2026-27 Content & Social Media Internship Opportunities:
Athlete Institute is Canada’s premier destination for high-performance sport, combining elite athletic development with a vibrant and innovative environment. As an intern, you'll gain hands-on experience alongside industry leaders in basketball operations, event management, marketing, and facility operations—all while contributing to a nationally recognized brand with a global footprint. It’s a dynamic opportunity to learn, grow, and make an impact in a fast-paced, purpose-driven sports organization.
All positions can be year round or per semester and a stipend to ensure local travel can be accommodated. If you are travelling from further away room & board may be offered to candidates as well. Please see opportunities below and apply accordingly at the link.
https://secure.collage.co/jobs/athleteinstitute/63589
Available Positions
1. Graphic Design & Social Media Intern
2. Photography & Social Media Intern
3. Video Production Intern
Compensation
All internship roles offer a monthly honourarium based on days per week of engagement, plus on-campus housing for the duration of the placement is available.
:
Graphic Design & Social Media Intern - 8 Month Internship:
- Please include a portfolio of personal or previous work with your application.
Position Summary
The Graphic Design & Social Media Intern is responsible for two interconnected pillars of the content operation. On the design side, you are producing the visual assets that represent Athlete Institute across every platform every day — from game-night graphics and player announcements to event branding and sponsorship materials. On the social side, you are the person keeping the accounts alive — managing daily presence, running live story coverage on game days, driving community engagement, and ensuring every account feels active and human.
Design is the primary focus of this role. Social media management is the supporting responsibility that ensures the work you create reaches the audience it was made for. Both matter — and the right person for this role understands how they connect.
Key Responsibilities
Brand Graphic Production
- Design and deliver Player of the Game, roster reveals, athlete announcements, and score graphics for every home game — same night
- Produce event promotion graphics for Blue Arrow Classic, All Canadian Games, media days, and program announcements
- Create social media graphics for all active Athlete Institute brand accounts — sized and optimized for each platform
- Design Athlete Institute program materials — league graphics, clinic promotions, camp announcements, and registration assets
- Support sponsorship decks, media packages, and partner-facing materials that present the organization professionally to potential sponsors and partners
Live Game Day & Story Coverage
- Own Instagram Story coverage on game days across Orangeville Prep National, OP Women's Basketball, and OP Varsity — posting throughout the day from build-up through final buzzer
- Capture and post crowd energy, arena atmosphere, scores at each quarter, highlights, and key moments in real time
- React immediately to big moments — post quick-turnaround stories or clips as events unfold, using iPhone or camera depending on what the moment calls for
- Keep non-game day story presence active — reposting athlete content, running polls, rankings, and engagement-driven story formats to maintain a daily presence
Community Management & Engagement
- Perform daily checks across all assigned accounts — monitor DMs, comments, and mentions, and respond consistently
- Build genuine relationships with athletes, parents, fans, and the broader basketball community through proactive, human engagement
- Maintain a consistent brand voice across all community interactions — warm, confident, and on-brand
- Monitor account performance and flag engagement trends, content opportunities, and scheduling gaps to the Head of Content
Template & Brand System Development
- Build and maintain a comprehensive graphic template system across all brands — ensuring speed, consistency, and scalability
- Work closely with the Head of Content and Creative Director to ensure all design output aligns with brand guidelines and the annual visual plan
- Continuously improve templates based on performance data and creative direction from the Head of Content
- Organize and maintain a structured design asset library accessible to the full team
Social Media Support & Scheduling
- Support daily posting and scheduling across Orangeville Prep National and Athlete Institute — ensuring a consistent, active presence on the accounts that require daily attention
- Manage content cadence for ACG and Blue Arrow Classic around key event moments and campaign windows
- Coordinate with the Photography & Social Media Intern to ensure designed assets are delivered on time and ready to publish
Collaboration & Creative Contribution
- Work alongside the Video Production and Photography interns to ensure visual consistency across all content formats
- Contribute design ideas and creative perspectives to content planning — this is a creative role, not just execution
- Bring forward design trends and references from the broader sports creative landscape that can elevate the brand's visual presence
Qualifications & Experience
- Current enrollment in or recent graduation from a graphic design, visual communications, or related program is an asset
- Demonstrated portfolio showing strong graphic design work, specifically in social media graphics, brand assets, or sports design
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, with advanced experience in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop
- Proven experience managing social media accounts or executing live story coverage for a brand or organization is an asset
- Familiarity with Swiss Style Design principles (grid systems, typographic hierarchy) is preferred
Skills & Competencies
- Strong design instinct with a sharp eye for typography, layout, color, and premium brand aesthetics
- Highly organized and disciplined, with the ability to maintain rigorous brand standards under tight game-night deadlines
- Deep cultural and functional understanding of social media platform mechanics, audience expectations, and community management
- Flexibility and willingness to work non-traditional hours, including late nights and weekends, in alignment with the overall programming schedule
- Adaptable and high-energy leader capable of transitioning from polished design work to fast-paced live event coverage
- Genuine passion for basketball, sports culture, and organizational mission
Photography & Social Media Intern - 8 Month Internship:
- Please include a portfolio of personal or previous work with your application.
