Employment & Internships
The Station
Northern Public Radio is the source for NPR news and information in Rockford, DeKalb, Sterling, LaSalle, and Freeport. We serve communities throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Flagship station WNIJ is home to a 10-person newsroom with beats ranging from education and community policing to arts, culture, and spiritual expression. Sister station WNIU is the area’s only 24-hour classical music station.
Northern Public Radio is part of numerous journalism collaborations with Report for America, America Amplified, Illinois Public Radio and Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The stations are licensed to and broadcast from the campus of Northern Illinois University.
Click on the position below for more details on each position:
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WNIJ is seeking a part-time Producer/Announcer to support our local news coverage and serve as an on-air host on a weekly basis. This role is ideal for a curious, self-motivated journalist who enjoys a mix of producing, reporting, and announcing. The position offers flexibility, autonomy, and the opportunity to contribute to trusted public radio journalism in northern Illinois and beyond.
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WNIJ and Classical WNIU, northern Illinois' public radio stations, are seeking a Corporate Support Representative to connect businesses and organizations with the trusted voice of public radio. This role is focused on growing sponsorship revenue by developing partnerships across our broadcast, digital platforms (including podcasts), and live events—all while supporting our mission to inform, engage, and inspire our communities.
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Discover what it takes to be a public radio journalist! The WNIJ News Internship offers real newsroom experience in reporting, writing, and audio production.
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This position will primarily work in support of Classical WNIU, and as such an interest and enthusiasm for classical music is necessary. Specific interests of the intern will be discussed and incorporated into the duties whenever possible.
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Put your Canva, social, and writing skills to work: build posts, grow email lists, and boost engagement for shows like Sessions from Studio A, The 21st, and more. Join our Promotions & Events team to plan, promote, and execute station happenings from social strategy and subscriber growth to on-site support and vendor coordination.
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Join the Development team to work on real projects: fundraising strategy, prospect research, copywriting for on-air/web, and planning events that engage our community.
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Learn to craft great audio and video stories! The Media Production Internship lets you work behind the scenes with WNIJ and WNIU producers using professional recording and editing tools.
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This is a hands-on role for students with web coding experience: maintain and improve site content, contribute to UX and design, and ship special projects that serve our audience.
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Turn archival discoveries into impact: digitize legacy tapes, improve metadata and access, and create social posts that spotlight voices from Northern Public Radio’s past.
Internships at Northern Public Radio are non-paid positions.Preference is given to applicants seeking internships for the purpose of receiving academic credit in a related field of study at Northern Illinois University.