Digital Design Intern

Hornets-Basketball-LLC; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 20,664,000 - 27,552,000; Full time

Job summary

Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) offers a paid, in-person Digital Design internship in Charlotte, NC. You will assist with game-day social media assets, photography and vertical video creation for live coverage, and support larger digital projects.

Ideal candidates are pursuing or have a Graphic Design degree, with proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite on MAC, and a strong eye for typography and layout. Flexibility to work nights, weekends, and holidays is required.

Qualifications

• Pursing or having graduated with a degree in Graphic Design, Art, or related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Male collegiate basketball players must have exhausted their NCAA eligibility before participating in the HSE internship program.
• Passionate about design and creativity.
• Open-minded and a positive attitude.
• Strong knowledge of basic layout composition and typography.
• Proficient in Adobe Suite within a MAC environment.
• Ability to quickly create graphics based on team news or trending topics on social media.
• Maintain professionalism when interacting with or around members of basketball operations staff.
• Ability to work nights, weekends and holidays as the schedule requires.
• Excellent communication, time management and multitasking skills.
• Able to maintain confidentiality and use discretion with sensitive information.
• Strong knowledge of the NBA and the Hornets is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support the completion of various digital projects, including game day social media assets, partnered content for social media and creating timely visuals based on game-related events or milestones.
• Assist in covering community events and basketball activities by capturing high-quality photography and vertical phone videos for live social media coverage.
• Support the digital team with larger projects and perform other duties as assigned.
• Participate in the full internship program, including workshops, speaker series, job shadowing and working on an intern project.

Skills

Graphic Design

Photography

Social Media

Typography

Adobe Suite

Education

Graphic Design degree or related field

Tools

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

InDesign

Job description

Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) is a leading sports and entertainment organization dedicated to excellence both on and off the court. With new leadership and a strong strategic vision, HSE is focused on building a premier NBA franchise and delivering best-in-class experiences for fans, partners, and employees.

In addition to Charlotte Hornets basketball, Spectrum Center serves as a premier venue for concerts, family shows, and major sporting events. HSE is committed to positively impacting the Charlotte community by fostering connection, inclusion, and engagement through sports and live entertainment.

The Digital Design intern will gain knowledge of social media, graphic design and photography practices and processes. This internship offers the opportunity to work with a diverse group of digital professionals in a fast-paced, dynamic and challenging environment.

This is a paid, in-person internship. Interns will be paid $15.00 per hour, with the ability to work a minimum of twenty (20), maximum of thirty (30) hours per week. The 2025 - 2027 season program runs from September 7, 2026, through April 23, 2027.

Core Values

HSE embodies the following core values:

• Integrity
• Teamwork
• Accountability
• Resilience

HSE is an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. HSE does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the completion of various digital projects, including game day social media assets, partnered content for social media and creating timely visuals based on game-related events or milestones.
• Assist in covering community events and basketball activities by capturing high-quality photography and vertical phone videos for live social media coverage.
• Support the digital team with larger projects and perform other duties as assigned.
• Participate in the full internship program, including workshops, speaker series, job shadowing and working on an intern project.

Required Skills, Experience, and Abilities

To be successful in this position, you should demonstrate the following:

• Pursing or having graduated with a degree in Graphic Design, Art, or related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Male collegiate basketball players must have exhausted their NCAA eligibility before participating in the HSE internship program.
• Passionate about design and creativity.
• Open-minded and a positive attitude.
• Strong knowledge of basic layout composition and typography.
• Proficient in Adobe Suite within a MAC environment.
• Ability to quickly create graphics based on team news or trending topics on social media.
• Maintain professionalism when interacting with or around members of basketball operations staff.
• Ability to work nights, weekends and holidays as the schedule requires.
• Excellent communication, time management and multitasking skills.
• Able to maintain confidentiality and use discretion with sensitive information.
• Strong knowledge of the NBA and the Hornets is preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.