The City of Batavia is seeking an enthusiastic, curious, and community-minded Community Engagement Intern to help bring the story of the City to life throughout the Summer of 2026. This role is perfect for upper-division undergraduates or graduate students, who are passionate about creativity, civic engagement, digital media, or simply love learning how a city really works behind the scenes.
This internship offers a rare, fun, hands-on opportunity to explore:
The intern will help translate these fascinating processes into digestible, exciting content for the public through social media, videos, event engagements, graphics, and more.
The hourly rate for this position is $20 per hour.
Hours and internship duration are highly flexible to accommodate school, work, or personal schedules.
Content Creation & Digital Media
Community Engagement & Events
Farmers Market & Special Initiatives
Social Media & Communications Support
General Support
Performs other duties as assigned.
The City encourages applicants with varied experience levels to apply. If you don’t meet every preferred skill—apply anyway! Enthusiasm, curiosity, and willingness to learn matter most.
Currently enrolled in or recently completed an undergraduate or graduate program in communications, marketing, journalism, public administration, public relations, digital media, or a related field. Coursework or hands-on experience in content creation, social media, writing, graphic design, video production, or community engagement is preferred. Experience participating in or supporting events, outreach activities, or public-facing roles is desirable or any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides necessary knowledge, abilities, and skills.
Prior experience working with local government, nonprofit organizations, or community-focused initiatives is beneficial but not required.
Strong written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
Ability to explain complex or technical information in a clear, engaging, and accessible manner.
Comfort interacting with residents, staff, and community members in public settings.
Creative mindset with an interest in storytelling, digital media, and civic engagement.
Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively as part of a team.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
Willingness and availability to work occasional evenings or weekends for events, with advance notice.
Curiosity, adaptability, and a genuine interest in learning how City services and operations function.
Ability to maintain professionalism and discretion when working with internal or sensitive information.
Valid Illinois Driver’s License.
Experience with tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, CapCut, or similar platforms is a plus, but not required.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Light physical activity performing non-strenuous daily activities of a productive/technical nature at moderate noise levels in a well-lighted, heated and/or air-conditioned indoor office setting with adequate ventilation, including:
Physical ability to sit, stand, walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel or crouch. Physical ability to reach items with arms and hands and manual dexterity and fine motor skills sufficient to perform all essential and additional job functions and basic requirements listed above. Physical ability to hear ordinary conversation, such as questions from residents, as well as other sounds, such as the telephone ringing, etc. Ability to see close, at a distance, and with peripheral vision as well as to adjust vision focus. Work is performed mostly in an office setting, but the position also requires the employee to drive to visit other City facilities as well as to appear outdoors and indoors at various public functions. The employee is occasionally required to walk, and lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
The City of Batavia is committed to compliance with the American Disabilities Act and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Diversity and inclusion are critical to our success.
Two (2) writing samples – articles, social posts, class assignments, newsletters, etc.
Two (2) media samples – graphics, videos, photography, or creative content.
Resume
Applications will be reviewed after the posting has closed. Selected candidates will be invited to an in-person interview or Zoom interview if approved. If selected to move forward, the candidate will be subject to reference checks, background and/or credit checks, fingerprinting, and medical or other examinations, as required. This represents the City’s general hiring process; specific steps may vary depending on the position.
$20/hour, Class credit may be available.
Flexible schedule
Flexible internship length
Weekend and evening hours may occasionally be required for events (with advance notice)