Summer Associate

As a Summer Associate at Kearney , you will work alongside a dedicated and diverse set of people for 10 weeks and contribute to consulting project teams as we offer honest advice and practical guidance to our clients.

With the freedom to be yourself and recognition for what you bring to the table, put your purpose into action over the summer and join us as we help build a future that works for everyone, everywhere as a Kearney Original.

What to expect

• Gain unique hands-on experiences as you broaden your knowledge and experience in an open, agile, and collaborative environment.

• Ensure the success of project workstreams by completing tasks such as gathering and analyzing data and conducting competitor assessment studies.

• Support in the creation of recommendations and implement co-created solutions for clients across a range of industries and service practices.

• Take advantage of structured on-the-job learning and development opportunities, including a dedicated mentor who will provide guidance throughout your internship.

Practice Preferences

You are eligible to apply for the practices below. During your application, you will have the option to pick your ranking of the practices.

Communications, Media, and Technology (CMT): The telecommunications, media, and technology practices combine high-impact service offerings to boost the competitiveness of our clients, working with them along the entire value chain - from strategy, product development, customer interaction, and digital enablement to operations, procurement, large-scale cost programs, transformation, and supply chain.

Consumer Industry and Retail Practice (CIRP): Today's consumer industries retail market presents extraordinary opportunities for companies to transform their operations and gain unprecedented competitive advantage and market share.

Digital & Analytics (D&A): As technological shifts continue to disrupt industry, our clients face challenges that demand pragmatism, innovation, and a relentless focus on results. Our recently combined Digital and Analytics practice is uniquely positioned to address these challenges by helping clients think better, build better, and scale better. In doing so, we aim to become the leading digital, data, AI, and analytics firm for strategic operations, the trusted partner for CEOs, COOs, CIOs, CDOs, and CTOs for their most important digital and technology-driven transformations, and the consultants of choice in an AI-enabled world.

Energy & Processes (EPI): Energy and Process Industries is a dynamic and growing practice that powers every industry and sector. We partner with practices across the firm to build compelling perspectives and offerings to our clients and work on cutting-edge projects that directly impact our way of life. Candidates with a strong interest or background in Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Utilities, Metals & Mining, or ESG/Sustainability should consider this role.

General Practice (GP): Generalist role with no practice alignment. The Associate role is our post-MBA level consulting position and will work across industries and functions without specializing. All consultants are expected to specialize by the manager level.

Healthcare and Life Sciences Practice (HLS): The HLS practice teams with companies across biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, distributors and pharmacies, payers and providers, and consumer health to address their strategic and operational issues.

Mobility, Defense, and Advanced Industries (MDI): The automotive, aerospace and defense, transportation, travel, industrial products, and infrastructure practice integrates all the capabilities of the end-to-end mobility value chain. From innovative product design to complex engineering infrastructure, our industries represent the backbone of the global economy.

Private Equity and Principal Investors (PEPI): Consultants who join the PEPI team will work throughout the entire end to end M&A cycle: deal strategy and screening support, diligence (commercial, operational, ESG, IT), pre and post close planning and execution, divestitures (from TSA creation through the entire carve out process), CXO corporate transformation and strategy. Candidates with a strong interest in mergers & acquisitions, transformation, and corporate strategy should consider this role. Those aligned to PEPI must be based in our Chicago or New York offices.

Product Excellence and Renewal Lab (PERLab): PERLab combines world-class product design, consumer insight, and Kearney s operational expertise to help companies build, improve, and renew products across their portfolios and throughout the product lifecycle. Working across the Industrial, Consumer, and Electronics sectors, PERLab helps clients translate market and consumer needs into stronger product strategies, innovative and cost-effective designs, efficient manufacturing and supply chains, and scalable operating models. Our work helps clients improve profitabil ity, reduce complexity, drive growth, and advance sustainability goals. PERLab internship offers will be for the Chicago, IL office.

Strategy, Growth & Organization Transformation (SG&OT): The SG&OT practice deals with a vast number of topics ranging from the structure of organizations, the processes they run, and how they engage their people, focusing on general and administrative (G&A) processes such as finance, accounting, and human resources.

Strategic Operations (SOP): Consultants who join the Strategic Operations team will work across industries. Candidates with a strong interest or background in operations (plan, make, source or deliver) should consider this role. Strategic Operations associates will have the chance to work across all four towers: production, plan, source and distribute.

Domestic Interview Process

Candidates interested in North American offices (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.) will have virtual Round 1 and Round 2 interviews in January 2027. If you are invited to Round 1 interviews, you will receive a notice from a Kearney recruiter with exact dates to schedule your interview.