Creative Design Intern

KQED Inc.; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

KQED Inc. is seeking a graphic design intern to gain real-world experience within our Creative team. This paid internship runs 16 hours per week from January 19, 2027, to June 25, 2027, at an hourly rate of $19.61.

The role involves designing digital and print collateral, maintaining brand guidelines, retouching photos in Photoshop, and collaborating across departments to support various programs. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds.

Qualifications

• Working toward a BFA in Graphic Design or equivalent experience.
• Strong fundamentals in layout, typography, color, and composition.
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign).
• Proficiency with Word/PowerPoint and Google Docs/Slides.
• Demonstrated portfolio of graphic design work.

Responsibilities

• Design and produce digital and print collateral within branding.
• Adhere to brand guidelines and meet deadlines.
• Retouch and edit photographs in Photoshop.
• Design with Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and other Adobe tools.
• Collaborate with the design team on concepts for internal clients.
• Incorporate feedback and refine designs.
• Assist with project management and production timelines.
• It may include sourcing photos/graphics and coordinating print orders.

Skills

Graphic design fundamentals

Adobe Creative Suite

Office & Google apps

Creative & analytical

Detail-oriented

Portfolio

Education

BFA in Graphic Design or equivalent

Tools

Photoshop

Illustrator

InDesign

AfterEffects

Premiere Pro

Job description

Deadline to apply for KQED Internships is Friday, October 30, 2026. Please state which internship(s) you are applying for in your cover letter and apply to each internship individually.

This is a paid internship, working 16 hours per week from Tuesday, January 19, 2027, through Friday, June 25, 2027. The current hourly rate is $19.61 per hour.

Position Summary:

Are you a graphic design student looking to build design experience in a non-profit media organization? We are looking for a passionate and self-driven designer with the desire to gain real-world experience by collaborating with and learning from KQED’s internal design team.

Through this design internship, you will gain graphic design experience as a part of the KQED Creative team, a small internal creative agency that collaborates to amplify the KQED brand experience and elevate audience engagement by promoting our content, services and community partnerships. You will play an essential role in supporting the design team by developing and maintaining the KQED brand visual system and voice and creating graphic assets to support KQED’s many programs and services.

KQED envisions a public media organization with a culture that centers on human dignity, equity, and belonging. This will enable us to better serve and reflect the Bay Area through diverse and inclusive storytelling.

We value the contributions of marginalized people in society — including Black, Indigenous, and all people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ people — and we believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, and we strongly encourage members of these communities to apply.

KQED Code of Ethics https://www.kqed.org/about/code-ethics

The mission that drives us:

KQED provide citizens of Northern California with a community-supported alternative to commercial media. We provide citizens with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions; convene community dialogue; bring the arts to everyone and engage audiences to share their stories. We help students and teachers thrive in 21st-century classrooms, and take people of all ages on journeys of exploration- exposing them to new people, places and ideas.

This role will work hybrid between working in KQED's newly renovated headquarters and working remotely.

Essential Functions:

• Design and produce digital and print collateral within established branding
• Understand and adhere to brand guidelines and complete projects according to deadline
• Retouch and edit photographs in Photoshop
• Design with Adobe Creative Suite (specifically Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign) and work with a wide variety of media
• Collaborate with the design team to develop design concepts for internal clients across departments
• Work with the design team to articulate and synthesize feedback to make appropriate changes and refinements
• Assist with managing projects and production timelines

Other Job Functions:

• Articulate design intention when presenting work both internally among the team and with clients
• Source/search for photos and graphics
• Get estimates and coordinate print orders with external vendors
• Set up print-ready files for print vendors

Knowledge/Experience Required:

• Working towards a BFA in Graphic Design or equivalent experience
• Knowledge of graphic design fundamentals (layout, typography, color, composition etc.)
• Familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite (particularly Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign)
• Familiarity with the Microsoft Office Suite (particularly Word and Powerpoint) and Google applications (particularly Docs and Slides)
• Strong creative and analytical skills
• Detail-oriented and able to self-initiate
• Compelling portfolio of graphic design work

Knowledge/Experience Desired:

• Knowledge of public media (love/nerdiness is a plus!)
• Motion graphics and animation skills
• Illustration and/or lettering skills
• Familiarity with Adobe AfterEffects or Premiere Pro
• Experience with creating animated banner ads in HTML5

Growth & Development Opportunities:

• Gain experience working on a wide range of digital and print design projects
• Receive mentorship, guidance and feedback from knowledgeable and experienced design professionals
• Attend weekly meetings and network cross-departmentally at KQED internal events
• Design for a well-renowned, leading non-profit public media organization