Program Intern, Merchandising Category

Pilot-Company-3; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Pilot Company in Knoxville is seeking a Program Intern for the Merchandising Category team for summer 2027. This internship offers a path to drive operational excellence, understand market trends, and prepare planning materials to support strategic decisions.

You will uncover insights, identify new products, and assist with vendor negotiations while gaining hands-on experience implementing actionable items in our stores.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a degree in Retail, Marketing, or Business.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office; Tableau experience a plus.
• Curious and motivated to learn; strong communication skills.
• Experience with team activities and interest in products and consumer trends.
• Driven, reliable, authentic, and welcoming.

Responsibilities

• Drive operational excellence through merchandising projects.
• Conduct market research on consumer trends and competitors.
• Assist in preparing planning materials for strategic decisions.
• Support vendor negotiations and related activities.
• Analyze sales data and category performance to inform decisions.

Skills

MS Office proficiency

Analytical thinking

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Student pursuing degree in Retail, Marketing, or Business

Tools

Tableau

Job description

• Position Category: Administrative Support (ADMINISTRATION)

Company Description

Pilot Company is an industry-leading network of travel centers with more than 30,000 team members and over 750 retail and fueling locations in 43 states and six Canadian provinces. Our energy and logistics division serves as a top supplier of fuel, employing one of the largest tanker fleets and providing critical services to oil operations in our nation's busiest basins. Pilot Company supports a growing portfolio of brands with expertise in supply chain and retail operations, logistics and transportation, technology and digital innovation, construction, maintenance, human resources, finance, sales and marketing.

Founded in 1958 by Jim A. Haslam II and currently led by CEO Adam Wright, our founding values, people-first culture and commitment to giving back remains true to us today. Whether we are serving guests, a fellow team member, or a trucking company, we are dedicated to fueling people and keeping North America moving.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Military encouraged to apply.

Job Description

Are you a curious and motivated student with a passion for retail and consumer trends? Pilot Company is seeking a Program Intern for our Merchandising Category team for the summer of 2027. This is a unique opportunity to drive operational excellence by tackling a variety of projects that help us innovate, understand the market, and prepare planning materials.

In this role, you will be an integral part of our team, tackling impactful projects. Your fresh perspective will be key to helping us uncover new insights, identify new products, and assist with vendor negotiations. You'll gain valuable experience by working on actionable items that will be implemented in our stores.

What You’ll Do

• Drive Operational Excellence: Work on a variety of projects that help us innovate and improve our merchandising operations.
• Market Research: Conduct research to understand consumer trends and competitor offerings, providing insights to the team.
• Planning & Preparation: Assist in preparing planning materials and other documents to support strategic decisions.
• Vendor Negotiations: Get hands‑on experience by assisting with vendor negotiations and other key business activities.
• Data Analytics: Assist in analyzing sales data, business reporting, and category performance metrics to uncover insights and support data‑driven recommendations and decision‑making.

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For

• Education: A student pursuing a degree in Retail, Marketing, or Business.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite is essential. Experience with Tableau and other analytical tools is a plus.
• Soft Skills: You must be intellectually curious and motivated to learn and develop. Strong communication skills are crucial for collaborating with the team and vendors.
• Experience: Any extra-curricular activities in a team setting are a plus. You should have a passion for products and consumer trends.
• Qualities: We value individuals who are driven, reliable, authentic, and welcoming.

Additional Information

Why Pilot Company?

Our culture is built on four core virtues: Driven, Reliable, Authentic, and Welcoming. As an intern, you will see these values in action every day.

This is a full-time, in-person internship running from June 7 - August 13, 2027. You’ll be working alongside our team in our Knoxville headquarters, where you’ll have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships and experience the full scope of life at Pilot Company.