Position Description
Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham
Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.
Hiring Range: $21.00 - $22.95 Hourly
Work Day/Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday (15-20 hours per week)
The City of Durham’s Communications Department tells the City’s story through strategic communications across digital platforms, social media, television, and the news media. This position will serve as the City’s lead for employee/internal communications, helping City staff stay informed, engaged, and connected to the services and programs that support them.
The Communications, Digital Accessibility & Multimedia Intern will support the City of Durham’s Communications team by assisting with website accessibility, digital content development, social media content support, multimedia production, analytics reporting, and content organization. The intern will support the implementation of the City’s communications strategy, which emphasizes trust building, authentic storytelling, educational outreach, and alignment with Strategic Plan priorities.
This role increases capacity for proactive storytelling and Citywide digital compliance while supporting Federal requirements for WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility by April 2027. The intern will also support Durham Television Network through caption review and multimedia production support. The internship provides experience across multiple communications disciplines and strengthens the City’s local communications talent pipeline.
Duties/Responsibilities
Website & Accessibility Support

• Assist with accessibility audits of high-traffic web pages to help achieve WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance.
• Support departments in identifying areas for improved clarity, accessibility, and prioritization during webpage updates.
• Provide support to ~160 decentralized content editors across 25 departments.
• Help with quarterly accessibility checks, documentation, and large department webpage audits.
  

Digital Content, Social Media & Storytelling

• Support implementation of the City’s existing communications strategy through content that builds trust, tells authentic stories, and educates the public on Strategic Plan priorities.
• Brainstorm evergreen content ideas (ex: day-in-the-life features, “services you didn’t know about”).
• Assist the Senior Public Information & Communications Analyst dedicated to social media by gathering content, editing photos/videos/graphics, and preparing draft posts for review.
• Support Citywide and departmental editorial calendars.
• Pitch ideas for short multimedia video segments that align with the communications strategy.
  

Digital Asset & Documentation Support

• Help collect, organize, and maintain digital assets (photos, videos, graphics) for a Citywide content library.
• Help organize shared documentation, templates, and brand-aligned materials.
  

Durham Television Network Support

• Assist with post-meeting closed captioning for City Council, Work Session, and Planning Commission meetings using captioning software.
• Review and correct automated captions to ensure accuracy and accessibility.
• Support video production activities as assigned, including helping on video shoots, setting up equipment, capturing basic b-roll footage, and assisting with presentations during live-meeting productions.
  

Early City Work Alerts Support

• Assist with gathering updates from departments and verifying accuracy for the road closure/work map.
• Help prepare and distribute Early City Work Alerts.
• Support exploration of adding facility reports or expanding alerting options.
  

Hours & Schedule

• This internship is funded for approximately 1,000 total hours for FY26–27, depending on the student’s academic classification.
• Interns are expected to work 15-20 hours per week during the fiscal year.
• Work hours are generally scheduled Monday–Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., with flexibility to accommodate class schedules.
• Some remote work can be accommodated, especially for tasks like analytics summaries, research, content drafting, and caption review.
• Regular in-person attendance is expected for meetings, content gathering, multimedia work, and coordination with the Communications team.
• Occasional evening support for City Council and Planning Commission meetings may be requested with advance notice.
  

Hourly Rate

• 1st-year undergraduate: $21.00
• 2nd-year undergraduate: $21.63
• 3rd-year undergraduate: $22.28
• 4th-year undergraduate/graduate student: $22.95
  

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• Current undergraduate or graduate student in communications, public relations, journalism, digital media, accessibility, information science, or a related field.
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling abilities.
• Interest in social media strategy, accessibility, multimedia, and public sector communications.
• Comfort with or interest in learning captioning tools, CMS platforms, analytics dashboards, and video equipment.
• Familiarity with basic editing tools (Canva Pro, Adobe Express, Adobe Creative Suite) is a plus.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across a dynamic team.
  

01
Where did you first hear about this opportunity?

• City of Durham Website
• Walk in
• Job fair
• Employee referral
• Professional organization ***Please list the organization in "other" box below***
• Internet posting ***Please list the specific web site in the "other" box below***
• Craig's List
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• GlassDoor
• governmentjobs.com
• Monster.com
• Indeed.com
• Employment Security Commission
• Magazine/Newspaper
• Other
  

02
If you listed "other" above please give specific web site, organization, or publication.
03
Are you currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program for communications, public relations, journalism, digital media, accessibility, information science, or a related field?

• Yes
• No
  

04
Do you have experience using any digital content or design tools (for example: Canva, Adobe Express, Adobe Creative Suite)?

• Yes, I have experience
• No, I do not have experience
• I have limited experience but am comfortable learning
  

05
Are you comfortable reviewing digital content for accuracy, accessibility, and clarity (including checking captions, alt text, or readability issues)?

• Yes
• No
  

06
This role requires regular in person attendance for meetings, content gathering, and multimedia work. Are you able to meet this requirement?

• Yes
• No
  

07
Occasional evening support for City Council or Planning Commission meetings may be requested with advance notice. Are you able to accommodate occasional evening hours?

• Yes
• No
  

08
Are you able to work between 15–20 hours per week during the fiscal year?

• Yes
• No
  

09
Do you have experience using or learning web content management systems (e.g., WordPress or other CMS platforms)?

• Yes, I have experience
• No, I do not have experience
• I have not used a CMS but am comfortable learning
  

10
This internship involves handling a high volume of digital files, documentation, and multimedia assets. Are you comfortable managing and organizing digital materials?

• Yes
• No
  

11
Are you able to perform basic photo/video tasks such as capturing b-roll, helping with equipment setup, or making simple edits?

• Yes
• No
  

12
Please rate your comfort level with writing and editing professional digital content (for example, social media captions, short stories, or brief web updates).

• Very comfortable
• Somewhat comfortable
• Not comfortable
• Required Question