Growth Consulting Summer Associate, 2026 Summer Associate Program

Let’s be unstoppable together!
At Circana, we are fueled by our passion for continuous learning and growth, we seek and share feedback freely, and we celebrate victories both big and small in an environment that is flexible and accommodating to our work and personal lives.  We’re a global company dedicated to fostering inclusivity and belonging. We value and celebrate the unique experiences, cultures, and viewpoints that each individual brings. By embracing a wide range of backgrounds, skills, expertise, and beyond, we create a stronger, more innovative environment for our employees, clients, and communities. With us, you can always bring your full self to work.  Join our inclusive, committed team to be a challenger, own outcomes, and stay curious together. Circana is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®. This prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Circana.

Learn more at www.circana.com.
Summer Associate Experience

Circana offers a full summer associate program to ensure ALL our Summer Associates gain…

• Knowledge about the industry we exist in and the clients we serve;
• Experience working on active projects that have actual impact on our business;
• Training on technical tools and behavioral skills that are critical to an employee’s success;
• Networking and mentor opportunities that can create personal connections lasting far beyond the summer.

Growth Consulting Summer Associate

Growth Consulting works with clients in consumer goods and retail to fuel their sustained, profitable growth. We combine our expertise in strategy, sales, marketing, and advanced analytics, empowered with big data and technology, to develop practical insights and actionable recommendations. We leverage data—in-house Circana data, client and third-party assets, and primary research—to develop empirical and rigorous strategic frameworks and recommendations for real business problems. Our work spans a diverse group of client companies, from iconic brands to high-growth startups. 

The primary role of the Summer Associate is to work closely with Jr. Associates conducting quantitative & qualitative research analysis, interpreting results and making strategic recommendations for top-tier Consumer Packaged Goods and Retail clients. Other responsibilities include: 

• Interact with project teams and clients at multiple levels.
• Design and execute qualitative and quantitative research analyses.
•  Gain and apply knowledge of the client’s market and customer base using Circana’s proprietary data (Point-of Sale scanner data, panel, etc.) and secondary sources (industry reports, annual reports, etc.) and synthesize key findings.
• Analyze and model market data sets leveraging a range of applied statistical techniques.
• Assist in creating client presentations with key strategic findings and recommendations.
• Develop increasing levels of autonomy and responsibility.
• Seek out and apply new learning opportunities to enhance institutional knowledge of the Growth Consulting team.
• Manage and oversee outsourcing of the research process to global support teams.
• Proactively engage in internal initiatives to develop the Growth Consulting group.

Key Qualifications: 

• Junior standing at a top tier university required, with a minimum GPA of 3.2/4.0 and a graduation date between December 2026 and June 2027. 
• An inquisitive orientation to problem-solving and analysis.
• Strong verbal communication skills.
• Exceptional quantitative analysis skills; advanced Excel skills.
• Ability to work well in teams and with clients.
• Ability to balance and prioritize multiple competing tasks.

Circana Behaviors

As well as the technical skills, experience and attributes that are required for the role, our shared behaviors sit at the core of our organization. Therefore, we always look for people who can continuously champion these behaviors throughout the business within their day-to-day role:

• Stay Curious: Being hungry to learn and grow, always asking the big questions.
• Seek Clarity: Embracing complexity to create clarity and inspire action.
• Own the Outcome: Being accountable for decisions and taking ownership of our choices.
• Center on the Client: Relentlessly adding value for our customers.
• Be a Challenger: Never complacent, always striving for continuous improvement.
• Champion Inclusivity: Fostering trust in relationships engaging with empathy, respect, and integrity.
• Commit to each other: Contributing to making Circana a great place to work for everyone.

Location

This position can be located in the following area(s): Remote, USA. Preference for Chicago, Illinois. 

Prospective candidates may be asked to consent to background checks (in accordance with local legislation and our candidate privacy notice ) Your current employer will not be contacted without your permission.

The below range reflects the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.  An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, any collective bargaining agreements, and business or organizational needs. The salary for this role is $35.00 per hour.

You can apply for this role through the Circana career website and/or Handshake. 

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