Social Research Internship - Summer 2026 (Remote, USA)

Company Description

When you join Turnitin, you'll be welcomed into a company that is a recognized innovator in global education. For over 25 years, Turnitin has partnered with educators and institutions to develop learning integrity solutions that recognize the enduring value of critical thinking in a rapidly changing world. Over 16,000 academic institutions, publishers, and corporations use our services in more than 185 countries around the world: Turnitin Feedback Studio, Clarity, Originality, Gradescope, ExamSoft, Similarity, and iThenticate. Protecting the value of an authentic education is at the heart of who we are.

Experience a remote-first culture that empowers you to work with purpose and accountability in a way that best suits you, supported by a comprehensive package that prioritizes your overall well-being. Our diverse community of colleagues are all unified by a shared desire to make a difference in education.

Turnitin is a global organization with team members in over 35 countries including the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, India, and the Philippines.

Job Description

We are seeking a dynamic, analytical, and social media savvy Summer Intern to join our Corporate Communications and Brand Strategy team for a full-time, 10-12-week internship. This role is uniquely tailored for a researcher who is ready to dig in on the nuances of digital subcultures, internet community dynamics, and platform-specific governance—specifically on Reddit.

The successful candidate will spearhead an in-depth research initiative mapping out relevant Reddit communities, analyzing corporate engagement best practices, and evaluating how our brand, competitors, and industry are perceived within the Reddit ecosystem.

• Position Type: Full-Time, Internship
• Duration: 10-12 Weeks (Summer)
• Location: Remote 
• Salary: $24-$26/hour

Key Responsibilities:

• Reddit Ecosystem Mapping: Identify, track, and audit relevant subreddits, communities, and highly active discussion threads related to our industry, brand, and core product offerings.
• Landscape & Sentiment Analysis: Analyze the current state of Reddit community conversations, synthesizing organic user sentiment, emerging trends, pain points, and advocacy patterns.
• Best Practices & Framework Development: Research and compile case studies on how major brands successfully (and unsuccessfully) navigate corporate engagement on Reddit, examining elements like AMA (Ask Me Anything) structures, community moderation partnerships, official brand accounts, and organic outreach.
• Strategic Recommendations: Translate research findings into actionable recommendations and frameworks for corporate communications, brand marketing, and customer advocacy teams regarding safe, authentic, and high-value platform participation.
• Ad-Hoc Communications Research: As capacity allows, support the broader team with secondary research projects spanning general corporate communications, media monitoring, competitor brand tracking, and executive positioning analysis.

Note on Scope Flexibility: While the primary anchor of this summer internship is the deep-dive Reddit research project, our team manages an agile portfolio. As capacity and project timelines allow, additional brand and corporate communications research projects could be added to expand your portfolio and exposure.

What You Will Gain:

• Direct ownership over a high-visibility, executive-level research project that will shape the company's long-term digital community playbook.
• Mentorship from seasoned communications, public relations, and brand strategy professionals.
• Practical experience applying internet sociology and social listening metrics to real-world corporate strategy.
• Opportunities to network and present your final research deliverables to cross-functional leadership teams.

Qualifications

• Academic Background: Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Sociology, Digital Media, Market Research, or a related field.
• Platform Awareness: Familiarity with Reddit’s unique structure, culture, and governance.
• Analytical Mindset: Strong qualitative and quantitative research skills, with the ability to distill vast amounts of unstructured forum data and conversational threads into clear, high-level insights.
• Excellent Communication: Outstanding written and visual communication skills, capable of building polished research slide decks, briefs, and executive summaries. 

Additional Information

The expected hourly pay for this position is $24.00/hour - $26.00/hour.

Actual compensation will be provided in writ