Editorial Intern (Summer 2025)

Defector Media is a 100-percent worker-owned and -operated media company. We are looking to hire interns for a paid 10-week program in the summer of 2025. This internship can be done remotely or at our office in New York.

At Defector, we publish blogs of all kinds: reported features, sports analysis, media criticism, personal essays, and thoughtful (if sometimes dumb) takes. Defector interns, like the site’s staff writers, will be responsible for writing about things they are interested in. They’ll work with other staffers on reporting projects and, if interested, can contribute to Defector’s social, newsletter, and video work. 

(Here is a blog about how we launched Defector. Here are the blogs written by Defector's Editorial Interns last summer.)

A small mentorship group of Defector staffers will help interns learn more about the operations of our subscription business, brainstorm areas of coverage, and most importantly: blog. They should be comfortable working in a collaborative environment, and eager to discuss and hone their ideas with other writers and editors. 

Applicants should have a decent understanding of the site’s editorial vision and voice and ideas for how their work might fit into that. Interns will allow their interest in and passion for specific beats within sports, politics, media, culture, or anything else that our readers might be interested in, to guide their focus. They will write what they know, and what they care about. An ideal intern would also show interest in the business structure of the site and be willing to help shape the internship program in the future. 

FAQs

When is the internship?

Summer 2025! The internship will run 10 weeks, and Defector can work with you to determine which weeks work best with your school’s schedule.

Who is eligible?

Any college student or person at a similar stage in their career who is interested in learning about journalism. You do not have to be in college currently to apply, but anyone working as a professional writer is not eligible for this internship. You do not need to have had a prior journalism internship in the past. 

What do I need to apply?

You need a resume, your three best writing clips, and to answer two short answer questions. 

I don’t have fancy clips, what do I do? What kind of clips do you people want?

Writing clips will not be judged based on the status of publication. Clips will be judged solely on their quality, creativity, and fit for Defector. Send your best 3 pieces of writing (no longer than 1500 words), whether they are school paper clips or personal blogs.

Where will I work? 

This job can be remote, so you can work from wherever you happen to be. If you prefer a NYC internship experience, you are welcome to work from our office in Brooklyn. Either way, we’d like to host you in New York for a weeklong in-person orientation at the start of the internship.

Is this internship paid or what?

So glad you asked. It sure is. This internship pays $25/hour for 40 hours a week. That’s $10k for 10 weeks.

What is the deadline?

The application deadline is JAN. 7, 2025. We encourage you to apply as early as you can.

You will be notified if you will be interviewed for the job by Feb. 15, 2025. Interns will be chosen and notified no later than March 15, 2025. 

Writing isn’t my primary journalistic work, but I still want to be considered. Can I apply with videos or sounds? 

This internship is primarily for writers, but we will look at everything submitted.