Sustainability Intern

Working for Equity Residential (EQR), an industry leading multi-family REIT headquartered in downtown Chicago, means being part of a community and striving to provide the best in apartment living, speaking boldly about new ideas for innovation, and inspiring creativity in the ways we work together. Our portfolio of high-quality properties in growth markets – New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver, to name a few – provides homes where people most want to live. We've got the best people in the business, and our experience shows in our dedication to residents and in how much we value each other as colleagues. That’s why our employees say they are proud to work at Equity, a company that knows how to Live Remarkably. 

Equity Residential’s corporate summer intern program is a full-time, 10 week paid internship based in Chicago. The selected intern will work with the Investments group for the length of the program and will have the opportunity to collaborate with various interns in other business areas (HR, Property Operations, Legal). On the Investments team, you will interact with professionals responsible for development, acquisitions, dispositions, renovations, asset management, construction, retail and market research. With our capital resources and deep bench we are able to complete complex transactions quickly and effectively. [It’s our goal to own a diverse portfolio of high-quality assets that offer an exceptional living experience for our residents in places where they most want to live, work and play.] 

The purpose of Equity's Corporate Internship Program is to attract emerging diverse talent and promote learning about Equity and the real estate industry. Participants will have the opportunity to accelerate their professional growth and diversify their work experience by engaging with different business partners throughout the program. 

Please note: Our internship experience will be a hybrid in person/remote platform for 2025, with three days a week of required on-site participation at our corporate office in Chicago. Relocation is not provided for this internship.

WHO YOU ARE 

• Organized, Flexible, and Adaptable. You have a keen eye for detail and pride yourself on delivering quality work. You multitask well, re-prioritize accordingly, and meet deadlines consistently. You keep your cool during stressful situations, remain resilient, and quickly find solutions in order to meet the changing needs and priorities of the business. 
• A Collaborator and Trusted Team Player. You enjoy partnering with others —whether internal or external— and build constructive working relationships that foster cooperation in order to get work done and deliver great results. You are united with teammates and follow through on commitments. 
• A Strong Communicator. Your writing and speaking skills are clear, articulate, and effective, demonstrating your ability to interact with all levels and helping you connect well with others.
• Creative. You like thinking outside the box to come up with smart solutions to new challenges, and you embrace the opportunity to live in the gray. 
• A Solution-Oriented Team Player. You are united with teammates and follow through on commitments. 
• Passionate. Motivated. Eager to Learn. You ask smart questions, challenge the status quo, and regularly seek to understand. You invest extra energy to reach your goals. 

OVERVIEW OF THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 

• A first-hand experience of day-to-day life at a REIT and resources to learn the programs/tools and processes used in the industry. 
•  Perform research and prepare reports on assigned topics and/or projects. 
• May create or update systems or databases for specific department needs. 
• Present project results to department personnel or management. 
• Work collaboratively across EQR departments and functions to establish and update a strategic plan that maximizes value and enhances returns for every asset within the portfolio. 
•  Represent Equity Residential in a professional manner at all times. Consistently maintains a professional courteous attitude when dealing with residents, coworkers and the general public. 

WHAT YOU’LL DO: 

Equity Residential integrates sustainability into every aspect of our business, aiming  to minimize environmental impact, manage climate and environmental risks, and position the Company as an attractive investment. As a Sustainability Intern, you’ll be getting hands on experience with one of the leading teams tackling these important issues. Specifically, you can expect to gain experience from:

