Impact Investments Intern

Job Description

NOTE: To ensure a fair and equitable recruitment process, our Foundation Staff and Board do not host preliminary conversations with applicants outside of our standard interview process.

Position: Impact Investments Intern - Summer 2027

Reports to: Portfolio Manager, Impact Investments

Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid)

Duration: June 8 - August 11, 2027

Compensation: Paid Internship (Hourly rates will start at $27.00/hour)

About the Foundation

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is one of the nation’s largest independent foundations. The Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. MacArthur invests in solving some of the world’s most pressing social challenges, including advancing global climate solutions, promoting local justice reform in the U.S., revitalizing local news, expanding who creates, uses, and benefits from artificial intelligence, and strengthening the well-being of Native communities. In addition to the MacArthur Fellows Program and the global 100&Change competition, the Foundation continues its historic commitments to the role of journalism in a responsive democracy as well as the vitality of our headquarters city, Chicago. The Foundation also maintains offices in Nigeria and India.

About Impact Investments

For over 40 years, the Impact Investments team has been building the field of impact investing and providing catalytic capital to expand opportunity, empower and improve quality of life among marginalized communities, and drive social and environmental progress. Our $750 million portfolio allocation of impact investments takes the form of loans, equity, guarantees, and other financial instruments to enable social and environmental outcomes that would not be possible otherwise; unlocks investment beyond what we could achieve on our own; pioneers new products or services, serves new people or places, attracts new investors; builds market infrastructure; and/or spurs useful policy change. In addition, we provide field-building grants to support a more robust impact investing ecosystem.

Under the direction of the Portfolio Manager, Impact Investments, the Intern will serve as an active team member, participating in regular meetings covering strategy, due diligence, execution, and portfolio management. This role is designed to give exposure to critical aspects of managing the Foundation’s $500 million allocation of capital dedicated to impact investments and to supporting the field of impact investing more broadly.  

About the Internship

Responsibilities may include:

• Contributing to the Impact Investments team’s efforts related to new investing under consideration including landscape or market assessments, assistance in the development of an approach for outreach and solicitation of interest in applying for investment capital, and support for the systemic development of our pipeline of prospective investments.

• Contributing to team efforts related to portfolio management and pipeline development, with exposure to but not direct engagement on due diligence.

• Engaging with a series of special projects to be determined based on emerging priorities.

• Advancing the strategy and existing projects within Impact Investments and participating in professional development.

• Attending specific networking meetings, both internal and external to the Foundation, with a focus on the targeted areas and sectors of organizational interest.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a graduate degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Public Policy, or a related discipline.

• Intention to pursue a career in impact investing or a related field.

• Excellent academic record.

• Outstanding quantitative, financial, and analytical skills.

• Excellent judgment and interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated interest or experience in impact investing.

• Interest in assessing social, environmental, and economic impact.

• Intellectual curiosity, broad interests, and a solid grasp of the Foundation’s work.

• Highly collaborative but also able to work independently.

• Excellent written, oral, and visual communications skills.

• Able to function effectively as a team member and work independently as needed.

• Able to prioritize and meet work deadlines consistently.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, including advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills.

This internship is based in Chicago, Illinois. Our work environment is hybrid with designated in-office days and virtual days. Interns will be required to reside in the Chicagoland area for the duration of the program. Housing assistance for non-local students may be available and will be discussed during the interview process.

Application Process:

The application deadline is MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2026 AT 11:59 PM CST. Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume. As a requirement, students “must be returning back to school” to be eligible. Students meeting the minimum requirements should apply through the MacArthur Foundation website (www.macfound.org/jobs).

NOTE: To ensure a fair and equitable recruitment process, our Foundation Staff and Board do not host preliminary conversations with applicants outside of our standard interview process.

Work Environment and Reasonable Accommodations

The work environment is an office setting.  Requests for reasonable accommodations will be considered to enable a person with disabilities to perform the job.  Reasonable accommodations are also available during the interview process.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.