Open Position: Communications Intern

The Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation is looking for a motivated intern to join our team.

About HCLF

The Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation (HCLF) is the only U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and the only HCL-focused organization with a global footprint. The HCLF funds clinical study at research institutions around the world, provides a range of education and support to patients and their families, and regularly convenes the world’s leading HCL experts from 13 countries to promote cooperation and collaboration in the field. In 2020, HCLF announced a new 5-year $10 million research initiative. This new initiative, called HCL2025, will support novel research to improve understanding of HCL, develop additional therapies, and optimize outcomes for patients. 

About Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL)

HCL is a rare blood cancer that infiltrates the blood marrow, spleen and other organs. First described in the late 1950’s, HCL is characterized by overgrowth of abnormal white blood cells that compromises the production of normal blood cells. It is named for the unique hair-like projections on the surface of these blood cancer cells. Approximately 1,000 patients in the U.S. are diagnosed each year.

About the Position

This internship provides a hands-on opportunity to participate in patient outreach and communication efforts that directly affect patients’ access to HCLF programs and information about our initiatives. The intern will help with our patient material development and review process. The intern will form part of a dynamic team of staff and board members working collaboratively to ensure that patients and families around the world affected by HCL are equipped with the information they need to find comfort and make informed decisions about their treatment.

Responsibilities include:

  • Generating content for HCLF social media accounts.

  • Developing website content.

  • Developing one pagers, brochures, handouts, PowerPoint presentations, or other materials to be used in outreach, marketing, or programming.

  • Contributing to our HCL research initiatives by raising awareness through our external communications of new HCL research, and by curating social media content to highlight the work of our grantees.

  • Annual Conference: The fall intern will have an important role in the success of our annual conference, which brings together patients and healthcare professionals each year to strengthen understanding of HCL and build connections across expert and patient networks. Conference attendees join us from dozens of states, different countries, and at least 3 continents. The intern will assist with conference logistics during the conference and contribute to post-conference communications (e.g., social media, post-conference action steps, etc.). The conference will be held in October.

  • Participating in other activities and perform other duties as may be required.

This position will report to the Executive Director.

Qualifications

  • Pursuing bachelor’s or Masters degree, preferably in communications, public health, or a related field.

  • Minimum 2 years’ experience in non-profit, education, or a relevant field. Volunteer experience is encouraged.

  • Strong interest in health care, scientific research and/or rare disease.

  • Familiarity and comfort with technology, such as databases (e.g., Salesforce) and social media (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) required.

  • Solid research and writing skills, and familiarity with web-based research.

  • Minimum 5-month commitment (academic semester) preferred.

Location

The position will be remote and can be based anywhere in the United States. The successful candidate must be comfortable working independently. Regular check-ins and regular Zoom meetings will be held to ensure the individual has the support they need to make meaningful contributions to the organization.

This position will be a good fit for a student pursuing a graduate or undergraduate degree in health sciences, health communications or non-profit management, or a student looking to gain professional experience in rare disease education and advocacy. Individuals with a rare disease are encouraged to apply.

While many patients we support reside in the US, we communicate with patients and providers from over 13 countries. Some experience working across time zones and in diverse environments is preferred.

Hours and Compensation

This internship position is unpaid, however we will support the successful candidate in receiving academic credit to fulfill their degree requirements.

We prefer a commitment of 5-10 hours per week. Hours can be modified as needed to support academic credit requirements.

How to Apply

Provide 1.) a cover letter describing your background and interest in the position, and 2.) a current resumé/CV.

Application materials should be sent to Anna Lambertson by email: info@hairycellleukemia.org.