Position Summary
The Photography & Social Media Intern is a creative and community-focused role responsible for executing two interconnected pillars of the content operation across a multi-entity high-performance sports and education ecosystem. Photography serves as the visual engine of the role, while real-time social media management and proactive community building serve as the mechanism to drive brand culture, fan engagement, and platform growth.
This role works closely with the production team, including the Video Production Intern, Graphic Design Intern, and Creative Director, to maintain a consistent daily digital presence, deliver premium game-day imagery, and act as the authentic daily voice of the organization. The intern will ensure rapid photo turnaround, high-impact storytelling, and meaningful audience interactions suitable for a fast-paced, elite athletic brand.
Key Responsibilities
Game Day Photography & Delivery
- Shoot stills at all home games, tournaments, and major events alongside the Head of Content
- Capture athlete action, emotion, culture, and environment — not just the highlight moments
- Deliver a curated, edited photo carousel same-day or next-day for immediate social use across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter
- Get the game photo into the Player of the Game graphic template the same night — coordinating directly with the Graphic Design & Social Intern for fast turnaround
- React immediately to big moments — post quick-turnaround content as events unfold, using iPhone or camera depending on what the moment calls for
- Shoot independently at Athlete Institute programs, training sessions, and campus moments to keep accounts active and authentic between games
Daily Social Media Management
- Post daily stories across all active Athlete Institute brand accounts — every day, without exception, keeping the community connected and engaged between major events
- Publish scheduled feed posts across OP National, Athlete Institute, and other active accounts on a consistent, strategic cadence
- Monitor all accounts daily — tracking comments, mentions, tags, and DMs across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter in real time
- Respond to DMs promptly and in an authentic, on-brand voice — every message is an opportunity to deepen community connection
- Engage meaningfully with followers, athletes, partner accounts, and the broader basketball community — not just post and move on
- Identify trending moments, sounds, and formats and bring forward-thinking content ideas to the Head of Content
- Report weekly on engagement metrics, follower growth, reach, and community trends
Content Creation & Real-Time Storytelling
- Create and post real-time content at games and events — stories, behind-the-scenes captures, locker room moments, and live atmosphere
- Contribute ideas to the content calendar — bringing community insights, trending formats, and social-first thinking to every planning conversation
- Source and capture day-to-day Athlete Institute content that keeps accounts active and human between major brand moments
- Support media days, program announcements, and brand campaigns with photography and real-time social coverage
Community & Culture Building
- Build and maintain the brand's voice across all platforms — warm, confident, and consistent with who we are
- Actively engage with the basketball community beyond our own accounts — commenting, sharing, and participating in the wider culture
- Help develop the social identity of each brand so that followers know exactly what to expect and why they follow us
- Be the person who makes our community feel like they are on the inside — part of the team, not just spectators
Qualifications & Experience
- Current enrollment in or recent graduation from a photography, media, communications, or related program is an asset
- Demonstrated portfolio or active social presence proving strong photography, culling, and content creation ability
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop for rapid photo editing workflows
- Proven experience managing social media accounts or executing live story coverage for a brand, team, or organization is an asset
- Familiarity with Sony ( or Cannon) mirrorless camera systems, professional lighting setups, or sports photography (basketball specifically) is preferred
Skills & Competencies
- Strong creative eye with a sharp instinct for capturing fast-paced sports action, human emotion, and premium brand aesthetics
- Highly organized and accountable, with the ability to manage strict post-game turnaround windows and maintain daily posting rhythms
- Deep functional understanding of Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter platform mechanics, audience behaviors, and algorithm drivers
- Flexibility and willingness to work non-traditional hours, including late nights and weekends, in alignment with the basketball season schedule
- Excellent written communication skills with the ability to confidently represent an elite brand voice across public and private channels
- Genuine passion for basketball, sports culture, and organizational mission
Video Production Intern - 8 Month Internship:
- Please include a portfolio of personal or previous work with your application.
