Strategy & Consulting Intern

About the Role

UST is seeking talented interns—MBA candidates, recent graduates, or accomplished undergraduates—who are passionate about solving complex enterprise challenges through design and systems thinking. Working directly with our Chief Transformation Officer, you will participate in cross-functional strategy projects. You will receive a problem statement and independently research, analyze, and develop solution-oriented points of view for real business challenges centered on enterprise transformation. This is an ideal opportunity for self-directed thinkers who thrive in ambiguity, enjoy deep-dive research, understand the complexities of organizational change, and want to develop practical transformation and problem-solving capabilities applicable across industries and business contexts.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct Independent Research on Enterprise Transformation: Given a transformation challenge or problem statement, you will independently investigate organizational change initiatives, digital transformation strategies, legacy system modernization, process optimization, and change management best practices across industries.
• Apply Design Thinking to Enterprise Challenges: Use design thinking and systems thinking methodologies to understand stakeholder needs (employees, customers, leadership), define core transformation problems, ideate organizational and technological solutions, and prototype recommendations that drive sustainable change.
• Support the Chief Transformation Officer: Work closely with our CTO to identify transformation opportunities, develop strategic recommendations, conduct competitive analysis on transformation approaches, and support the execution of enterprise transformation initiatives across UST.
• Develop Enterprise Transformation Point of Views: Synthesize research findings into clear, actionable transformation recommendations with compelling narratives that address organizational, technological, and cultural dimensions of change.
• Cross-Industry & Cross-Functional Analysis: Identify and apply transformation insights from different industries and business models—understanding how financial services navigated digital transformation can inform healthcare, manufacturing, or technology strategies.
• Build Enterprise Transformation Mindset: Develop deep understanding of organizational readiness, change management, stakeholder alignment, digital adoption, operational resilience, and business model innovation. Learn to think systemically about how enterprises evolve.
• Collaborate with Leadership & Teams: Work with the CTO, business leaders, and cross-functional teams to refine transformation strategies, present findings to senior stakeholders, and drive insights into actionable transformation roadmaps.
• Create Compelling Deliverables: Produce clear, visually-engaging reports, strategic decks, business cases, and presentations that communicate complex transformation strategies to stakeholders at all levels.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Design Thinking & Systems Thinking Mindset: Strong ability to frame transformation problems, empathize with diverse stakeholders, and iterate on enterprise solutions. You understand that change is multifaceted and requires organizational, technological, and people-focused solutions.
• Enterprise Transformation Orientation: Genuine interest in and emerging understanding of enterprise challenges—digital transformation, legacy modernization, organizational change, process optimization, and business model evolution. You’re curious about how large organizations navigate change.
• Solution-Oriented Thinking: You naturally move from problem diagnosis to actionable recommendations. You’re comfortable operating in ambiguity and can structure complex organizational challenges.
• Independent Research Capability: You can independently research transformation topics (change management frameworks, technology adoption, organizational design) with limited guidance, locate credible sources, synthesize information, and draw meaningful conclusions.
• Analytical Skills: Comfortable with data analysis, organizational metrics, business impact assessment, and structured problem-solving. Proficiency in Excel, Python, R, or similar tools is a plus but not required.
• Communication Excellence: Ability to articulate complex transformation concepts clearly—both in writing and presentations. Strong storytelling, visualization, and executive communication skills valued.
• Industry & Organizational Curiosity: Genuine interest in understanding diverse industries, organizational structures, business models, and how enterprises manage transformation. Your ability to learn across domains and contexts is critical.
• Intellectual Humility & Adaptability: Willingness to question assumptions, seek feedback, and refine thinking based on new information. Comfort with organizational complexity and ambiguity. Growth mindset is essential.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with consulting methodologies or transformation frameworks (McKinsey 7S, Kotter’s Change Model, Business Model Canvas, Design Thinking, etc.)
• Exposure to digital transformation, enterprise modernization, or organizational change initiatives
• Understanding of enterprise architecture, IT strategy, or business process optimization
• Portfolio of case studies, research projects, or presentations demonstrating analytical and strategic thinking on transformation or organizational challenges
• Familiarity with design tools (Figma, Miro) or visualization/analytics tools (Tableau, Power BI, Miro)
• Relevant internship or work experience in strategy, consulting, transformation, product management, or innovation roles
• Courses or experience in organizational behavior, business strategy, change management, or systems thinking

Location & Compensation

• Role Location: Aliso Viejo, California
• Compensation Range: $20 - $25/hr