• Community Public Health Outreach Intern – Fall 2026 – Hybrid – Chicago, IL

    Candidates must have secure home internet access, a hotspot, or VPN and the ability to work remotely while collaborating with program staff at the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).  


    IDPH is offering a rewarding internship opportunity for a proactive and enthusiastic individual to join our team as a Community Public Health Outreach Intern. In this role, the intern will provide valuable support to the Manager of Community Public Health Outreach, contributing to the planning and execution of community outreach and engagement initiatives across the state. This role offers opportunities to assist with stakeholder engagement, communications, and the IDPH Community Ambassadors Program. The intern will also contribute to strategic planning efforts by conducting research, tracking outreach activities, and helping evaluate program impact. Working alongside experienced public health professionals, the intern will develop skills in project coordination, community engagement, and data-informed decision-making.  


    Responsibilities: 


    Community Outreach Support: 

    • Assist in the planning and execution of community outreach and engagement opportunities statewide. 

    • Collaborate with the team to develop and implement strategies that reach diverse communities with attention to multilingual and multicultural outreach alignment. 

    • Provide support to the IDPH Community Ambassadors Program, including communications, scheduling, and tracking engagement. 

    • Organize and maintain a repository of outreach materials for use in community initiatives. 

    • Work closely with the Manager to prepare, plan for, and execute IDPH's participation in outreach events. 

    • Contribute to logistical arrangements, coordination of materials, and on-site support during events. 

     

    Strategic Planning Support: 

    • Maintain tools to track outreach efforts including event participation, stakeholder engagement, and other community outreach metrics. 

    • Assist in measuring progress of community outreach strategic goals and preparing summaries that translate outreach activities into measurable outcomes for leadership. 

    • Support strategic planning tasks such as research, stakeholder mapping, and alignment of outreach efforts across the plan's program areas. 

     

    Ad Hoc Responsibilities: 

    • Undertake additional duties as assigned, providing flexibility to support various aspects of community outreach. 

    • Assist with special initiatives as needed, such as student training and development efforts or new strategic projects. 

     

    Requirements: 

    • Currently pursuing a graduate degree (and in good academic standing) in Public Health, Community Health, Community Development, Health Communications, or similar field of study. 

    • Ability to work remotely and maintain regular communication with the supervising team. 

    • Enthusiasm for community engagement and public health initiatives. 

    • Cultural humility and the ability to work respectfully across diverse communities. 

    • Live in Chicago or be able to travel to Chicago for a hybrid position at least one day per week. 

    • Must commit to at least ten hours per week (flexible based on the intern’s academic schedule).  

    • Secure home internet access, a hotspot, or VPN.  

     

    Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

    • Strong written and verbal communication skills. 

    • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. 

    • Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously. 

    • Ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams and external partners. 

     

    Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Experience: 

    • Community outreach and engagement experience. 

    • Project management experience. 

    • Data tracking and analysis experience; comfort with spreadsheets and tools such as Excel or Smartsheet. 

    • Familiarity with communication platforms such as Constant Contact or similar tools. 

    • Familiarity with social media and survey tools. 


    Schedule and Compensation: 

    This remote internship is for the Fall 2026 semester (with flexible start and end dates depending on your academic schedule) and will require approximately 10 hours per week. In this hybrid position, the intern is expected to come to the Chicago, IL office at least one day per week. The 10 weekly hours can be arranged flexibly within the standard workday hours of 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM. The intern’s schedule will be coordinated with their IDPH supervisor.  

     

    This is an unpaid internship, but academic credit may be available depending on your institution’s policies and guidelines – please check with your academic advisor.  


    All applications must be submitted by 9 a.m., Wednesday, July 1st, 2026 to be considered for this internship. 

    Apply Here