Position Summary
The Video Production Intern is a technical and creative content role responsible for executing video capture, editing, and deployment pipelines across a multi-entity high-performance sports and education ecosystem. Video production serves as the primary visual storytelling mechanism for the brand, designed to drive digital platform momentum, audience growth, and national brand exposure.
This role works closely with the production team, including the Photography Intern, Graphic Design Intern, and Creative Director, to manage live event capture, execute post-production workflows, and support game-day digital presence. The intern will ensure rapid video turnaround times, platform-native formatting, and premium cinematic standards suitable for an elite, high-output athletic organization.
Key Responsibilities
Game Day & Event Production
- Capture video at all home games, tournaments, and major events across all Athlete Institute brands
- Operate alongside the Head of Content as second videographer or primary capture operator when assigned
- Manage in-house live stream production for home games
- Deliver same-day or next-day social cuts for post-game content drops
- React immediately to big moments — post quick-turnaround clips as events unfold, using iPhone or camera depending on what the moment calls for
- Contribute to Instagram Story coverage during game days — capturing raw moments, scores, atmosphere, and highlights for real-time posting
Post-Production & Editing
- Edit short-form content for Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts within tight turnaround windows — formatted and paced for each platform specifically
- Produce longer-form content — game recaps, athlete features, highlight packages, sizzle reels
- Colour correct and grade footage to brand standards using Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Final Cut Pro
- Use AI-assisted tools to accelerate clip selection and rough cuts where appropriate — the goal is to elevate the work, not just process it
Content Library & Archive
- Organize and archive all game footage and event captures in a structured, searchable system
- Maintain a highlight library for recruiting packages, coaching staff, and partner requests
- Tag and log significant moments — game-winning plays, athlete milestones, key sequences
- Collaboration & Brand Storytelling
- Work closely with the Head of Content on campaign concepts, athlete storylines, and flagship productions
- Collaborate with the Photography and Graphic Design interns to deliver cohesive, multi-format content across all brands
- Contribute ideas and creative perspective to content planning — this is a creative role, not just an execution role
Qualifications & Experience
- Current enrollment in or recent graduation from a film, media production, broadcast, or related program is an asset
- Demonstrated portfolio or digital video reel proving strong cinematography, editing rhythm, and pacing execution
- Proficiency in industry-standard editing software, specifically Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Final Cut Pro
- Proven experience managing live stream broadcast production or operating camera equipment in a live sports environment is preferred
- Familiarity with Sony cinema camera ecosystems, S-Log3 color grading workflows, or specialized audio capture setups is an asset
- Add a point about a good understanding of AI and usage of AI.
Skills & Competencies
- Strong cinematic instinct with a deep understanding of visual storytelling, run-and-gun composition, and technical camera mechanics
- Highly disciplined and organized, with the capacity to meet strict same-day post-game turnaround deadlines without sacrificing asset quality
- Deep functional knowledge of platform-native video frameworks across short-form and long-form digital algorithms
- Flexibility and willingness to work non-traditional hours, including late nights and weekends, in alignment with the basketball season schedule
- Genuine passion for basketball, sports culture, and organizational mission
Athlete Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates participating in all aspects of the selection process. To request an accommodation, please contact
[email protected]
This posting reflects an ongoing internship opportunity for current existing positions. Athlete Institute accepts applications on a rolling basis as placements become available.
Athlete Institute may use artificial intelligence tools to assist in the initial review of applications. All hiring decisions are made by our recruitment team.
