Public Relations Intern at Ulta Beauty

Smuccpa; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 28,413 - 40,467; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Networking opportunities

Professional development sessions

Paid time off for full-time interns

Job summary

A leading beauty retailer is seeking a Public Relations Intern for the summer of 2026 in San Francisco. This internship will provide hands-on experience with media monitoring and strategic communications while promoting the company’s reputation. Candidates should be rising Juniors or Seniors pursuing degrees in related fields, with strong writing skills and familiarity with media tools. The position offers valuable professional development and networking opportunities, and it will be hybrid for corporate interns.

Qualifications

• Must be a rising Junior or Senior in an accredited undergraduate university.
• Previous work experience and involvement with campus organizations preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

Responsibilities

• Monitor earned media coverage and identify trends.
• Maintain daily news briefing for C-Suite.
• Track emerging issues and anticipate reputational risks.
• Assist in preparing summaries that support senior leaders.

Skills

Strong writing and verbal communication skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Curiosity about media and storytelling

Education

Pursuing a degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Word

Media monitoring tools (Cision, Meltwater, Muckrack)

Job description

Discover the possibilities. At Ulta Beauty, we believe in the best ideas that create greatest impact. And we know that those insights can come from anyone, at any time. Which is why we empower our interns in ways few organizations do. Here, you’ll take what you’ve learned in the classroom into a world of real‑life challenges that require creativity and new perspectives. That push you to think in new ways. Because it’s all about inspiration and transformation, not simply checking a box or building a resume. We’re here to help prepare you to realize your future career ambitions.

Experience the difference for yourself.

The 2026 Ulta Beauty Internship is a structured 10-week program designed to develop future talent and provide interns with a unique and impactful development experience. This program is tailored for rising college Juniors and Seniors, offering both Corporate and Distribution Center Internship Tracks. The internship will be hybrid for corporate interns and in‑person for Distribution Center interns. Interns will gain hands‑on experience in Ulta Beauty’s operations while contributing to business needs, engaging in meaningful projects, and broadening their professional development. The internship program provides real‑world experience directly related to academic discipline and career goals and offers a better understanding of career options.

• Hands‑on experience working as a member of a specific department and team.
• Assigned projects to accelerate learning of key functions and processes.
• Cross‑functional exposure to various departments.
• Comprehensive overview of the company structure and strategy.
• Tailored professional development sessions and valuable networking opportunities.
• Capstone presentation to leadership, showing project outcomes and recommendations.

TEAM OVERVIEW

Ulta Beauty’s Public Relations team plays a critical role in shaping, promoting and protecting the company’s reputation. We craft and tell Ulta Beauty’s story across a wide range of communication channels – including press releases, media interviews, speaking engagements and industry events – to ensure our narrative is clear, consistent and compelling.

As storytellers and strategic advisors, we amplify Ulta Beauty’s authority as industry leaders, retail disruptors and modern brand builders shaping the future of beauty. Through sustained earned media coverage, executive visibility and reputation management, we highlight our differentiated assortment, guest experiences, innovation, thought leadership and cultural impact. Our work strengthens trust, deepens stakeholder understanding and ensures Ulta Beauty shows up meaningfully in the conversations that matter most.

INTERNSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

• Monitor earned media coverage across beauty, retail, and business outlets to help identify trends, opportunities, and narratives that shape Ulta Beauty’s reputation.
• Maintain Ulta Beauty’s daily news briefing for the C‑Suite, ensuring leaders have timely, actionable intelligence to guide decisions and responses.
• Track emerging issues across the beauty industry to anticipate reputational risks and inform proactive strategy.
• Flag developing narratives or risks that could impact Ulta Beauty’s brand reputation, enabling early intervention and mitigation.
• Assist in preparing concise issues summaries and insights that support senior leaders in strategic decision‑making.
• Support award submissions and executive nominations that strengthen Ulta Beauty’s visibility, credibility, and leadership positioning.
• Assist with logistics, briefing materials and talking points that enable executives to show up consistently and effectively on influential stages.
• Assist in planning and executing communications strategies that support enterprise announcements and drive alignment around key business priorities.
• Support development of messaging, FAQs, and foundational materials to ensure clear, consistent, and strategic PR‑led communications across the organization.
• Participate in PR/Marketing team meetings, agency touchpoints, and cross‑functional discussions to ensure alignment across enterprise initiatives.
• Attend industry webinars and events, translating key learnings into insights that inform team strategy and future storytelling.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Individuals pursuing a degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Business, Political Science, or a related field.
• Curiosity about media, storytelling and brand reputation in a fast‑paced environment
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills with an ability to summarize information clearly and concisely
• Ability to analyze trends, identify insights and communicate recommendations
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail and comfort managing multiple deadlines
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross‑functional teams and interact with various levels of leadership
• Familiarity with media monitoring tools (e.g., Cision, Meltwater, Muckrack) and social platforms; experience with social listening and data analytics is a plus (not required)

REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a rising Junior or Senior enrolled in an accredited undergraduate university in the summer of 2026.
• Previous work experience and active involvement with on‑campus organizations or activities.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, attention to detail, and sense of urgency.
• Possess strong organizational and time management skills, along with a keen attention to detail and a sense of urgency.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

The pay range for this position is $0.00 - $25.00 / Hour. Exact pay will be based on factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, level, shift, geographic location, and business and organizational needs. Eligible associates may also earn overtime pay as required by applicable law. Full‑time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. Part‑time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. For additional information concerning our benefits, visit our Benefits and Career Development page: https://learn.bswift.com/ulta

ABOUT

At Ulta Beauty(NASDAQ: ULTA), the possibilities are beautiful. Ulta Beauty is the largest North American beauty retailer and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin care products, hair care products and salon services. We bring possibilities to life through the power of beauty each and every day in our stores and online with more than 25,000 products from approximately 500 well‑established and emerging beauty brands across all categories and price points, including Ulta Beauty’s own private label. Ulta Beauty also offers a full‑service salon in every store featuring—hair, skin, brow, and make‑up services.

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.