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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Graphic Design Intern

💰 $18 - $25 per hour

DesignMarketingCreativeInternship

🎯 Role Definition

The Graphic Design Intern is an integral part of our creative and marketing teams, providing essential support in the conceptualization and execution of a wide range of visual assets. This individual will learn the ropes of a professional design environment by contributing to projects that span digital marketing, branding, web design, and internal communications. The ideal candidate is passionate about visual storytelling, eager to learn, and ready to apply their academic knowledge to tangible business challenges.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Recent Graduate (Design, Visual Arts Program)
  • Current Student (Junior or Senior Year)
  • Self-Taught Designer with a strong portfolio

Advancement To:

  • Junior Graphic Designer
  • Production Artist
  • Junior Visual Designer

Lateral Moves:

  • Marketing Coordinator
  • Junior UI/UX Designer
  • Social Media Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Collaborate directly with the marketing and content teams to conceptualize and execute visually compelling graphics for social media campaigns across Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
  • Assist in the design and production of a wide array of digital marketing assets, including web banners, email newsletter templates, landing page visuals, and digital advertisements.
  • Support the senior design team in the development and refinement of brand identity projects, including logo variations, typography systems, and color palette applications.
  • Create engaging and informative layouts for print collateral such as brochures, flyers, event posters, and internal company documents.
  • Translate complex data and concepts into clear, beautiful, and easy-to-understand infographics and data visualizations for reports and presentations.
  • Design professional and visually impactful presentation decks for internal meetings, client pitches, and public-facing webinars using PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote.
  • Participate actively in brainstorming sessions and creative workshops, contributing fresh ideas and innovative approaches to new projects and campaigns.
  • Retouch, color-correct, and edit photography for use across our website, social media channels, and marketing materials.
  • Assist the UI/UX team in creating wireframes, user flow diagrams, and high-fidelity mockups for new website features and mobile application updates.
  • Develop custom icons, illustrations, and other graphic elements that align with our brand style and enhance our visual storytelling.
  • Prepare, package, and preflight final design files for both digital and print production, ensuring all technical specifications and quality standards are met.
  • Receive, interpret, and implement constructive feedback from senior designers, project managers, and other stakeholders in a timely and professional manner.
  • Help create and edit short-form video content and simple motion graphics for use on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
  • Maintain a consistent visual style and brand voice across all creative outputs, strictly adhering to established brand guidelines.
  • Support the creation of visual assets for internal communications, including company-wide announcements, training materials, and intranet graphics.
  • Conduct visual research to stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitor creative strategies, sharing insights with the team.
  • Manage multiple design projects simultaneously, effectively prioritizing tasks and managing timelines to meet all deadlines.
  • Create A/B testing variations for digital ads, email headers, and call-to-action buttons to help optimize marketing performance.
  • Assist in photo and video shoots by helping with setup, art direction, and capturing behind-the-scenes content.
  • Update and make revisions to existing design files and creative assets as requested by various departments.
  • Document design processes and contribute to the evolution of the team's creative workflow and best practices.

Secondary Functions

  • Maintain and organize the company's digital asset management (DAM) system, ensuring all creative files are properly tagged, archived, and accessible.
  • Conduct competitive and market research to stay abreast of the latest design trends, tools, and technologies, presenting findings to the creative team.
  • Provide production support by preparing, proofing, and packaging final design files for print vendors and web developers, ensuring technical specifications are met.
  • Participate actively in team brainstorming sessions, creative critiques, and project kick-off meetings, contributing fresh ideas and a unique perspective.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • High proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, for creating both vector and raster graphics.
  • A compelling online portfolio showcasing a variety of design projects, demonstrating creative thinking, visual problem-solving, and technical skill.
  • Strong foundation in core design principles, including typography, color theory, layout, composition, and visual hierarchy.
  • Familiarity with UI/UX design tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD for creating wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes.
  • Basic knowledge of video editing and motion graphics using tools like Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects is a significant plus.
  • Experience with presentation design using PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote to create engaging and professional decks.
  • Understanding of how to prepare files for both print (CMYK, bleed, resolution) and digital (RGB, file formats, optimization) outputs.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts and receive constructive feedback.
  • Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to producing high-quality, pixel-perfect work.
  • Strong time management and organizational skills, with the ability to juggle multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • A collaborative spirit and a positive attitude, eager to work as part of a team and contribute to a shared creative vision.
  • A proactive and curious mindset, demonstrating a strong desire to learn new skills and grow as a design professional.
  • Creative problem-solving abilities and the resourcefulness to find solutions and new ideas independently.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Currently pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor's or Associate's degree.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or Bachelor of Arts (BA).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Graphic Design
  • Visual Communication
  • Digital Arts
  • Interaction Design

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0 - 1 years of relevant experience (including academic projects, freelance work, or previous internships).

Preferred:

  • A strong, polished portfolio is required for consideration. Previous internship experience in a corporate or agency design/marketing role is highly preferred.
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