INTERNSHIP DETAILS

Programmatic Intern

Companydentsu
LocationJohannesburg
Work ModeOn Site
PostedFebruary 5, 2026
Internship Information
Core Responsibilities
The intern will focus on day-to-day training, assisting with setting up, launching, and managing programmatic ad campaigns across various Demand Side Platforms (DSPs). Key tasks include audience research, performance tracking, analysis of metrics like ROAS, and supporting optimization techniques like A/B testing.
Internship Type
full time
Company Size
5696
Visa Sponsorship
No
Language
English
Working Hours
40 hours
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About The Company
Merkle, a dentsu company, powers the experience economy. For more than 35 years, the company has put people at the heart of its approach to digital business transformation. As the only integrated experience consultancy in the world with a heritage in data science and business performance, Merkle delivers holistic, end-to-end experiences that drive growth, engagement, and loyalty. Merkle’s expertise has earned recognition as a “Leader” by top industry analyst firms, in categories such as digital transformation and commerce, experience design, engineering and technology integration, digital marketing, data science, CRM and loyalty, and customer data management. With more than 16,000 employees, Merkle operates in 30+ countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC.
About the Role
We are seeking a highly motivated and analytical Programmatic Advertising Intern to join our digital marketing team. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work with industry-leading programmatic tools and gain hands-on experience in the fast-paced world of automated digital advertising.

Job Description:

Key responsibilities:

  • Focuses on day-to-day training
  • Campaign Setup & Optimization: Assist in setting up, launching, and managing programmatic ad campaigns across various Demand Side Platforms (DSPs).
  • Audience Targeting & Segmentation: Help research and develop audience segments based on demographics, interests, and behaviors to optimize targeting and maximize campaign performance.
  • Performance Tracking & Analysis: Monitor campaign metrics, such as impressions, click-through rates, conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS). Analyze results to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
  • Real-Time Bidding & Ad Exchanges: Gain exposure to real-time bidding (RTB) processes, ad exchanges, and how programmatic ad buying operates across multiple media channels.
  • Creative Asset Management: Coordinate with the creative and design teams to ensure proper ad formats and specifications are met for all programmatic campaigns.
  • Optimization Techniques & A/B Testing: Support the implementation of A/B tests for ad creatives, targeting strategies, and bidding tactics to improve campaign effectiveness.
  • Budget & Spend Tracking: Assist in managing and optimizing ad spend to stay within budget and ensure efficient delivery of campaigns.
  • Industry Trends & Best Practices: Stay up to date with the latest trends and developments in programmatic advertising, bringing fresh ideas and insights to improve our strategies and campaigns.
  • Ask questions, ask for help.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Matric Certificate
  • South African ID
  • Computer Skills

The successful candidate will be trained on the fundamentals of programmatic advertising, including campaign setup, optimization, and audience targeting across various DSPs. They will also gain hands-on experience with real-time bidding processes, performance analysis, and the use of industry-standard tools for effective ad management.

Work with us:

It’s an opportunity to produce career-defining work. Along the way, you’ll team up with inspiring colleagues and encounter a richness of clients, cultures and experiences.   We offer exciting challenges, memorable experiences and opportunities to shape your future. 

Inclusion and Diversity:

We’re proud to be different and that starts with our people. We believe in equal opportunities for everyone. We won’t define people by their race, gender, sexual-orientation, age or disability. Individuality is what makes us great, we want everyone to bring their full self to work and create something amazing. That’s what we care about. So, whether you’re joining us, or looking to move to a different part of the business, we work hard to make sure we create equal opportunities for everyone.

Location: Johannesburg

Contract Type: Internship Fixed Term Contract

Closing date: 22 February 2026

Location:

Sandton

Brand:

Amplifi

Time Type:

Full time

Contract Type:

Student/Intern (Fixed Term) (Fixed Term)
Key Skills
Programmatic AdvertisingCampaign SetupOptimizationAudience TargetingPerformance TrackingReal-Time BiddingAd ExchangesCreative Asset ManagementA/B TestingBudget TrackingDigital MarketingDemand Side PlatformsData AnalysisAd Spend Management
Categories
MarketingData & AnalyticsTechnologyAdministrative