Student Intern (Unbenefited, Part-Time) - Council District 2 Office

About the role

The City of San Jose, the Capital of Silicon Valley, is one of the nation's best managed cities and one of the top ten cities in which to live, work, and do business. Moreover, San Jose is the center of cultural, government and economic activity for the region. The employees of the City of San Jose have embraced the following values: Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration, Respect and Celebration. The San Jose City Council is seeking an individual whose values align with the values of the City's employees.

The San Jose City Council consists of ten Council members elected by district and a Mayor elected at-large, each for four-year terms. The Mayor and Council are responsible for representing the residents of San Jose, providing accountability, reviewing public policy and programs, and adopting those policies which best meet the needs of the residents, visitors, and businesses in San Jose.

Council District 2 is recruiting for a dedicated part-time Student Intern with a focus on communications and public outreach. Under close supervision, this position will serve Councilmember Pamela Campos, and perform routine and/or general assistance tasks, and perform related work as required.

The intern will support the District 2 Team in creating content that helps residents learn about what is happening in District 2 and highlights Councilmember Campos’ work in the community.

Incumbents are expected to have no previous meaningful work experience, but must have a willingness to learn and apply their academic training to the required job assignments. Positions in these unclassified civil service classifications are appointed "at will" with no property right to continued employment.

Each appointment is for a specified period-of-time to be determined by the appointing Councilmember and does not extend past the end of the elected official's or appointing authority's term. Assignments may be on a project basis and/or as needed basis and will not be on predetermined employment time/term limitations.

Any combination equivalent to completion of high school and current enrollment in an accredited college or university in undergraduate or graduate program.

The ideal candidate will

• Have experience editing short form videos.

• Have experience creating graphics using Canva, Adobe, or similar programs.
• Be able to take strong photos and videos using a phone or other digital equipment.
• Have a good eye for visual content and understand what makes social media content interesting and engaging.
• Be able to take direction from Staff and turn an assignment into finished content for review.
• Be comfortable receiving feedback and making changes to their work.
• Be organized and able to support multiple content assignments and deadlines.
• Have solid writing skills and be able to draft social media copy for Staff review.
• Take initiative in completing assigned work and producing content consistently.
• Be interested in public service, community engagement, and local government.
• Use good judgment and understand the importance of professionalism and confidentiality when working in an elected official’s office.

Digital Communications & Social Media

• Support the creation of photos, videos, graphics, and other digital content for the Office’s social media channels.
• Take photos and videos of Councilmember Campos, community members, neighborhood events, and other District 2 Office activities.
• Film and edit short form videos based on direction from the Communications and Community Relations team.
• Assist Office Staff with setting up, filming, and editing planned videos featuring Councilmember Campos.
• Create graphics, flyers, and other visual materials using Canva, Adobe, or similar programs based on direction from Staff.
• Prepare content for Staff review and make changes based on feedback.
• Assist with scheduling and posting approved content on the Office’s social media channels.
• Support timely content creation during or shortly after community events.
• Help organize and maintain the Office’s photos, videos, graphics, and other digital content.
• Assist with newsletters, social media planning, and basic social media analytics as needed.

Event Support

• Attend community events and activities to capture photos, video, and other content.
• Assist the Communications and Community Relations team with community outreach and event activities as needed.
• Some evening and weekend availability will be required.

Additional information

Professional communications experience is not required. Relevant experience can come from classes, student organizations, internships, volunteer work, personal projects, or paid work.

Selection Process

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant’s training and experience based on the application, resume, cover letter, portfolio or work samples, and responses to the job specific questions. Only candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional steps of the selection process may consist of one or more interviews.

To be considered for this position, you must fill out the online application on the City of San José website and submit the following:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Portfolio or work samples
• Answers to all job specific questions

You will be prompted to answer the following job specific questions during the online application process:

Question 1*

Please describe your experience creating digital content. This can include short form videos, graphics, photography, social media, or other visual content. Your experience can come from work, internships, classes, student organizations, volunteer activities, or personal projects.

Question 2*

When you are given a content or communications assignment, how do you complete it from the time you receive direction from a team member until the work is ready for review? You may use an example from work, school, an internship, a student organization, volunteer experience, or a personal project.

Question 3*

Why are you interested in working with Councilmember Pamela Campos and the District 2 Office team? What would you like to contribute to the Office, and what do you hope to learn or gain from this internship?

Question 4*

Please provide a link to your portfolio or work samples. Your portfolio should include examples of your content creation skills, such as short form videos, graphics, photography, social media content, flyers, or other digital or visual work. Your portfolio may include work from school, student organizations, internships, volunteer activities, personal projects, or paid work. A portfolio or work samples are required to be considered for this position.

*Required Question

Additional Information