Product Research Intern
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About Zello
Zello is a voice-first communication platform, powered by our industry-leading push-to-talk technology, to improve collaboration and productivity for desk-less workers. With over 175+ million users, we’re the #1 rated push-to-talk app in the world, delivering 9 billion (yes, with a B) messages a month.
At Zello, our company values are at the heart of what we do everyday. We’re proud to serve the frontline, we’re privileged to connect people in times of crisis across the globe, and we’re honored to support first responders.
And this is where you come in.
Zello helps organizations stay connected with fast, reliable push-to-talk communication. Our products are used by frontline workers across Retail, Hospitality, Aviation, Manufacturing, and Construction, where communication quality and hardware reliability matter enormously.
We’re looking for a curious, hands-on Product Research Intern to help us identify the wired and Bluetooth headsets that frontline workers in Retail and Hospitality trust most today. This role is a blend of desk research, in-person field visits to top Austin-area Retail and Hospitality locations, and hands-on internal product testing, with a direct line to vendor outreach decisions.
This is a part time, contract role. Expected duration is April - June. Opportunity to extend through summer.
What you’ll do
Research the headset landscape (wired & Bluetooth)
Identify and catalog wired and Bluetooth headsets that are widely adopted in Retail and Hospitality environments today
Survey customer reviews, industry forums, trade publications, and retail/hospitality communities to understand which devices people love and why
Document key specs, pricing, availability, connectivity type, and user sentiment for each headset identified
Conduct in-person field research across Austin
Visit top Austin-area Retail and Hospitality locations to observe headset usage in real work environments
Speak with frontline staff and managers to understand what they use, what works, and what doesn’t
Document field observations and surface insights that desk research alone can’t capture
Build and maintain a structured headset database
Create and manage a clear, well-organized list of headset candidates with evaluation criteria
Track attributes such as build quality, compatibility, durability, comfort, and frequency of positive mentions
Prioritize headsets based on popularity, quality signals, and relevance to Zello’s target environments
Coordinate and manage internal testing
Source and purchase top-ranked wired and Bluetooth headsets for hands-on testing
Conduct your own basic testing of each device, evaluating call clarity, comfort, build quality, and ease of use
Organize and distribute testing materials
Collect and consolidate internal feedback into a clear, structured summary for decision-making
Support vendor shortlisting
Analyze test results and research findings to help narrow the field to vendors meeting Zello’s quality bar
Prepare clear summaries and recommendations to inform vendor outreach conversations
Assist in documenting criteria for vendor selection and partnership potential
By the end of your internship, you will have
Researched and cataloged the leading wired and Bluetooth headsets used in Retail and Hospitality
Conducted in-person field visits to top Austin-area Retail and Hospitality locations to gather firsthand insights
Personally tested devices and contributed your own evaluations to the team’s assessment
Managed the end-to-end process of purchasing and coordinating internal device testing
Delivered a clear headset shortlist with supporting data to guide Zello’s vendor outreach
Gained real-world product research experience with direct impact on product decisions
Who you are
Naturally curious and enjoys digging deep to find answers
Organized and detail-oriented. You keep your work structured and easy to follow
Comfortable working independently and taking initiative without being told every step
A clear communicator who can summarize complex findings simply
Interested in how hardware and software work together in real-world environments
Comfortable using spreadsheets, research tools, and AI tools to work efficiently
Has reliable personal transportation to travel to Austin-area Retail and Hospitality locations for in-person field research
Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a relevant program (Product Design, Engineering, Technology Management in the Business school or similar)
Nice to have (not required)
Familiarity with Retail or Hospitality operations
Prior experience with competitive or market research
Experience writing structured research reports or product briefs
Interest in hardware, accessories, or enterprise technology
This role is not
A software engineering or development role
A marketing or sales internship
A passive observation experience, you will own real deliverables
A role with a fixed script, you will be expected to think, problem-solve, and adapt
How we work
Customer-led: we start with real user needs, not assumptions
Outcome-oriented: we care about impact, not just effort
Collaborative: we work closely across Product, Design, and Engineering
High ownership: everyone on the team, including interns, does meaningful work
We hire for potential, passion for our mission, and a knack for solving difficult problems over checking every qualification box. We have competitive pay, equity with significant upside, and intentionally design our benefits to encourage healthy and well-balanced employees, flexible schedules and time off. We even offer a sabbatical after every five years of service so you’re able to pursue and enjoy what matters most to you. And of course, we wouldn’t be a technology company without a ping-pong table and free snacks in our break room. Join us!
Zello provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
All Zello personnel are required to comply with defined security, privacy, and compliance requirements applicable to their role along with requirements that are applicable to all Zello personnel.