The Onion is truly one of a kind. It is among the most influential and respected media companies in the world, and its websites are the preferred digital destination for millions of millennials seeking the highest quality comedy and pop culture content, complemented by the most compelling—and entertaining—native advertising campaigns. The Company’s digital properties, The Onion, The A.V. Club and ClickHole, have leveraged a shared sensibility for creating smart content that attracts a dream audience for advertisers. Together the sites reach a monthly audience of more than 25MM unique visitors and over 12 million social followers.

As the media landscape has morphed, over the past decade, The Onion has transformed itself—and thrived. Onion Labs, the Company’s in-house content marketing team, has capitalized on the franchise’s award-winning creative teams and outsized social network to craft content solutions for a wide array of blue-chip advertisers.

The Onion, which began as a humble college tabloid in Madison, WI, completed its transition to all-digital publishing in 2013. The Onion is the premier satirical comedy brand providing content to the most highly coveted cohort—young, educated, employed, conspicuously consuming, influential, highly social and utterly engaged.

Writing Apprentices perform basic organizational tasks to aid The Onion's editorial process, in addition to contributing jokes and generally assisting The Onion editorial staff in idea generation. Success will be measured by the ability to complete the organizational assignments in a prompt, detail-oriented fashion, and the quantity and quality of the submitted jokes. Publication of material is always contingent on quality.

Responsibilities: 

• Compile and print, as necessary, headlines sent in by writers and editors 
• Compile features jokes sent in by contributors
• Print article drafts and video assignments and distribute them before relevant meetings 
• Write headlines ahead of each timely headline meeting
• Write features jokes each day per Features Editor's assignment
• Write sponsored headlines and features jokes at Managing Editor's request

• Quick and thorough compilation of headlines and feature jokes
• Quick turnaround on printing and distributing materials to writers and editors
• Understand The Onion voice and how it is applied in the headline and features formats
• Consistent generation of timely Onion headlines
• Consistent generation of features jokes
• Readily accept impromptu assignments, such as special editorial headline and features brainstorms
• Respond to writers', editors', and editorial-operations members' requests for organizational assistance 
• Gain understanding of all aspects of Onion organizational and creative processes
• Gain understanding of Onion as a business by aiding sponsored content generation
• Learn how to effectively work in a fast-paced work environment adhering to shifting timetables

To be considered for this position you must:

• Include a resume and cover letter detailing why you’d like to work for The Onion
• Submit 10 Onion-style headlines 
• Submit 10 Onion infographic-style jokes for a “Job Interview Tips” feature
• Be available to work in our Chicago office 30-40 hours per week
• Be available to work June - September
• Applications are due May 1st, 2015