Tedx Editorial Research Intern

TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. On TED.com, we're building a clearinghouse of free knowledge from the world's most inspired thinkers - and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other, both online and at TED and TEDx events around the world, all year long.

In fact, everything we do - from our Conferences to our TED Talks to the projects sparked by The Audacious Project, from the global TEDx and TED Translators communities to the TED-Ed lesson series - is driven by this goal: How can we best spread great ideas?

TED is owned by a nonprofit, nonpartisan foundation. Our agenda is to make great ideas accessible and spark conversation.

The TEDx team is looking for a paid ($19 per hour), 40hr/weekTEDx Editorial Research Intern to begin remote work in January 2024. We're looking for recent college graduates who are media savvy, committed to fighting misinformation, can articulate well-formed opinions, complete meticulous technical tasks, and thoughtfully engage with community stakeholders. You need to feel a personal stake in the future of science, politics, philosophy, art, and/or pop culture, and demonstrate bona fides in one or two of those fields. 

We are looking for someone with a specific focus, passion for, and deep knowledge of a field related to misinformation and global issues. This could include, but is not limited to, politics, media literacy, journalism, or mental health. In addition to evaluating the credibility, novelty, and quality of ideas and arguments, you should be comfortable discerning ideas worth spreading from those that need further peer review or nuance.

Your primary mission will be to evaluate, fact-check, optimize, and publish talks put forward by the TEDx community. This requires a scrupulous and discerning eye. This also requires a methodical and highly organized approach to work. Globally, the TEDx initiative produces 500+ talks every week; we need smart people to watch each one to ensure it falls within established guidelines, as well as identify the best and most urgent, so we can help share those ideas with a wider public. It's not as simple as you might think--there will be long hours watching video after video on a computer screen while you struggle to keep a clear-headed appreciation of our mission. We've been there. But if you love learning and sharing your opinion, it can be very rewarding. Your input will help guide not just the talks that we feature on TED.com, but our TEDx platforms as well.

A few skills you can expect to practice or learn: how to screen content and ensure it falls within established guidelines; how to research and fact-check content for video and audio formats; how to optimize a video for discovery on the internet; how to contribute to TEDx's growing library of short-form content; how to interface with a large, passionate community thoughtfully and resourcefully; how to be an ambassador of the TEDx ethos; how to express a compelling opinion that leads to action; how best to contribute in a collaborative, opinionated workplace;  What makes a great TED talk (and what makes a talk fail).

Requirements:

• You must be able to work 5 full days (40 hrs) per week
• You will need your own WiFi connection given that this internship will be remote work from home.
• You should be well-versed in the YouTube Creator Studio and very familiar working in Google Drive in spreadsheets and documents
• You should have an interest in a broad range of subjects
• You should have a research background in your field of expertise
• You must be detail-oriented and perceptive when completing tasks, and you must be able to work independently and efficiently 
• You should possess a strong understanding of ethical reporting standards and practices--and be able to identify factual errors and logical flaws in examining sources
• You should possess excellent writing skills and be able to pass a short writing test
• You must be fluent in English

Additional preferred skills:

• Fluency in one other language is preferred, but not required
• Specialization in global issues, political research, and misinformation

To apply, please submit your resume, a cover letter telling us why you'd like to join our team, and what your favorite TEDx talk is. Please include links to a writing sample, i.e., something intelligent you've said online, a paper you've done for school or an article you've written. Demonstrate that you are bright, perceptive, succinct, and insightful. 

Please submit your cover letter in the "Message to Hiring Manager" section of the application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.