Description

About the Role & Team

Do you get satisfaction from untangling messy processes, finding the step that shouldn't exist, and building something cleaner in its place — especially when AI can do the heavy lifting?

As a Product Operations Process Automation Co-op, you'll work directly alongside IDC's Director of Product Operations to map, streamline, and begin automating the manual processes that keep IDC's product catalog, fact sheets, and operational systems current and accurate. This is not a passive, observational role. You'll identify where repetitive work can be accelerated or eliminated through AI tools and automation, and you'll help build the lightweight solutions that make it happen.

You'll be embedded in IDC's Business Operations team — the operational backbone behind IDC's world-class technology market research and advisory business — and your work will have direct, visible impact on the teams that produce and deliver IDC's research every day.

What You'll Do

Process Mapping & Automation

Your core focus will be identifying, documenting, and automating the manual processes that keep IDC's operational systems running — freeing up time, reducing error, and improving reliability across the business.

• Map current-state workflows for the product catalog, fact sheets, and other operational data systems to identify where manual effort is concentrated and where errors most commonly occur
• Design improved future-state processes that reduce repetitive work, improve data accuracy, and create more scalable operating patterns
• Build lightweight automation solutions — using AI tools, scripting, or workflow platforms — that eliminate manual steps and improve the reliability of IDC's operational data
• Work with the Director of Product Operations to prioritize automation opportunities based on impact, feasibility, and alignment with 2026 business priorities
• Document new processes and automation logic clearly so that solutions are maintainable and transferable across co-op cohorts

AI-First Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to embed AI tools into Business Operations workflows, with a focus on tasks that are repetitive, rule-based, or time-intensive
• Experiment with AI-assisted processes — including Claude and other tools — to accelerate data maintenance, content updates, and operational reporting
• Share findings and working prototypes with the broader team through IDC's AI Playground sessions, helping surface best practices that others can adopt
• Evaluate automation tools and platforms (Power Automate, Python scripts, low-code solutions) and recommend approaches that fit IDC's technical environment

Product Catalog & Operational Data Integrity

• Support the accuracy and completeness of IDC's product catalog and fact sheets by identifying gaps, inconsistencies, and outdated entries that automation can help address
• Develop lightweight quality-checking processes or tools that flag data issues before they create downstream problems for Product, Sales, or Marketing teams
• Work with cross-functional stakeholders to understand how operational data is used, where hand-offs break down, and where automation can improve reliability at the seams

Operating Model & Process Design Support

• Support the rollout of IDC's evolving operating model by helping document, design, and improve core business processes tied to research delivery and operational systems
• Contribute to Program NEXUS — IDC's initiative to optimize market intelligence production for greater speed, quality, and operating performance — by identifying automation opportunities within its scope
• Help develop governance frameworks and workflow standards that make improved processes stick and scale

What You'll Gain

• Hands-on experience building and deploying process automation at a global technology market research firm
• Direct partnership with a senior operational leader, with exposure to how product operations strategy is shaped and executed
• Practical skills in process mapping, AI-assisted automation, and workflow design — applicable across industries and functions
• Direct involvement in building AI-powered solutions that reduce manual work and improve operational accuracy across IDC
• A front-row seat to IDC's AI First transformation — and a chance to be one of the people actually building it
• Opportunities to present your automation solutions and findings to Business Operations and Product Operations leadership
• A portfolio-worthy project: by the end of the term, you'll have mapped real workflows, built working automations, and measurably reduced manual effort

What You Bring

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business Administration, Data Analytics, or a related field
• Strong interest in process automation, operational systems, or business technology — you find inefficiency genuinely frustrating and want to fix it
• Experience using AI tools, ideally Claude, in coursework, internships, or personal projects to accelerate or automate work
• Familiarity with Python, SQL, or workflow automation tools (Power Automate, Zapier, or similar); proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint required
• Strong analytical and documentation skills — you can map a messy process, spot the problem, and explain the solution clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment without losing track of the details that matter
• Comfortable working across business and technical teams; collaborative, curious, and self-directed — you don't wait to be told what needs fixing
• Hybrid schedule, working in our Boston office 2-3 days per week.

Why This Role Stands Out
At IDC, your work helps shape how the world understands technology and where it goes next. You collaborate with curious, high-caliber colleagues who value rigor, integrity, and shared success. As the premier global provider of trusted technology intelligence, IDC equips business and technology leaders with the evidence they need to make confident decisions. Our insights inform strategy, investment, and innovation across industries and regions.

Recognized by IIAR as Analyst Firm of the Year for five consecutive years, IDC sets the standard for credibility and impact. With more than 1,000 analysts worldwide and a truly global perspective, we combine deep expertise with practical relevance. Here, your ideas matter, your voice is heard, and your contributions provide the insights leaders rely on every day. It is meaningful work, backed by a culture that supports growth, collaboration, and long-term career development with a globally respected brand.

Compensation Transparency

At IDC, we are committed to fair and equitable pay practices. Employees are compensated equitably for their work, aligned with their skills and experience. Salary and incentive structures are determined through a rigorous process that considers experience, education, certifications, role-specific requirements, internal equity, and verified U.S. market data from an independent third-party partner.

The expected total annual compensation, depending on experience and education, is between $25 - $35 per hour.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IDC is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. Employment eligibility verification required. We participate in E-Verify.

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