Staging – NCSDO

 

DESIGN INTERN (PAID/SUMMER 2025/REMOTE)

North Charles, pioneers in strategic communications for schools, colleges, and universities—and partners with some of the world’s most respected—is seeking a graphic design intern to work alongside professionals who have helped shape visual communication in our corner of the world.

This is the rare opportunity to learn about the problem-solving powers of design—for clients that change lives and help make a better future for all of us.

ABOUT NORTH CHARLES 

North Charles is a storied higher education and school consultancy, having earned more industry recognition for strategic and creative communications excellence than any other.

Our practice has been built and honed through more than a half-century of consistent, focused experience. And as the higher education landscape undergoes profound fundamental changes, we are especially alert to emerging business models that help us navigate, advise, and build effective work with confidence, perspective, and foresight.

Over 50 + years, we’ve learned a thing or two about bringing meaning and purpose to assignments often viewed elsewhere as just another agency account.

We are committed to genuine, lasting partnerships with like-minded institutions, rooted in enthusiasm, conviviality, transparency, and a shared, personal investment in the work.

We place the highest value on design that communicates, celebrates, and elevates the language it shares screens and pages with—and on elegant and persuasive type, image, color, pattern, and texture. And, as specialists, we’ve made derivative design our sworn enemy; custom solution for each assignment is nonnegotiable.

ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP

As a graphic design intern, you’ll be a collaborator with the strategy and creative teams, working on projects with specific goals and defined audiences from Generation Alphas to Baby Boomers.

We’ll be investing in your future, pulling for you to make a career in what we believe is a truly meaningful life in design. We’ll give you insights to what represents cliché and what cuts through. Think of it as an opportunity to sharpen the edges of your portfolio—and to strengthen the stories you tell about case studies.

Most important, you’ll be in the front row as strategy-informed design is developed for the world best and most interesting education institutions.

Think of the stories you’ll be able to tell.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in the creation and development of visual assets for projects, leveraging
  insights gained from the company’s deep industry experience.
• Collaborate with strategists, designers, UX specialists, developers, and writers on the narratives we shape together with our clients.
• Contribute to building out the North Charles brand in digital and print formats.
• Tap into North Charles’s knowledge bank—in the higher ed landscape to the strategy of design to production insights not typically covered in graphic
  design degree programs to user experience solutions for .edu.
• Work on projects that support our client’s (colleges, universities, and schools) revenue streams: student recruitment and fundraising and learning about the factors that motivate a range of audiences.
• Be part of an esteemed company legacy, drawing inspiration from past client successes and contributing fresh perspectives to current projects. We won’t go as far as to say we’ve seen it all, but we kinda have.

 Qualifications

• We’re looking for candidates currently on graphic design and/or visual communication degree tracks who have appreciation for a timeless aesthetic and draw on current-day inspiration.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) combined with a keen eye for detail and craftsmanship.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to articulate your design rationale with clarity and conviction.
• A passion for storytelling and a curiosity to explore the intersection of design, culture, and human experience.
• Previous design experience or relevant internships/portfolio projects is a plus, but not required—what matters most is your enthusiasm and willingness to learn from the best in the industry.
• Also, an appreciation for timeless, sophisticated design will serve you well.

Perks and Benefits

• This is a paid, remote, summer position of up to 30 hours per week ($20 per hour). We are flexible about start and finish dates.
• Mentorship from seasoned professionals who are invested in nurturing the next generation of design talent, offering guidance and support in the creative process.
• Access to a trove of knowledge and expertise accumulated over decades of industry leadership, providing interns with unparalleled learning opportunities.
• Opportunities to gain a holistic understanding of the strategic
  communications and branding landscape.
• The potential for future employment opportunities based on performance and availability. We value the talent, and recognize the contributions, of interns who demonstrate exceptional skill and dedication. Our goal is to convert a successful intern to a staff designer position.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume, cover letter, and portfolio showcasing your best work to clifford.lull@staging.ncsdo.com

Be sure to highlight any relevant experience, skills, and why a North Charles internship represents an appealing opportunity to you.

Applications will be reviewed through April 15, 2025.