Phillips Edison & Company’s Internship Program offers immersive learning experiences for college students of all majors through a semester-long internship during the fall, spring, or summer in the commercial real estate industry.
Intern Community
You’re not alone during your internship at PECO! You’ll forge friendships with our cohort of 15+ other interns and work with them throughout your time with us.
Be Part of the Team
We treat interns like full-time associates – you’ll contribute to meaningful projects and be immersed in our energetic, high performing, yet relaxed work culture.
Give Back
PECO loves to give back to the community! Throughout your time with us, you’ll volunteer with a local nonprofit and have the option to participate in other company-wide volunteering events.
Have Fun & Get it Done
Your internship won’t be all work and no play! You’ll enjoy an afternoon outing with the intern cohort and participate in a variety of company sponsored events throughout your semester with us!
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE & TREASURY INTERN
You’ll process invoices, assist with helpdesk requests, monitor invoice approvals, and manage Treasury forecasted items in our Treasury management software. You will gain insights into accounts payable and treasury roles and gain experience with ERP and Treasury Management systems.
INTERNAL AUDIT INTERN
You’ll work with our Senior Internal Auditor to test the design and operating effectiveness of business and IT Internal Controls, update Internal Control documentation based on changes in processes and controls, and perform planned operational audits and special projects as needed.
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE INTERN
You’ll assist the Accounts Receivable Analyst by recording daily bank transactions, reviewing cash applications on tenant accounts, researching tenant/CSS inquiries, reconciling tenants’ ledgers, and answering internal business partners’ questions regarding cash postings.
PROPERTY ACCOUNTING INTERN
You’ll collaborate with a Property Accounting Team Lead and fellow team members to gain a deeper understanding of accounting systems, participate in month-end close processes, and assist with special projects such as reviewing invoices and reconciling common area maintenance for multiple properties.
CORPORATE ACCOUNTING INTERN
You’ll collaborate with a Senior Corporate Accountant and other team members to gain insights into accounting systems, participate in month-end close tasks (such as journal entry allocations, accruals, and reconciliations), handle special projects, and perform ad-hoc tasks as needed.
TAX INTERN
You’ll collaborate with the Director of Real Estate & Indirect Tax and assist with indirect taxes, real estate property tax, sales and use tax, and business licenses. Additional responsibilities include documentation preparation, sales tax reporting, and state and federal tax compliance.
FINANCIAL ANALYST INTERN
In this role, you’ll learn internal and external financial reporting procedures and understand cash management policies, treasury activities, and corporate budgeting. You’ll work with members of the finance team to assist with Net Operating Income (NOI) and Capital Expenditure forecasting analysis, ensure data integrity between the general ledger system (MRI) and forecasting system (AE), collaborate with FP&A and IT to resolve variances, work on new leasing and retention metrics by tenant category, and maintain peer benchmarking files under corporate oversight.
FINANCIAL ANALYST (INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT) INTERN
You’ll collaborate with a Senior Financial Analyst, the AVP, and the VP of Investment Management to assist with monthly and quarterly financial reporting, NOI & Capital forecasting analysis, data reconciliation between the general ledger system (MRI), and forecasting system (AE) and conducting peer/industry/market research. Additionally, the intern will prepare the quarterly Board of Directors presentation.
CYBERSECURITY INTERN
You’ll work closely with the Cybersecurity Manager and other IT team members to monitor security events, perform historical analysis of logs, conduct cybersecurity training and briefings, document security workflows, ensure compliance with corporate policies, and actively participate in network and computer security implementation. You’ll also investigate intrusion incidents, analyze alerts, and stay informed about cybersecurity trends and best practices.
ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS INTERN
You’ll collaborate with the Manager of IT Enterprise Applications to act as a development resource for the Enterprise Application Team by planning, designing, developing, testing, and maintaining web and desktop-based business applications, reports, and system integrations. You’ll also assist in collecting and documenting business requirements, developing user stories, estimating time and costs, and creating project plans.
OPERATIONS & INFRASTRUCTURE INTERN
You’ll work closely with the Technical Support Manager and the Desktop Support Specialist to assist with systems integration design, vendor software setup, application research, help desk ticket management, end user desktop support, application troubleshooting, Office 365 setup, Windows Server administration, and network infrastructure configuration.
MARKETING INTERN
You’ll contribute to a small but powerful team that serves as the company’s in-house creative agency and gain exposure to the exciting world of commercial real estate. You’ll create content for social media campaigns, curate content for our internal communications, and conduct data analysis for social media performance. You’ll also work on digital media and web projects to support the sales team’s efforts in signing new tenants.
LEASING (SALES) INTERN-SUMMER ONLY
You’ll collaborate directly with Leasing Professionals and other team members, supporting the Leasing department in various tasks related to leasing commercial spaces. The responsibilities of this hands-on experience include conducting due diligence, giving property tours, marketing, and research, merchandising, networking, prospecting, and negotiating leases. It’s a great opportunity for students interested in commercial real estate to gain practical experience and learn about the industry
TENANT RECOVERY AND LEASE ACCOUNTING INTERN
You’ll support Senior Tenant Recovery Analysts by compiling common area maintenance (CA) documents, researching tenant questions and disputes, and preparing correspondence and documentation. You’ll also collaborate with various internal teams to analyze lease terms, resolve issues, and ensure adjustments to reconciliations are made per lease terms, and assisting in issue resolution, as necessary.
