SXSW Innovation Conference Intern

SXSW Innovation Conference Intern 

Internship Purpose 

The SXSW Conference Programming department seeks an intern to assist the programming staff with day-to-day operations, speaker and content advancement, and data entry. This position offers hands-on experience producing a large-scale international conference. The selected intern will work closely on SXSW Featured Sessions.

What you will learn: 

Skill set for how to plan, document, arrange, and produce large-scale events 

How to manage multiple different aspects of an event at once 

How to work within a large, multi-faceted team 

How to work and collaborate in a fast-paced environment 

How things are planned and coordinated within a multi-industry conference 

How to communicate with industry professionals on a wide range of topics 

How to multitask and execute effectively in a highly fast-paced environment 

How to use various software specific to our operations (FileMaker, RainFocus, etc.)

Duties & Responsibilities 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

Organize speaker information and input into various databases, ensuring accuracy and accessibility for all teams. 

Partner with the Featured Speakers team to resolve issues and answer questions via email

Schedule sessions promptly – adjust schedules as conflicts arise 

Manage multiple details for sessions with efficiency 

Work directly with staff and volunteers on site to ensure conference room transitions run smoothly 

Research specific topics to contribute to Conference decision-making

Qualifications & Skills: 

To be eligible for an SXSW internship, you must be enrolled in an accredited university or college and live in Texas. 

Have an interest in event planning 

Be highly organized, with strong time-management skills and the ability to prioritize tasks efficiently. 

Be proficient with Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides 

Have superb written and oral communication skills (email, phone, and conversational) 

Be agile in a demanding environment and be willing to go above and beyond 

Be a self-starter who can multitask efficiently 

Physical Requirements 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully: 

Prolonged periods of sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer. 

Ability to lift to 10 pounds occasionally, as needed. 

Manual dexterity to operate standard office equipment such as computers, phones, printers, etc. 

May require occasional bending, reaching, kneeling, or climbing stairs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Work Location, Schedule & Pay 

This position is located in Austin, Texas. Core business office hours are Mon-Fri, 10 am—6 pm. Candidates must be available to work from October to March. A time commitment of a maximum of 16 hours a week is required. Availability of 40 hours per week during the event may be required. Candidates may be able to work remotely or in the office. This position may also receive preferential consideration for future SXSW hiring opportunities. This is a paid internship at $12.00/hr.