Paid Intern - Conference Programming

This is a Part Time Paid Internship

(I) Conference Programming 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 will provide hands-on experience in producing a large-scale international conference. The selected intern will work closely on the Featured Sessions for SXSW 2026.

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.
Candidates should:
• Have an interest in event planning

• Be highly organized

• Strong time-management skills and ability to prioritize tasks efficiently.

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

• Have superb written and oral communication skills required (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 up 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.