Overview:

JetBrains is looking to expand its academic footprint across North America by building stronger partnerships with universities, professors, and student communities.

In this project, the intern will help identify high-potential universities, validate effective entry points, and test outreach strategies to accelerate adoption of JetBrains tools in academic environments.

The intern will work closely with the Growth team to combine research, experimentation, and strategic thinking into a practical, reusable partnership playbook.

Goals:

• Create a prioritization system for new partnerships in the US and Canada

• Build a pipeline of universities in the US and Canada

• Identify key decision-makers and entry points (faculty, student orgs, etc.)

• Design and execute outreach experiments targeting the above-identified entry points

• Develop a scalable playbook for future academic partnerships based on results from outreach experiments.

Expected Outcomes:

By the end of the internship, the intern will deliver:

1. University Pipeline Database

   • 100+ North American universities segmented by priority and profile

   • Key contacts (professors, department heads, student orgs, etc.)

   • Relevant notes on programs, tooling, and opportunities

2. Outreach Experiment Results

   • Tested outreach approaches

   • Performance metrics (response rate, meeting rate, etc.)

   • Insights into what messaging resonates and what didn't

3. Academic Partnership Playbook

   • Ideal university profiles (ICP)

   • Recommended entry strategies (faculty vs student-led)

   • Outreach templates and best practices

   • Recommend strategies for scaling partnerships

Required Qualifications:

• Strong research and analytical skills

• Clear and persuasive written communication

• Proactive mindset with a high level of ownership

• Interest in business development, partnerships, or sales

  • You are curious about how organizations grow and build external relationships

  • Comfortable reaching out to new people and initiating conversations

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience in sales, business development, or partnerships

  • This could include internships, part-time roles, student organizations, or personal projects

• Experience with cold outreach (email, LinkedIn, etc.)

• Interest in developer tools or the education space

• Familiarity with university ecosystems or student communities