across key indicators, including: 
      • Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics 
      • General health and access to care 
      • Maternal and child health 
      • Chronic disease 
      • Infectious disease 
      • Environmental, occupational, and injury control 
      • Sentinel events 
    • Develop data briefs, reports, and presentations with tools such as Tableau, SAS, Excel, or similar programs.
    • Assist quarterly with data visualization projects using Tableau, including contributions to the SHARE (Sharing Health Assessment Results Electronically) platform. 
    • Participate in weekly IPLAN-IQuery meetings and document key updates and action items. 
    • Support evaluation of submitted IPLAN reports to ensure compliance with administrative code requirements.
    • Assist with responding to data requests from IDPH staff, local health departments, and external researchers. 
    • Collaborate with internal teams and stakeholders to support community health needs assessments. 
    • Perform additional duties as assigned within the scope of the project. 

    Requirements:

    • Currently enrolled (and in good academic standing) in an undergraduate or graduate program, studying Public Health, Data Analytics, Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Cybersecurity Management, or related disciplines. 
    • Must have secure home internet access, a hotspot, or VPN. 
    • Experience or knowledge with data analysis and visualization tools such as Tableau, SAS, Excel, or similar software. 

    Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

    • Basic understanding of public health data systems or interest in health informatics. 
    • Ability to organize, clean, and manage datasets. 
    • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 
    • Attention to detail and ability to follow standardized data processes. 
    • Strong written and verbal communication skills. 
    • Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment. 
    • Interest in supporting data-driven decision-making in public health. 
    • Proficient in Tableau for data visualization.
    • Some knowledge or experience with Snowflake.

    Duration and Compensation:

    This is a remote unpaid internship with flexible hours and in-person opportunities in the Springfield, IL office (if in the area).

    This internship is from approximately the middle of May to the middle of December (with flexible start and end dates depending on your academic schedule) and will require 10–15 hours per week, based on intern’s availability. Academic credit may be available depending on your institution’s policies and guidelines.

    All applications must be submitted by Wednesday, April 15, 2026 by 5 p.m. to be considered for this internship.  

     Apply Here