National Geographic Editorial Operations Intern, Summer 2026

Job Posting Title:

National Geographic Editorial Operations Intern, Summer 2026

Req ID:

10137847

Job Description:

About the Role & Program

Imagine working side by side with industry leaders and building upon the skills you’ve learned in the classroom through real-world, hands-on experience with an internship on National Geographic magazine’s Editorial Operations team. Our team facilitates the production of articles for National Geographic magazine and nationalgeographic.com as well as Instagram posts. We help support our authors and text editors through the fine tuning of copyediting and fact-checking, applying the standards in our Style Manual and ensuring the accuracy, clarity, and integrity that readers expect from a 138-year-old brand. We set and monitor production milestones and schedules by outreach to assigned story teams. We also facilitate National Geographic’s production in 20 international markets through supplying files as well as explanatory memos for translators that accompany individual articles.

This internship is a full-time, and the approximate dates of this internship are from May/June 2026 through August/September 2026. If selected for this internship, you will report directly to the Senior Editorial Manager, Copy & International. A link to your portfolio or published writing sample on your resume is required for the National Geographic Editorial Operations Intern, Summer 2026 position. A cover letter indicating your interest in the role is also required.

What You Will Do

You will have the opportunity to work with our copyediting, research, production, and international editions teams. On any given day you might:

• Identify and locate multiple sources of information applicable to an assigned article

• Define key issues and identify factual problems within text and captions

• Communicate by phone or email with subject experts in governmental agencies, academic institutions, and industry

• Propose fact-checking fixes, in collaboration with colleagues, such as the copy editor and text editor roles

• Review published articles as subject background in National Geographic’s archives; consult dictionaries and the National Geographic Style Manual

• Write a memo for translators, explaining difficult syntax or grammar, idiomatic phrasing

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Outlook, and Teams

• Skilled in conducting research and utilizing diverse tools to gather information and effectively present findings

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Demonstrated organizational skills, including record-keeping and the ability to multitask efficiently in a dynamic environment.

• High attention to detail

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous academic or internship experience in journalism

• Familiarity with the software Airtable and InDesign/InCopy

• Demonstrated proficiency in at least one foreign language.

Education

• Junior or senior year preferred

• Major coursework in journalism or English writing is preferred

• A background or previous coursework in archaeology, science, and history is a plus  

Eligibility Requirements & Program Information

Candidates for this opportunity MUST meet all of the below requirements: 

• Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree taking at least one class at time of application OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship.

• Current Disney Interns, College, International, or Culinary Program Participants: You may only work for ONE consecutive year (12 months) in any combination of an internship and/or program.

• Be at least 18 years of age

• Possess unrestricted work authorization

Additional Required Documents:

• A link to your portfolio or published writing sample on your resume is required for the National Geographic Editorial Operations Intern, Summer 2026 position. A cover letter indicating your interest in the role is also required.

Additional Information

• Able to have a consistent, reliable work schedule throughout the internship

• The approximate dates of this internship are May/June 2026 through August/September 2026

• Fully available from Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm ET for the duration of the internship

• Able to provide own housing for the duration internship program in the Washingto