City : Hamilton

Category : Other

Industry : Education

Employer : McMaster University

Department, Unit or Project Description:

Join Our Team in Athletics & Recreation! Multiple Opportunities Available under the Black Graduate Internship Program

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to gain valuable experience during an internship? Look no further! Athletics & Recreation at McMaster University is offering three (3) internships positions, and we want YOU to be part of our team. As part of ongoing work towards inclusive excellence, McMaster Athletics and Recreation department is pleased to offer recent graduates who identify as Black the opportunity to apply for 3 one-year paid internships beginning in May 2026. 

About Us:
The Department of Athletics and Recreation (A&R- a division of Student Affairs) provides students, staff, faculty, alumni and the greater community the opportunity to pursue athletic excellence and recreational activities. The mission of the department is to cultivate human potential and well-being through recreation and sport. The operating units of the department include interuniversity athletics, recreation, and sport medicine. 

Purpose of Internships 

The internship positions are designed to provide valuable work experience to qualified recent graduates that have an interest in pursuing a career within athletics and recreation. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to build professional networks and expand career skills while exploring potential career paths. The internship will provide exposure to many main categories that Black graduate interns can consider when applying for the role. Please see below: 

• Communications & Marketing
• Community & Alumni Engagement
• Sponsorship/Partnerships
• Varsity Sports/Coaching Opportunities
• Varsity Academic Support
• Varsity Clinics and High performance
• Central Administration
• Recreation

Job Summary:

Responsible for coordinating, administering, and evaluating existing Athletics and Recreation programs/ services. Act as a mentor, and provide front-line support to athlete services, sports club coordination and the day-to-day running of the Athletics Department. Role will support the department with various aspects of, including, but not limited to, recruitment, fundraising, alumni and community engagement, event planning, and marketing. Collaborate with coaches and members within Athletics and Recreation to ensure high level of service and support is provided.

Accountabilities:
• Instruct on and assess technique skills of student athletes and demonstrate understanding of exercise prescription variables and adaptations.
• Act as a mentor and motivate student athletes to enhance athletic skills and techniques. 
• Plan and coordinate student-athlete programs/ services.
• Provide feedback and input on program/ service offerings.
• Provide appropriate resources and support to student athletes who may be undergoing difficult physical or emotional periods.
• Liaise with internal contacts, external suppliers, and other stakeholders to ensure smooth operation of activities and events.
• Liaise with various campus stakeholders to support with recruiting student-athletes.
• Work with appropriate stakeholders, to develop and deliver club executive onboarding/ training.
• Develop outreach and promotional materials including, but not limited to, webcast/ streaming, photography, videography, etc.
• Demonstrate a variety of physical activities and the use of equipment to others.
• Evaluate training progress and predict performance.
• Inform students regarding the academic accommodation processes.
• Verify and document eligibility of all sport event participants.
• Plan and coordinate a variety of events and activities for the department.
• Collect, analyze, assess, and summarize information relevant to the decision-making process and develop recommendations for final approval and implementation.
• Support in developing the fundraising strategy.
• Review and monitor program budgets.
• Write and update a variety of documents including, but not limited to, correspondence, emails, press releases, etc.
• Support with club ratification or returning clubs renewal process.
• Perform set up and take down of equipment as required for a variety of athletic events.
• Act as department representative for various committees.
• Provide administrative support for coaches and managers.
• Maintain recordkeeping processes and perform data entry, data collection and data analyses tasks.
• Update and maintain information on the departmental website and social media channels.

Qualifications:
Education: Bachelors Degree in a relevant field.

Experience: Previous experience in athletic or varsity sports is preferred.

Assets:
* Ability to be flexible and adaptable. Willingness and ability to work flexible hours, especially during the sports season portion of the academic year, including many evenings and weekends.
* Works well with others and independently.
* Problem solver and enjoys coming up with creative solutions when needed.
* Ability to effectively coordinate/organize/prioritize detailed work and meet deadlines while maintaining a positive, effective, and professional approach.
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Additional Information: 

Eligibility: In order to apply for this internship, you must meet all of the following criteria. All candidates who meet the below criteria are encouraged to apply but preference will be given to McMaster graduates. 

* Have graduated from a University within the last three (3) years.
            * Current students need to have completed required credits for graduation by April 2026. 
* Be eligible to work in Canada
* Identify as Black 
* Have an interest in pursuing a career in Athletics and Recreation
* Bachelors Degree in a relevant field

Hours of work & rate of pay: 35 hours per week, $25.81 per hour