IT Technical Documentation Intern (Hourly)*

City-of-Madison,-W; Madison (WI); Hybrid; USD 17,000 - 28,000; Part time

Job summary

City of Madison is seeking an IT Technical Documentation Intern to support its digital accessibility project by updating knowledge base articles and assisting with PDF remediation tickets. The role blends technical writing, accessibility best practices, and operational support.

The internship is part-time (up to 20 hours weekly), primarily remote with occasional in-person meetings at the City County Building in Madison, and reports to the Digital Inclusion Coordinator/Digital Accessibility

Qualifications

• Ability to write clear, concise, user-friendly documentation.
• Attention to detail to identify inconsistencies, formatting issues, and accessibility gaps.
• Organizational skills to manage multiple tasks, tickets, and maintain documentation libraries.
• Communication skills to work with SMEs, engage with users, and translate technical concepts into plain language.
• Basic knowledge of digital accessibility principles like alt text, headings, accessible document structure and screen readers.

Responsibilities

• PDF remediation ticket support - triage and coordinate with teams.
• Quality Assurance (QA) - perform basic accessibility checks on PDFs.
• Knowledge Base Updates - review, revise, and submit accessibility-related articles.
• Digital Accessibility Content Research - gather information from SMEs, users, and software documentation.
• Perform other related work as assigned.

Skills

Technical Writing Skills

Attention to Detail

Organizational Skills

Communication Skills

Basic Digital Accessibility Knowledge

Education

Coursework in IT, technical communication, UX, accessibility

Tools

IT ticketing systems

PDF remediation tools

Job description

The IT Technical Documentation Intern supports the City's digital accessibility project by updating, improving, and maintaining Knowledge Base (KB) articles, as well as assisting with the intake, tracking, and coordination of PDF remediation tickets. The role blends technical writing, accessibility best practices, and operational support to help ensure digital content is usable by everyone.

Work Schedule and Logistics

• Part-time (up to 20 hours per week) paid internship
• Flexible work scheduling during normal business hours (8:00 am to 5:00 pm)
• Primarily remote; may require equipment pick up or occasional meetings at Madison's City County Building located at 210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Madison, WI 53703
• Reports to the Digital Inclusion Coordinator/Digital Accessibility Project Manager

Required Skills

• Technical Writing Skills - Ability to write clear, concise, user-friendly documentation
• Attention to Detail - Strong ability to identify inconsistencies, formatting issues, and accessibility gaps
• Organizational Skills - Comfortable managing multiple tasks, tickets, and maintaining documentation libraries
• Communication Skills - Ability to work with subject matter experts (SMEs), engage with users, and translate technical concepts into plain language
• Basic Digital Accessibility Knowledge - Familiarity with digital accessibility principles like alt text, headings, accessible document structure and screen readers

Preferred Skills/Experience

• Experience with IT ticketing systems
• Familiarity with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) criteria
• Familiarity with PDF remediation
• Coursework in IT, technical communication, user experience (UX), accessibility or related fields.

Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, trans, nonbinary, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We value the unique blend of lived experiences and diverse perspectives that comes from non-traditional education pathways and the variety of transferrable skills each candidate brings to the table. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Even if every item on the job posting doesn’t match your experience perfectly, we encourage you to apply and share how your skills and experience can best serve our community.

• PDF Remediation Ticket Support - Assist with managing incoming remediation requests via our IT Service Center, triaging tickets, validating requirements, and coordinating with internal teams and our vendor.
• Quality Assurance (QA) - Perform basic accessibility checks on PDFs, ensuring formatting, structure and metadata meet standards.
• Knowledge Base Updates - Review, revise, and submit accessibility-related knowledge base articles, ensuring content is accurate, clear, and aligned with standards.
• Digital Accessibility Content Research - Gather information from subject matter experts (SMEs), users, and software documentation and create new guidance where needed.
• Perform other related work as assigned.

• Familiarity with the following:
  • Digital accessibility principles like alt text, headings, accessible document structure and screen readers;
  • Core principles and best practices of technical writing;
  • Principles and practices of digital organization; AND
  • Presenting technical information to non-technical audiences

Other combinations of experience, training, and education which can be demonstrated to result in possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the work of this position will also be considered.

The City of Madison strives to provide exceptional customer service to all its residents and visitors. Therefore, successful candidates will have demonstrated ability to effectively work with multicultural communities.

Ability to meet the transportation requirements of the position.

Physical requirements: Work is primarily sedentary in nature and performed in an office environment. Employees will be expected to sit or stand for extended periods of time while working on a computer and to use other standard office equipment, such as a telephone and copy machine.

*Payroll title for this position is Management Intern 1 (Hourly).