M&A Strategy Intern: AI-Driven Research & Diligence

ICF Olson; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

ICF Olson is offering a 10-week full-time internship in Corporate Development, based in Reston, VA with a hybrid schedule (2 days per week in-office). The role emphasizes live deal support, targeted research, due diligence, and strategic project work under deal leads.

Ideal entrants have 30+ college credits in finance or related fields, strong Excel/PowerPoint, and experience with AI tools. This position develops analytical, presentation, and data-management skills in a fast-moving corporate

Qualifications

• By start date, a minimum of 30 completed college level credit-hours in finance, accounting, economics, business analytics, data science, computer science, information systems, engineering, or a related field.
• Preferred Qualifications Completed bachelor’s degree and enrollment verification or 9 credit hours completed in a master’s degree program in finance, accounting, economics, business analytics, data science, computer science, information systems, engineering, or related field.
• Demonstrated interest in Corporate Development, M&A, strategy, finance, consulting, technology, or business transformation.

Responsibilities

• Research target companies, competitors, and market segments; prepare company profiles, screening summaries, market maps, and market overviews.
• Support due diligence by tracking requests, organizing materials, summarizing findings, and helping the deal team identify key issues and follow-up items.
• Prepare and update presentation materials for internal dal reviews, leadership updates, and strategic discussions.
• Assist with pipeline tracking, data organization, comparable company research, and other ad hoc analyses.
• Use approved AI tools, where appropriate, to improve the efficiency of research, summarization, data organization, and presentation development.
• Help identify practical AI use cases for the Corporate Development team, such as improving company profiles, diligence trackers, meeting summaries, pipeline management, or knowledge sharing.
• Support other internal projects of the Corporate Development team, including strategic initiatives where research, analytics, process improvement, or AI-enabled tools can add value.

Skills

Analytical skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Communication skills

AI literacy

Research skills

Education

30+ college credits in finance/analytics

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Enrollment verification or 9 credits in master's program

Tools

AI tools platforms

Job description

ICF Olson is offering a 10-week full-time internship in Corporate Development, based in Reston, VA with a hybrid schedule (2 days per week in-office). The role emphasizes live deal support, targeted research, due diligence, and strategic project work under deal leads.

Ideal entrants have 30+ college credits in finance or related fields, strong Excel/PowerPoint, and experience with AI tools. This position develops analytical, presentation, and data-management skills in a fast-moving corporate