PEN America Los Angeles Internship (Remote)
PEN America’s Los Angeles office seeks a diligent, detail-oriented, and energetic intern based in the Los Angeles region for a remote internship that will provide experience in the administration, research, and curation of digital literary and human rights programming. This internship will be primarily remote, with three to four in-person programs requiring on-site participation at various venues across the city.
The programs of PEN America Los Angeles include a portfolio of digital efforts that further the organization’s mission of uniting writers and their allies to celebrate free expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. The organization’s post-COVID pivot has centered on community building, resource sharing, advocacy work, and the publication of timely information and tools on issues affecting writers. Programming has included the curation and publication of online gatherings, professional development opportunities, interviews, events, original shortform essays, recommendations, advocacy initiatives, readings lists, and other resources.
Working closely with the Los Angeles staff, the intern will gain exposure to Los Angeles’s vibrant cultural landscape by assisting with communications and outreach to the program’s applicants, fellows, partners, alumni, and affiliates.
The objectives of this internship are to enable participation in the development, planning, marketing, implementation, documentation, and evaluation of a variety of programs for PEN America, while also assisting with and contributing to national free expression advocacy campaigns. Together, these efforts give a holistic picture of the programming cycle at a nonprofit providing advocacy and arts and cultural services.
This is an unpaid, primarily off-site position. Positions will be open to both currently enrolled college students as well as recent graduates. We encourage candidates from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as persons with disabilities, to apply. PEN America internships are also eligible for college credit.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Interns will assist with a variety of tasks, including but not limited to:
- Support PEN America’s Los Angeles staff and programming with research, including literary and organizational list maintenance; drafting and copyediting invites, newsletters, and other correspondence
- Support PEN America’s literary programs team with research and administrative tasks related to the Emerging Voices Fellowship program and professional development programming for early-career writers
- Plan, develop, and implement digital programs for a diverse audience, including but not limited to talks, performances, and special projects
- Create marketing materials for upcoming programs, such as web copy, programs, social media messaging, and graphics
- Schedule social media campaigns, digital calls for submissions, and events
- Work with PEN America Los Angeles staff on post-event follow-up, including evaluation, email list management, database updates, and post-program debriefs
DESIRED ATTRIBUTES:
- Excellent communication, writing, research, and copyediting skills
- Demonstrated capability to work both independently as well as in a group; to prioritize, handle multiple tasks, and adhere to deadlines
- Willing to manage a range of administrative tasks, such as data entry
- Ability to create original digital media content and promotional materials
- Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Google Drive, and social media; experience with WordPress, Mailchimp, Canva, and Adobe Creative Suite is strongly preferred
- Interest in free expression, literature, cultural programming, human rights, nonprofit sector, and/or advocacy
APPLICATION PERIODS:
Be sure to include the dates of your availability with your application.
- Fall Internship: Please submit your application between July 1 and September 15.
- Winter/Spring Internship: Please submit your application between November 1 and January 15.
- Summer Internship: Please submit your application between April 1 and June 15.
TO APPLY:
Please email a cover letter (one-page maximum) and resume to jobs@pen.org with the subject line “PEN America Los Angeles Internship.”
PEN America does not discriminate in its selection practices, and in order to build the strongest possible team, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.
No phone calls, please.
ABOUT PEN AMERICA:
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.