CONSTRUCTION INTERN-SUMMER ONLY
You’ll work with our VP of Construction to schedule and evaluate construction plans, assess HVAC conditions, prepare bid documents, and set up leases in Job Cost. Throughout your internship, you will also review sustainability initiatives, learn internal systems and leases, assist with project management tasks, and reflect on your internship experiences for a final departmental presentation.
TRANSACTIONS INTERN
In this role, you’ll understand the complete process of acquiring and disposing an asset. You’ll work with our transactions team to assess retail properties for acquisition and disposition, work in Argus and Excel to perform financial modeling, conduct market research, prepare presentation materials, and support underwriters and acquisition officers with various analyses and research projects.
LEASING (SALES) INTERN-SUMMER ONLY
You’ll collaborate directly with Leasing Professionals and other team members, supporting the Leasing department in various tasks related to leasing commercial spaces. The responsibilities of this hands-on experience include conducting due diligence, giving property tours, marketing and research, merchandising,networking, prospecting,and negotiating leases .
PECO Immersion Day
Spend a full day learning all about how PECO owns and operates its portfolio of grocery-anchored neighborhood shopping centers. You’ll meet other new associates and network with company leadership.
Volunteering
At PECO, we value giving back to the community. Together with the entire intern cohort, you’ll spend a half day volunteering with an organization like Matthew 25 or the Freestore Foodbank.
Lunch & Learns
Throughout the semester, you’ll participate in several lunch and learns (lunch provided!) and dive into various topics to bolster your professional development and understanding of our business.
Intern Outing
Join the entire intern cohort for a half-day outing at the Reds, Topgolf, or other Cincinnati area attraction! During your onboarding, you’ll vote for your favorite option.
1:1 Coaching
Make the most of your time at PECO! You’ll receive 1:1 coaching and mentorship from our Early Talent Development Specialist as well as your manager.
Project Competition
We love utilizing interns as consultants! During your internship, you’ll be presented with a real-world business problem and work together in teams to devise solutions to present back to the company.
Have Fun and Get it Done
Advice From Past Interns
GRIFFIN HARRISTENANT RECOVERY ANALYST
How long have you been with PECO?
I have been with PECO for 2 years now full time, and before that I was a co-op for one semester.
College major/minor and grad year?
I went to the Ohio State University. I was a finance major and graduated in 2022.
Highlight of your co-op with PECO?
I really enjoyed the opportunity to do meaningful work that provided value to the company – it wasn’t just busy work that was pushed off onto me. Being a finance major, I didn’t know much about real estate before I started, so the fact that I was able to do similar work to the full-time employees really helped me learn a great deal about the company and the real estate industry in general. Also, PECO’s IPO was during my time as a co-op, which was a really cool experience.
Advice for PECO interns?
I would say to be as available as possible! There are so many ways to get involved at PECO outside of your immediate role, so when an opportunity arises, take advantage of it. The more you get involved, the more relationships you will be able to build, and you will learn so much from the experts in each of the different departments throughout the company. This will leave you feeling like you got the most out of your co-op experience.
Why did you choose to stay at PECO?
The main reason I chose to stay at PECO is the people and culture. Even though there are hundreds of employees, everyone genuinely cares for one another, and it feels like you are part of a family. I also really appreciate the “have fun and get it done” attitude that everyone has – playing pickleball or going to a Reds game for work is pretty fun!
ASHLEY SELERS SENIOR LEASING PROFESSIONAL
How long have you been with PECO?
I have been with PECO for over 8 years now. I started at PECO in the summer of 2016 as a Finance intern and joined as a full-time associate in the summer of 2017.
College major/minor and grad year?
I graduated from Xavier University in Spring 2017 with a bachelor’s degree. I majored in Finance and minored in Economics.
Highlight of your co-op with PECO?
Truly the highlight of my internship was receiving a full-time offer to join PECO after I graduated. I was exposed to a lot of projects during my internship and had the chance to work with all the buckets in the Finance department. This gave me great exposure to the organization as I was working with several different departments. Ending my internship with the opportunity to join PECO was the cherry on top of a great summer.
Advice for PECO interns?
My advice for interns would be to network both inside and outside of your department. We have a great culture at PECO and many of us want to answer questions and provide guidance where we can. When I joined the Finance team as a full-time associate, I started working with our Leasing team and I was taking on more responsibilities with reporting and budgeting. Aside from the exposure into another department, it also allowed me to build a relationship with two key members in the department. A few months later, I was given the opportunity to not only transition from our Finance team to Leasing, but I also moved across the country to join our Park City office in Utah.
Why did you choose to stay at PECO?
