Designer Intern 2027

IBM Computing; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 28,000 - 41,000; Part time

Job summary

IBM is seeking an Intern Designer to join our team in Chicago. You will help create customer and employee experiences by applying UX, design thinking, and information architecture methods. You’ll contribute to wireframes, prototypes, and visual designs while collaborating with stakeholders and client teams.

You will develop technical and consulting skills in a culture of continuous learning and mentorship. This internship provides exposure to project work across industries and a clear pathway

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a university degree with a track-record of academic success (Preferred majors: UX design or a related field).
• Strong Interpersonal skills that enhance collaboration and relationship building, while also managing dynamic workloads in an agile environment.
• Demonstrate leadership experience and ability to communicate effectively through active listening; willing to adapt and take ownership of tasks and challenges.
• Familiarity with storytelling techniques, capable of communicating design approaches and simplifying complex information though clear communications (verbal and visual).
• Willingness to travel up to 100%.

Responsibilities

• Creative Design: dive into hands-on design work from wireframes and prototypes to annotations; collaborate with stakeholders to bring new design visions to life.
• User Centric Research: support user research using enterprise design thinking and gain hands-on experience to direct user research opportunities.
• Design Thinking Workshops: engage in workshops with multiple stakeholders, synthesizing input to articulate ideas and design rationale for digital experiences.
• Visual Design Innovator: assist visual design tasks, creating mockups and prototypes; contribute to storyboards, presentations, graphics, and data visualizations for client meetings or product development.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Leadership experience

Storytelling

Communication

Willingness to travel

UX interest

Education

Pursuing university degree in UX design or related field

Job description

Introduction

Launch yourcareer like an IBMer

Every IBMer has a story. For many, it started with an internship.

As an IBM intern, you won't just gain experience - you'll start thinking, working, and growing like an IBMer. From day one, you'll contribute to real client projects across diverse industries, working alongside experienced IBMers who are invested in your success.You'll be challenged, supported, and inspired, often all in the same day.You'll develop technical expertise and consulting skills in a culture built on continuous learning, mentorship, and coaching.High-performing interns have a clear pathway into IBM's Associate Program, launching careers at one of the world's most innovative technology and consulting companies.

To give yourself the best opportunity for success, we advise applying only to roles that align with your skills and experience, rather than applying broadly across all entry-level positions. You’ll receive a status update email for each application, so be sure to check your IBM Careers account regularly — it’s the best way to get a centralized view of which roles you have active applications against.

Your role and responsibilities

As an Intern Designer at IBM, you'll focus on customer and employee strategies that explore opportunities to improve digital innovation, addressing user needs and designing world-class digital experiences. You'll support to uncover user and business requirements in the context of the technical landscape through applying User Experience, Design Thinking, and Information Architecture methods.

Work experiences you could be exposed to:

• Creative Design: Dive into hands on design work from crafting wireframes and visual interfaces to creating prototypes and annotating wire frames collaborate closely with stakeholders to bring new design visions to life.

• User Centric Research: Support user research using enterprise design thinking and gain hands on experience to direct user research opportunities, contributing to a deeper understanding of user needs.

• Design Thinking Workshops: Engage in dynamic design workshops with multiple stakeholders synthesizing their input to articulate conceptual ideas and design rationale for digital experiences.

• Visual Design Innovator: Assisting visual design tasks, creating mockups and prototypes from sketches. Collaborate on dynamic human centered digital solutions aligned with design standards while also contributing to storyboards, impactful presentations, graphics, data visualizations, and other design artifacts for client meetings or product development. Participating in client interactions related to design thinking workshops amplifying your design impact.

Required technical and professional expertise

• Currently pursuing a university degree with a track-record of academic success (Preferred majors: UX design or a related field).

• Strong Interpersonal skills that enhance collaboration and relationship building, while also managing dynamic workloads in an agile environment.

• Demonstrate leadership experience and ability to communicate effectively through active listening; while also be willing to adapt and have a readiness to take ownership of tasks and challenges.

• Familiarity with storytelling techniques, capable of communicating design approaches and simplifying complex information though clear communications (verbal and visual).

• Willingness to travel up to 100%.

Preferred technical and professional experience

• University-based design experience with a portfoliorepresentingdesign artifacts and design process.

• Demonstrates active listening skills with the ability to delivery challenging messages in a positive manner.

• Possesses empathy for users and their needs, humility to recognize the limits of assumptions, and boldness in the conception of solutions.

IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, caste, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.