VOA INTERNSHIPS
Are you motivated, hard-working, and enthusiastic? Maybe you should think about becoming a VOA intern!
General Information
- Location:
Washington, D.C.
- Eligibility:
Current enrollment at an accredited college or university, though exceptions are occasionally made for outstanding high-school students
- Deadline:
Rolling (6-12 weeks before desired start date)
- Compensation:
Voluntary and unpaid (though a transportation stipend is provided)
- Credit:
College credit is available, depending on student's school
- Fields:
Engineering, Journalism, Language Broadcasts, Public Relations, Special English, TV Technical Studio Operations,TV to Africa, and Information and Library studies.
- Benefits:
Provides "real world" experience in a diverse and dynamic international broadcast organization
Interns accepted into the program will be required to submit a security form two weeks prior to their start date. All answers must be typed. Access the form through the following link:
http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/SF86_July2008.pdf
* Note to international students:
Unfortunately, we are unable to assist in the procurement of United States visas.
Internships By Department
Language Programming, Media Lab, and Senior Management Offices
- Fields:
Journalism, Broadcasting, Communications, International Relations, Government
- Duties:
Students working for VOA Language Services or Media Lab are given the opportunity to research and produce daily audio and video programming, series and special reports. VOA’s nearly 50 Language Services broadcast on mobile, television radio and internet. VOA’s Media Lab creates daily short form video headlines on Africa, World, and U.S. along with pilots and specials. Depending on the intern’s assigned team, duties may include: research for stories or profiles, news events, features and special topics; camera work; interviews; logging; transcription; organizing footage; collection of b-roll; writing; editing audio/video, mobile and social media. Internship opportunities with senior management teams incorporate research, writing and communication skills on the corporate level. Duties in those offices vary, but often involve working on white papers, special projects, or Town Hall Meetings.
- Requirements:
Undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a college or university degree program. Students should be creative, self-starters, with excellent research, writing and communication skills, energy and initiative, ability to multi-task and a desire to learn new skills.
- Application:
Send resume, cover letter expressing desired focus of internship. Please state if you are a native language speaker in any of the 45 languages in which we broadcast. Apply to:
VOA-Internship-Program@voanews.com
. Questions about the VOA Internship Program, contact: Patricia Bodnar:
pbodnar@voanews.com
Technology, Services, and Innovation (TSI)
- Fields:
broadcasting/Internet technology, computer support, international business planning, project financial analysis, audience/media research, and geographic information systems (GIS)
- Duties:
tailored to the skill/interest level of the intern, including technical (engineering design or computer programming), analytical (data base research), or business support (international market research) projects (nb. TSI manages broadcast transmission, program delivery, and technical support; TSI internships do not entail any work in the studio with cameras, microphones, etc.)
- Interests:
engineering, technology, business
- Requirements:
some engineering, technical, or computer background, strong analytical/mathematical skills, ability to problem-solve
- Application:
send resume and cover letter to Terry Balazs (
tbalazs@bbg.gov
)
Note:
TSI also offers a few paid summer internships to full-time students (U.S. citizens only) with appropriate technical qualifications.
Learning English
- Fields:
Journalism radio, television, Internet, social media, teaching
- Duties:
writing news-related stories using a limited vocabulary for English learners; audio production, web article posting and social media audience engagement.
- Interests:
current affairs, journalism, English teaching
- Requirements:
excellent writing, research and social media skills
- Application:
send resume, cover letter, transcript(s), and two writing samples (news-related or features items) to Ashley Thompson (
athompson@voanews.com
)
TV Technical Operations
TV to Africa
- Fields:
television production
- Duties:
write daily show descriptions for our TV Facebook pages, assist with various video field shoots, edit various projects on Final Cut Pro and DaletPlus editing systems, run teleprompter for live TV shows, videotape logging, topic research, guest recruit, guest greeting, and other duties.
- Interests:
television production, international and Africa affairs, journalism.
- Requirements:
research experience, demonstrated interest in Africa and international affairs, communications skills, ability to meet deadlines and to work under pressure.
- Application:
send cover letter and resume to Roblyn Hymes (
rah@voanews.com
).
VOA Newsroom
- Fields:
?journalism, international relations, radio & television broadcast production
- Duties:
assisting VOA newsroom journalists on news, feature stories and special reports, which could include researching, interviewing, collection of B-roll, logging, transcribing, writing and editing. Depending on skill level and initiative, opportunities to write and produce original content for English language radio, TV and web platforms.
- Interests:
radio, television, Internet, social media, international affairs, broadcast journalism, writing
- Requirements:
?an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a college or university degree program, with creativity, energy and initiative; excellent skills in writing, social media and research; ability to meet deadlines, work under pressure and a desire to learn
- Application:
Send cover letter, resume and writing sample to newsroom intern director Amy Katz (
akatz@voanews.com
) with subject line: Internship. Highlight experience that makes you a good candidate. Apply in January-March for summer internships, in May-June for fall internships, and October-November for spring internships. Internships are available in Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Media Asset Management Branch
Video, Audio and Print Library Collections Assistant:
- Fields:
Library science, Media Asset Management; Archiving; Musicology**
- Duties:
?May include all or some of the following activities: shot-level cataloging of video content; responding to producer requests for video, audio or textual background material; search internal databases, indexes and digital asset management system; search internet or agency subscription databases; assist with circulation procedures; assist with processing stock footage, audio, or music materials into the collection; assist research staff to pull and cue video content; assist with video retirement processes including inventory listings, updating collection data and shelf-reading or applying labels and barcodes; assist pairing script and other associated information with digital assets.
- Interests:
Media collection management; special libraries
- Requirements:
graduate or undergraduate study in Library Science, or for special program - musicology.
- Application:
send resume and cover letter to Pam Commerford, Media Asset Management Branch Chief (
pcommerford@voanews.com
)
- **
For
Ethnomusicology majors
- special opportunity to work with our collection of legacy African Music recordings in the Leo Sarkisian collection. This is a joint project by the
English to Africa Service
and the
Archive and Research Service
. Contact Heather Maxwell, Multi-Media Production Specialist, for information on this project:
hmaxwell@voanews.com