As an intern, I was thankful for the training I received. Several members on the Finance team took time out of their day to help develop my skills. I was working on big projects that made an impact to the organization and really enjoyed the PECO culture and associates. The people truly make a difference at PECO. To this day, some of my best friends have had a role at PECO and I am forever grateful.
MORGAN MASMINSTER IT PROJECT MANAGER & TRAINER
How long have you been with PECO?
I worked with PECO a year and a half as a Co-Op starting in 2017 and then have been here 4 and a half years as a full- time employee.
College major/minor and grad year?
I attended the University of Cincinnati. I majored in Marketing and Information Systems in the business college and graduated in 2018.
Highlight of your co-op with PECO?
Getting to know my department. We had a lot of team outings, and those events allowed me to network outside of work in a more relaxed environment. I also loved being a part of projects that allowed me to get to work with and know people outside of my IT team.
Advice for PECO interns?
My advice would be don't be afraid to ask questions. Starting as a co-op, I was very shy and was afraid of making a mistake. No one is perfect, no one expects perfection from anyone, and there are no stupid questions!
Why did you choose to stay at PECO?
I chose to stay at PECO because of the people and opportunities. I love everyone I work with and being a part of a great team makes it hard to leave! I have had a couple roles since I started here as a co-op, there are so many opportunities to try new things.
NAYELI ARELLANO STAFF PROPERTY ACCOUNTANT
How long have you been with PECO?
I started off at PECO as an intern in August 2022 and transitioned into a fulltime role in October 2022.
College major/minor and grad year?
I went to the University of Cincinnati and graduated in December 2023 with a bachelor's in accounting.
Highlight of your co-op with PECO?
The culture of PECO. There is a great balance between having fun and working. I also enjoyed that I was able to gain real world experience at this co- op vs. filing paperwork or other tasks that would not develop me professionally.
Advice for PECO interns?
Be sure to ask any questions you may have. No one here expects you to be a pro and they understand that you are here to gain experience. They want you to learn, so do not be afraid to ask!
Why did you choose to stay at PECO?
The people at PECO made it an easy decision for me to choose to stay. My own team (as well as others on different teams) wanted me to learn and were willing to take the time to make sure I was able to understand what I was being trained on.
GREG STEVENS SENIOR TRANSACTIONS ANALYST
How long have you been with PECO?
I have been with PECO full time for 2.5 years. On top of that, I spent two semesters as a co-op.
College major/minor and grad year?
I graduated from the University of Cincinnati in December of 2021 with bachelor's degree in Real Estate.
Highlight of your co-op with PECO?
Getting fully immersed into current potential acquisitions the team was working on. I was assisting with tasks that directly impacted the decisions of buying the potential shopping centers we were looking at which made me feel like my work was valued and needed. I believe this prepared me extremely well for my full time role here at PECO.
Advice for PECO interns?
My advice to PECO interns would be to connect with as many people as possible at the company as early as you can. Making the uncomfortable decision to introduce yourself, asking someone to lunch, etc will enhance your experience during your co-op and will help you learn a lot about all the different departments and how they all tie together.
Why did you choose to stay at PECO?
I chose to stay a PECO because I believed it was the best place to jump start my career in retail real estate. PECO is an all 'in-house' company and I knew it would give me exposure to all the different sectors of owning and operating retail.
FAQ
Some roles require previous experience, and some do not – just be sure to pay attention to the job description. We review applications holistically, meaning that we consider your education, any work experience, extracurriculars, and interests.
Internships are offered during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters, lasting the full academic semester. We provide flexible start and end dates that align with your university schedule.
You’ll meet LOTS of people during your internship! During Immersion Day, you’ll connect with various company leaders. Throughout the semester, you’ll work closely with your intern project team. And of course, you’ll meet and work closely with all the associates in your department.
Interns are treated like full-time associates at PECO, meaning that you will work on projects that impact our business. You won’t be making coffee runs!
Yes! All our internships are paid, starting at $19/hour and increasing based on the type of role and your experience.
Interns have access to our on-site gym and can participate in a variety of workout classes such as yoga/Pilates and interval weight training. Interns who are 21 or older also have the option to begin contributing to a 401(k) account and get a head start on their vesting schedule should they continue at PECO full-time.
PECO has various Employer Resource Groups to promote equity and inclusion throughout our company, and interns are encouraged to participate! These groups include PECO MORE (a group dedicated to furthering diversity and inclusion and helping shift associates’ perspectives as it relates to the importance of Space for All in the workplace) and PECO NOW (an award-winning program designed to inspire, empower, support and develop women at Phillips Edison & Company). More information can be found at phillipsedison.com/space-all.
View all our open internship opportunities here! Submit your application online and be sure to include your most up-to-date resume.
For spring and summer internships, applications open in late August and hiring decisions are made by late October.
For fall internships, applications open in late January and hiring decisions are made by late February.
Yes, you will be considered for every role for which you apply.
Step 1 – Apply online
Step 2 – Phone interview with Early Talent Development Specialist (20 minutes)
Step 3 – In-person or video interview with hiring team (45 minutes)