• Cross-functional projects leveraging existing and further developing your analytical and communication skills. 
  • You will frequently work with senior executives in our Chicago corporate office and our regional U.S. offices to understand the problem/situation, vet and ideate potential ideas and solutions, solicit feedback, and communicate key learnings and findings (including preparing and giving presentations). 
  •  You will conduct primary and/or secondary research. 
  • You will be working with qualitative and quantitative data (internal and external) to provide analytically-driven insights and solutions.
  • You will likely utilize a variety of software tools including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), statistical software, data visualization, PowerPoint, and internal databases to mine, organize and analyze data and present your findings. 
  •  You will develop and utilize project management skills to ensure resources are appropriately leveraged, findings are socialized, and deadlines are met. 
•  Conduct financial modeling and due diligence analysis for potential energy, sustainability, and resilience initiatives.
•  Build an understanding of financial modeling and the impact of sustainability efforts on  real estate concepts such as DCF, IRR, NPV, NOI, cap rates, etc. 
• Illustrative examples of potential projects include: 
• Researching existing or pending legislation to help guide our advocacy and compliance efforts.
• Resident engagement campaigns to increase positive impact on our whole building emissions.
• Developing and executing an energy efficiency project and measuring/reporting on the impact.
• Supporting the corporate data analytics team in the development of internal energy and sustainability dashboards.
• Market research on leading sustainable REITs and companies.
• Network and engage with key stakeholders across the organization to establish and accomplish key deliverables. 

REQUIREMENTS 

• Prefer candidates pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Statistics, Mathematics, Finance, Economics, Computer Science, or a related field. 
• Familiarity and previous experience with Python, R or other statistical programs (e.g., SAS, SPSS, Minitab, JMP), data visualization (e.g., Tableau, PowerBI), SQL, Microsoft Excel, and/or Google Applications (Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets) preferred. 
• Interest in real estate is preferred. 
• Ability to effectively and objectively communicate and work with internal and external customers, as well as strong analytical skills and a keen eye for detail. 
• Must be comfortable working autonomously and multi-tasking in a fast paced environment with changing deadlines. 
• Unrestricted authorization to work in the United States (currently, we are not offering this program under OPT or CPT or sponsoring work visas for these roles).

Working for Equity Residential (EQR), a leading multi-family real estate investment trust (REIT), means living our purpose: creating communities where people thrive. It means striving to provide the best in apartment living, speaking boldly about new ideas for innovation, and inspiring creativity in the ways we work together. 

Our portfolio of high-quality properties in urban growth markets – New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Southern California, and Denver – provides homes where people most want to live, work and play. We've got the best people in the business, as evidenced by our employee engagement scores and customer loyalty ratings. That’s why our employees say they are proud to work at Equity, a company that gives our residents a place where they can Live Remarkably, and offers a culture where our employees have the opportunity to thrive.

Equity Rewards

When you join Equity Residential, you won’t be treated as simply another employee — you will be considered a partner in our shared success. As such, we are committed to investing in your personal success through a benefits program that supports your Total Wellbeing. 

We recognize that everyone has different needs outside of work. That’s why, in addition to a competitive benefits package (medical, dental, vision and paid time off), we offer many unique benefits options to employees, like a comprehensive wellness program, pet insurance, new parent benefits, and paid time off for community service projects. In addition to your next job, you can also find your next home with us! Rent discounts on Equity Residential apartment homes are available to our benefits-eligible employees. The amount of the discount offered is determined based on the market, ranging upwards from 20%. Learn more about our Total Wellbeing program here.

Equity Values

At Equity Residential, like our residents, our employees come from everywhere. A richly diverse work environment captures top talent, cultivates the best ideas, and creates the widest possible platform for success. By focusing on inclusion, these differences are harnessed to create value — in ideas, business practices, relationships, and employee engagement. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to maintaining a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment where our employees can thrive. 

All aspects of the employment process are merit-based. Every Equity employee is expected to maintain a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. Equity Residential does not discriminate against any employee or job applicant because of race, religion, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender, sexual/gender identity/expression, age, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation or related medical conditions), physical or mental disability, national origin, citizenship status, military (including uniformed service member or protected veteran) status, marital status, genetic characteristic or information, ancestry or any other characteristic protected by law. Equity Residential also prohibits retaliation against individuals who report harassment or discrimination, or participate in investigations into such conduct.