Communications Intern

About the Role

Parks & Trails New York is seeking a creative, organized, and enthusiastic Communications & Marketing Intern to support our communications and marketing efforts. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys storytelling, creating visual content, and working across a variety of projects. The Communications Intern will play an important role in promoting PTNY’s programs, events, advocacy work, and public lands. The intern will create content for social media and digital platforms while also supporting marketing campaigns, email communications, graphic design, event promotion, and other communications projects as needed. A particular focus of this position will be supporting the marketing and promotion of PTNY’s bike tours Cycle the Erie Canal & Cycle the Hudson Valley. The intern will help develop creative ways to reach new audiences, promote the tours, and research new outreach opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

• Create engaging content for PTNY’s social media channels, including writing captions, designing graphics, and helping produce photo and video content.
• Write and edit blog posts, website content, newsletters, promotional materials, and other communications.
• Assist with the development and execution of marketing campaigns for bike tours, events, and other PTNY programs.
• Create graphics and other visual materials for social media, email, web, print, and promotional campaigns using tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar platforms.
• Help develop and maintain social media content calendars.
• Support email marketing efforts, including drafting content, creating graphics, and assisting with campaign preparation.
• Help promote PTNY’s bike tours through social media, email, partnerships, digital outreach, and other marketing channels.
• Research potential audiences, promotional opportunities, media outlets, community partners, and other avenues for expanding PTNY’s reach.
• Assist with event promotion and communications before, during, and after PTNY programs and events.
• Help collect and organize photos, videos, stories, and other content.
• Monitor social media trends and identify creative opportunities to increase engagement and reach.
• Provide general communications and marketing support as needed, including occasional administrative or research projects.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Strong writing and editing skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Comfortable creating content for social media and other digital platforms.
• Experience or demonstrated interest in graphic design and visual storytelling.
• Familiarity with Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar design tools.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Ability to work independently while also taking direction and collaborating with a team.
• Enthusiasm for trails, outdoor recreation, cycling, parks, or connecting people with New York’s natural and cultural resources.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing or creating content for social media accounts.
• Experience with photography, videography, or basic video editing.
• Familiarity with email marketing platforms such as Mailchimp.
• Experience with website content management systems.
• Interest in marketing, communications, public relations, nonprofit organizations, tourism, or outdoor recreation.
• Familiarity with New York’s trails, parks, cycling networks, or outdoor recreation communities.

Internship Details

• Hours: Part-time, approximately 20 hours/week.
• Duration: Beginning in November 2026 and running through June 2027.
• Schedule: Flexible in terms of days and times, must be within regular work week hours (M-F, 8-5).
• Location: Primarily remote, with a preference for candidates local to the Albany, NY area.
• Compensation: $18 per hour.
• May be used for college internship requirements.

Ideal Candidate Profile

We’re looking for someone who is a strong writer, a creative thinker, and someone who can take a rough idea and turn it into a social post, graphic, blog article, email campaign, or marketing concept. The ideal candidate is comfortable learning new tools, willing to tackle a variety of projects, and excited by the opportunity to help tell the story of New York’s public lands.