2025 Short-Term Merchandise Internship

About this role:

This basic timeline should give you an idea of the many roles you will play throughout the Short-Term Merchandise internship. From your work on the loading dock and in the office, to your time in the Merchandise Pavilion with some of the biggest golf merchandise and apparel companies, you will leave with a greater understanding of the merchandise operation of a major Championship.

              Early May (Approx. 40 hours/week)

• Assist with office set up and organizational projects.
• Assist with receiving incoming merchandise for the U.S. Open in the merchandise compound.
  • This involves moving boxes, counting product and loading/organizing the boxes onto trucks.
  • This involves working with over 50 merchandise vendors such as Peter Millar, G/FORE, FootJoy, Adidas, Under Armour, etc., and representing the USGA in a professional manner.

Mid-May (Approx. 50 hours/week)

• Assist the merchandise staff in the on-site office
  • This includes maintaining the office, welcoming staff & guests, helping receive smaller orders and assisting with merchandise volunteer packets, training session preparation, and more.
• Assist with U.S. Open Volunteer Orientation / Training Sessions.

Late May (Including Memorial Day Weekend) (Approx. 60 hours/week)

• Assist with merchandise load-in and visual displays in the Merchandise Pavilion and Satellite Tent(s).
  • This includes working with vendors to move product into the tent, organizing back-stock, aesthetically merchandising the sales floor, cleaning/moving fixtures and other various jobs in preparation for the Grand Opening of our 34,000 sq ft Pavilion and processing over 100,000 transactions.

Early June (Approx. 70 hours/week)

• Assist in the final preparations for the Merchandise Pavilion
  • This involves creating signage, organizing the POS stations, helping our visual merchandiser dress mannequins and more.
  • Help with a variety of PR projects, promotions and mailings to help promote U.S. Open Merchandise.
• Assist with our Volunteer Apparel Exchange Program
  • This involves setting up Volunteer and Marshal Apparel at an off-site location to provide Volunteers with an opportunity to change sizes in their uniform prior to the start of the event. This service will continue on-site once the event is underway. 

Mid/Late June (U.S. Open) (Approx. 90  - 105 hours/week)

• Assist our full-time merchandise staff in running the Merchandise Pavilion and Satellite Tent(s) for the U.S. Open.
  • Each intern will be assigned to three unique shifts throughout the day. From customer service to replenishing back-stock, helping manage and maintain the Pavilion and more.
  • This includes directing over 1,200 volunteers in various areas of the merchandise operation and assisting vendors. Each intern will have an opportunity to manage a group of volunteers and work with them to ensure each area of the merchandise operation is running efficiently.
  • Assist Merchandise Volunteer Chairman with check-in.
  • Assist with checking in any replenishment orders on the dock during the event.  In addition to that, preparing products as necessary prior to hitting the sales floor. This may include, applying the necessary barcodes or removing them from any packaging.

Late June (Approx. 40 hours/week)

• Assist with the breakdown of the merchandise operation.
  • This includes post-event sales and ending inventory procedures.
  • Help with coordinating donations.
  • Work closely with fixture company and help pack trailers.

*The hours per week indicated above, are averages based off previous years. Compensation details below.

*Candidates must be capable to assist in the movement of boxes weighing approximately 30-70 lbs.

Where you'll be: 

This internship is based in Oakmont, PA from early May to late June. The rate of pay is $15/hour, plus over time according to PA State regulations. Interns will work between 40-105 hours per week. Assistance with housing and travel is available for interns who are not local to the Oakmont, PA area.

What you bring: 

• Teamwork
• Communication is the key to being successful in this role.  Working together with fellow interns to execute daily tasks is one of your main responsibilities.
• Leadership
• Opportunity to lead volunteers and become a resource for the Merchandise Staff to communicate to vendors and other USGA Staff. Play a huge role as eye and ears of the operation.
• Creativity
• Freedom to create and take ownership of a project. Great opportunity to present new ideas. Influence on Visual Merchandising during tent stocking.
• Flexibility
• Ability to jump from task to task quickly as well as picking up where someone left off on any given project. In this role you will learn flexibility is key, in order to adjust the plan under different circumstances to achieve the same goal.