Office of Public Information, Communications Intern (Spring Semester)

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage


• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period


• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year


• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave


• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)


• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

What You'll Do:
The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Cross-Platform Communications\: Support communications campaigns and initiatives across the Supreme Court website and the internal Center Source site. Collaborate with staff across multiple offices to help share clear, accurate, and timely information.
• Content Development: Research, interview, write, and edit stories for a wide and diverse audience. Projects may include\: feature profiles of judges, coverage of Supreme Court events and initiatives, stories from courts and the judiciary across Ohio, and clear engaging summaries of court cases and decisions written for non legal audiences.
• Event & Program Planning\: Assist with planning and logistics for off site court events and programs, gaining behind the scenes experience in public sector event coordination.
• Research & Media Analysis: Conduct research on media markets, geographic coverage areas, and other fact finding projects that support communications strategy and outreach efforts.

STAFF SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Supplemental Information\:  
This internship is designed to be part-time (270 hours maximum) beginning after January 1, 2027, and ending before May 1, 2027. Applicants must have the ability to schedule most on-site hours in Columbus between 8\:00 am – 5\:00 pm weekdays (scheduling is flexible within these hours). If your university program offers credit for internships, we will try to tailor the internship to the length/hours desired. Two openings are unpaid and therefore not eligible for benefits. One position will pay $21 per hour to graduate students. Paid intern positions are only eligible for public retirement benefits through OPERS.  

Application Process
Formal consideration of interested applicants responding to this job announcement will begin on October 5, 2026. To be considered for this position, candidates must apply online at www.careers.ohio.gov or deliver an application by October 16, 2026, and attach all of the following\: 

1. Resume 
2. Cover letter 

Only completed applications will be considered.  Interviews will be scheduled as soon as practical. We will contact you if you are selected for an interview. Please note\: an editing test will be administered as part of the interview process. Additional details are available to candidates interested in applying, by contacting the Office of Human Resources – Recruiting at [email protected].

At-Will Employment
The Supreme Court of Ohio is an at-will employer that seeks to attract, employ, and retain highly skilled and motivated individuals, attempts to maintain staff continuity for the efficiency of its operation, and desires to foster and maintain an ethical, professional, and impartial work environment. Pursuant to Adm. P. 4 (At-Will Employment), no person shall be offered or denied a position of employment with the Court, and no employee shall have the employee's employment terminated based solely upon political party affiliation, political activity permitted under Adm. P. 17 (Employee Code of Ethics), or other partisan considerations. Further, no employee shall have the employee's employment terminated with or without cause unless upon the concurrence of a majority of the Court.

The Supreme Court of Ohio is an equal employment opportunity employer that supports an alcohol and drug-free, and a weapons and violence free, work environment.

Background Check Information:
The final candidate selected for the position will be required to undergo a criminal background check.  Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position.  An individual assessment of an applicant’s prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

Outside Employment\: 
During the term of an internship with the Supreme Court of Ohio, interns shall not simultaneously hold or participate in any other internship, externship, clerkship, or employment in a legal-related position, whether paid or unpaid, without prior written approval.

 

The Supreme Court of Ohio is seeking three Interns in the Public Information Office – Communications Section. The Public Information Interns support the Office of Public Information by creating and supporting engaging communications across multiple platforms that inform the public and the legal community.

What we’re looking for…

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
Undergraduate or graduate. Experience writing in a variety of formats (media release, magazine style, news article, social media, website, internal communication) for a variety of audiences is a plus.  All styles will be coached during the externship.  Excel experience preferred.

COMPETENCIES
•    Attention to Detail\: Ability to be efficient, organized, and exhibit a high level of attention to detail to create a work product with a minimum number of errors.
•    Microsoft Office\: Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and related applications.
•    Content Creation\: Proficient in developing compelling public messaging.
•    Professionalism\: Ability to perform all aspects of the job with professionalism, patience, discretion, and confidentiality. 
•    Independence and Teamwork\: Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 
•    Communication\: Demonstrates exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to convey information clearly and effectively. 
•    Problem Solving\: Ability to troubleshoot, think critically, and solve issues independently.
 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 
This position operates in an office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment, including but not limited to computers and phones. The employee may be required to move about the office and building. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will regularly be required to communicate and exchange information, including but not limited to research and writing.  

COURT EXPECTATIONS OF EMPLOYEE 
Employees may be regularly exposed to sensitive information, and the employee is expected to keep any such information strictly confidential. 
In completing the duties and responsibilities of the position, the Court expects the employee will:

• Adhere to all Court policies, guidelines, practices, and procedures
• Act as a role model both inside and outside the Court
• Exhibit a professional manner in dealing with others
• Work to maintain constructive working relationships
• Maintain a positive and respectful approach with superiors, colleagues, and individuals inside and outside the Court
• Demonstrate flexible and efficient time management, prioritize workload, and perform duties in a timely, accurate and thorough manner
• Communicate regularly with the employees’ supervisors about work-related issues and
• Maintain regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.