Intern, Distributed Commerce Assistant

Sephora; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 31,000 - 44,000; Part time

Job summary

Sephora is offering a 10-week Distributed Commerce Intern/Trainee program in San Francisco, CA, with a hybrid work model. You will support the Distributed Commerce team by researching agentic commerce, AI-assisted shopping, and prioritization frameworks, culminating in actionable recommendations.

The role emphasizes strong research, benchmarking, and communication skills, and requires students graduating in 2027 or 2028 who can work Pacific Time hours. Pay is target $27 per hour in the US.

Qualifications

• Interest in emerging digital commerce channels and AI-assisted shopping.
• Ability to conduct structured research and translate findings into actionable insights.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct structured research on agentic commerce and AI-assisted shopping.
• Benchmark shopping capabilities across GenAI platforms and AI assistants.
• Test Sephora agentic commerce experiences and document pain points.
• Build and apply a prioritization framework for GenAI platforms and features.
• Present progress, insights, and recommendations to the Distributed Commerce team and leadership.

Skills

Digital commerce

Research & benchmarking

Analytical skills

Written & verbal communication

Organization & independence

Education

Undergraduate or graduate degree

Job description

Job ID: 298121 Location Name: CA-FSC SF Off (0174) Address: 350 Mission St, 20th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States (US) Job Type: Position Type: Intern/Trainee Job Function: Digital/E-Commerce Work Location: Hybrid - San Francisco, CA

Your safety matters to us

All official Sephora US recruitment emails will come from a @sephora.com email address. We will never interview via text, ask you to download unfamiliar software, or request sensitive personal information such as your SSN or banking details via email, phone, or text. Learn more about Sephora on our official careers site inside-sephora.com, and search for verified US roles at join.sephora.com.

Belong to Something Beautiful

At Sephora, beauty is about feeling seen, valued, and empowered, individually and collectively. It is connecting deeply with others, celebrating diversity and inclusivity, unlocking your potential, and making a difference every day. Together, we belong to something beautiful.

Company overview:

At Sephora, we inspire our customers, empower our teams, and help them become the best versions of themselves. We create an environment where people are valued, and differences are celebrated. Every day, our teams across the world bring to life our purpose: to expand the way the world sees beauty by empowering the ExtraOrdinary in each of us. We are united by a common goal - to reimagine the future of beauty.

The opportunity:

Sephora Internships provide an inclusive and comprehensive experience that equips young professionals with the tools needed to align their passions with work. The 10-week internship program develops early career professionals by providing interns with hands‑on learning, personal and professional networking opportunities, and the ability to work on projects that directly impact the business.

Program details:

An inclusive and engaging experience that develops technical and professional skills through weekly virtual workshops, networking opportunities, and career panels that provide exposure to Sephora’s career growth opportunities.

2027 program dates:

• June 14 - August 20, 2027
• Working hours: 36hrs/week. Monday - Friday, PST
• July 6 - July 9, 2027: Intern Optional Summer Shutdown

Position title: Intern, Distributed Commerce Assistant

Your role at Sephora...

As the Intern, Distributed Commerce Assistant, you will support the Distributed Commerce team in identifying, evaluating, and optimizing commerce opportunities in emerging digital channels beyond Sephora.com. You will focus on AI‑assisted shopping and agentic commerce, assess market and competitive developments, and build a prioritization framework that concludes with findings and recommendations for the team.

What you will accomplish:

• Conduct structured research on agentic commerce and AI‑assisted shopping, including consumer adoption, emerging use cases, industry announcements, and relevant technology developments.
• Benchmark shopping capabilities across GenAI platforms and AI assistants, evaluate how beauty competitors and leading retailers use them, and maintain an updateable comparison framework.
• Test Sephora agentic commerce experiences from a client perspective, document pain points and gaps, and partner with cross‑functional teams to identify practical optimizations.
• Build and apply a prioritization framework for GenAI platforms and agentic commerce features using criteria such as user adoption, competitive activity, business potential, cost, and technical fit.
• Present progress, insights, prioritized opportunities, and final recommendations to the Distributed Commerce team and leadership; as a stretch goal, develop a partner onboarding blueprint.
• Demonstrate our Sephora values: Passion, Innovation, Expertise, Balance, Respect, Teamwork, and Initiative.

Qualifications & experience:

• Strong interest in emerging digital commerce channels, agentic commerce, AI‑assisted shopping, and consumer technology.
• Ability to conduct structured research and competitive benchmarking and translate findings into clear, actionable insights.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with comfort evaluating business, client experience, and technical considerations.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to explain technical topics to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently, collaborate across teams, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines.

Eligibility requirements:

• Graduating in 2027 or 2028 (undergraduate or graduate degree)
• Work schedule must align with 9-5PM, Pacific Standard Time
• Must permanently reside and work in the U.S.
• Must be open to relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area upon graduation for consideration for full‑time hybrid positions
• Available from June 14 - August 20, 2027

What You’ll Get:

The target hourly pay for this position is $27.00 - $27.00. The actual hourly pay offered depends on various factors, which may include, as applicable, the individual applicant’s qualifications for the position; years of relevant experience; specific and unique skills; level of education attained; certifications or other professional licenses held; other legitimate, non‑discriminatory business factors specific to the position; and the geographic location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will perform the job.

• Caring Community. You’ll collaborate with teammates who are equally passionate about innovating and driving the industry forward – together, united in beauty.
• Fulfilling Path. Your career transformation starts here, with opportunities that will challenge, stretch and develop your skills.
• Meaningful Work. As you make an impact on beauty, you’ll feel and see the positive change (consumer, industry, and social) that your individual voice is a part of.

Sephora values a diverse and inclusive workplace and considers all applicants without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, color, national origin, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), age, religion, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, disability, or any other protected category. Sephora is committed to providing reasonable accommodation ta applicants with disabilities or other medical conditions.

Sephora will consider all qualified applicants, including those with arrest and conviction records in a manner consistent with the requirements of all applicable laws, including the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.

Join Us and Belong to Something Beautiful