2024 Interior Design & Consultative Field Sales Summer Internship - Los Angeles, CA

This summer internship experience will build your foundation of interior design and expose you to consultative sales skills in this complex industry. We seek to identify someone who is eager to add value through leading individual & group projects.

We seek a student studying Interior Design and eager to join in a social work environment, which leverages both your technical and interpersonal skills. You will be mentored by fellow designers who work in sales called Applications Consultants, and is a crucial part of the sales organization. This position is centered around bringing our products to life through creative design applications that solve client’s needs.

Who you are:  

• You are excited about the idea of combining your passion for design with providing solutions to help people work better.
• Are open to a potential career that is client facing not only technical design work
• You are proactive, goal-oriented, resilient, driven to succeed, and a team player.
• You are naturally curious and practice strong emotional intelligence (specifically the ability to empathize with people to understand their needs).  
• You strongly value building new and positive relationships.

What you will be doing:  

• During your summer you will lead individual regional design-based projects
• Create workplace solutions linked to research insights and emerging user behaviors – this work is technical and conceptual.
• Design/space plan and specify creative solutions with the guidance of the local team.
• Conceptualize product solutions and express verbally through a drawing and/or deliverable.
• Hone your presentation skills, gain confidence collaborating with teammates, external influencers and clients.
• Participate in a summer-long group Innovation Challenge tackling a wicked problem in the sales organization.
• Gain exposure and insight into the consultative sales process by attending meetings, customer visits, tours, workshops and more.
• Participate in centralized professional development with your intern cohort from experienced sales coaches
• Travel to Grand Rapids, MI to network with leaders and the larger intern cohort and collaborate in-person on your group project.
• Present your final individual and group projects to stakeholders and leaders across the Sales organization

Your Future Team:  

You will join the cohort of fellow sales interns in North America, which is a positive and inclusive group. We believe you'll enjoy taking a paid training trip to our global headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan where you’ll experience learning, networking and fun.

Our team is approachable, open to questions and innovative ideas, and will strive for our intern’s growth and success. You are joining a team who wants to see you succeed! You'll be located near your leaders with mentors who understand the industry as well as our relationship-based selling process.  

Preferred Skills and Competencies  

• Strong relationship building skills, confidence to seek new relationships and eagerness to open doors at the decision maker level
• Excellent, dynamic communication skills including presentation, written and verbal.
• Strong planning and organizational skills
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Effective communication
• Strong problem-solving and presentation skills 
• Self-starters who enjoy working as a team

Required Skills and Competencies 

• Proficient in design software: AutoCAD, Sketchup, Adobe suite (Illustrator & Photoshop),
• The ideal candidate would be a current Junior (rising senior) currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in interior design
• Previous experience working within a sales or customer service environment is a bonus
• Ability to start the program full-time in – mid-May 2024
• If offered a spot in our training program, you are willing to live in Los Angeles post-graduation.

Additional Details:

• We provide a competitive hourly wage, relocation assistance, and a housing/transportation subsidy, mileage reimbursement for local work travel for students that qualify. 
• This position involved frequent local travel and reliable transportation is required.
• We will provide some local school housing options to explore, but you will be responsible for finding your own housing.
• Top Interns will receive an offer to join our 6-month entry-level (field based) sales training program, called PACE.

Why People Choose to Work with Us:   

At Steelcase, we put people at the center of everything we do. We understand the role of work and believe that it can bring meaning and purpose to the lives of our customers and our employees. We prioritize supporting our employees both in and out of work, in all aspects of their lives. When we bring our talents together, we make a positive lasting impact through our work and communities.  

Who We Are: 

Organizations around the world trust Steelcase to help them create places that help people work better, be inspired, and accomplish more. 

We design, manufacture, and partner with other leading organizations to provide architecture, furniture, and technology solutions- accessible through a network of channels, including over 800 Steelcase dealer locations. Steelcase is a global, industry-leading, publicly traded company with fiscal year 2021 revenue of $2.6 billion. 

Our Approach to Hybrid Work: 

At Steelcase, we know that work matters and can provide people with a deep sense of purpose. The workplace offers us a shared space designed for community, innovation and learning, a place to connect and conduct our most meaningful work. As such, our office is the primary hub for doing work, but by no means is it the only place.  

Steelcase employees have always had a say in where they work - whether that is in the office, at home, or somewhere in between. We will continue to maintain this practice as part of our larger hybrid work strategy. 

Our employees know their working style best, which is why they have the choice and control to choose how and where they work. This belief extends beyond just working on or off-campus, but also to where our employees work within our office. Because our life’s work is to create the best workplaces, our employees benefit from that expertise and quality in our own spaces.  

While flexibility varies by role and team, we support choice and control for our employees so they can choose the best place to do their best work. 

What Matters to Us: 

More than qualifications, we’re looking for talent and potential. We are proud to have a diverse and inclusive workforce, and we're always looking to improve our global community. We value applicants who are comfortable interacting with people different from themselves, building mutual respect and positive relationships. We invite people from all backgrounds and genders to apply. If we can make the application process easier through accommodation, please email us at myhr@steelcase.com.   

Steelcase provides employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, creed, genetic information, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, or veteran status and bases all employment decisions only on valid job requirements. We are proud to be recognized for our inclusive workforce by the Corporate Equality Index for the past nine years.