Intern/Co-Op-UX Designer

CMS Energy, Corp.; Michigan; Hybrid; USD 25,000 - 39,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package available

Hybrid schedule with onsite days

Job summary

Consumers Energy in Michigan offers a UX Design Internship/Co-Op designed for students passionate about user experience, research, and digital products. The program emphasizes accessible, mobile-first experiences and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

You will contribute to projects across digital channels, helping translate insights into practical designs while leveraging AI-assisted workflows and contributing to the design system governance.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s program in UX-related field with strong academic performance (GPA 3.0+).
• Experience building user-centered designs through iterative research and testing.
• Familiarity with accessibility standards, responsive design, and mobile-first UX practices.
• Experience leveraging AI-powered tools to support UX design, research, or content workflows.
• Ability to translate research findings into actionable design improvements.

Responsibilities

• Translate customer insights, goals, analytics, and requirements into intuitive UX experiences.
• Leverage AI-powered design and research workflows to accelerate discovery and design system management.
• Create user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs using Figma.
• Collaborate with designers, developers, content strategists, researchers, and stakeholders to bring ideas to life.
• Support usability testing, customer interviews, and synthesis activities.
• Analyze feedback and data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Contribute to evolution of the design system and its components.
• Document and maintain reusable design system patterns and standards.
• Advocate for customer needs throughout research, design, and development processes.

Skills

Portfolio

Figma

Design systems familiarity

AI-powered UX tools

Customer-focused mindset

Collaborative work

Independent initiative

User research planning

Design system contributions/leadership

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in UX-related field

Tools

Figma

Job description

Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy knows job number one is to keep the lights on for customers. We are committed to delivering reliable, clean, and affordable energy to our customers 24/7.

This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship, e.g., H-1B, TN, etc. Please do not apply if you will need immigration sponsorship for a work visa now or in the future, including sponsorship for H-1B, TN, etc., now or in the future. We are unable to hire individuals with CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT for this position as the position is not eligible for participation in the H-1B lottery program and is not eligible for current or future immigration sponsorship for a work visa.

Location

This is a hybrid (virtual/onsite) position with required onsite days on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and may be assigned to any Consumers Energy Service Center located throughout Michigan's lower Peninsula. The selected candidate must be within a commutable distance or willing to relocate (relocation package is available for those that qualify).

Department Summary

The Customer Experience Internship and Co-Op Program is designed for current college students who have a passion for user experience design, research, digital products, innovation, or data analytics and an interest in Consumers Energy and the energy industry. The program is a key component of advancing the Customer organization’s goals.

Job Description/Responsibilities

An intern or co-op in this group will work alongside subject matter experts to help make informed decisions about customer experience and digital design challenges. In this role, you will be exposed to a range of energy industry issues and customer needs that are critical to the company’s continued success.

As a UX Design Intern or Co-Op, you will contribute to projects that improve the customer experience across Consumers Energy's digital channels, with an emphasis on accessible, mobile-first experiences.

Responsibilities may include:

• Translate customer insights, business goals, analytics, and technical requirements into intuitive user experiences.
• Leverage AI-powered design, research, and content workflows to accelerate discovery, design exploration, documentation, and design system management.
• Create user flows, journey maps, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs using Figma.
• Partner with developers, content strategists, product teams, and researchers to bring experiences from concept to implementation.
• Conduct and support usability testing, customer interviews, and research synthesis activities.
• Analyze customer feedback, behavioral data, and usability findings to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Contribute to the evolution and governance of the Consumers Energy Design System.
• Create, document, and maintain reusable design system components, patterns, and standards.
• Evaluate and recommend opportunities to improve team efficiency through AI-assisted UX practices and emerging design technologies.
• Advocate for customer needs throughout the research, design, and development process.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in User Experience Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Product Design, Human Factors, Information Science, Psychology, Graphic Design, or a related field.
• Minimum GPA requirement for this internship or co-op position is 3.0.

The following skills and experiences may set you apart from others:

• Portfolio demonstrating your design process, problem-solving approach, design rationale, and measurable impact.
• Experience using Figma for wireframing, prototyping, component creation, and design system management.
• Familiarity with design systems, reusable component libraries, accessibility standards, responsive design, and mobile-first UX practices.
• Experience leveraging AI-powered tools and workflows to support UX design, research, content creation, documentation, design system maintenance, or process optimization.
• Strong customer-focused mindset with the ability to translate research, analytics, and feedback into actionable design improvements.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with designers, developers, content strategists, researchers, and business stakeholders.
• Proven initiative, curiosity, and ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience planning, conducting, supporting, or synthesizing user research is preferred.
• Examples of contributing to design systems, leading projects or initiatives, or independently learning and applying new tools, technologies, or processes are highly valued.

Preferred Class Standing

Junior or senior undergraduate standing; master's students are also eligible.

Why should you join our team?

At Consumers Energy, we offer more than just a place to work. We foster a culture that supports career development, growth, and stability. We are deliberately creating an inclusive culture that makes our diverse team of co-workers feel valued, supported, and empowered every day. We're a company made up of thousands of people, all with different stories to share and work to do, but we stand united in our company purpose: world class performance delivering hometown service.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

We, at CMS Energy, value Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. It is part of our DNA. We treat our employees with respect, we treat each other fairly and we value the opinions of others. We are passionate about building and nurturing an environment where everyone feels included. We don’t discriminate. We seek to learn about each other and better understand our unique differences. Our uniqueness makes us authentic. We create safe spaces where everyone can be who they truly are. We invite difficult conversations and uncomfortable topics. We value diverse perspectives; this is what makes us great together. We harbor an inclusive environment where employees feel empowered to share their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas. Our Employee Resource Groups, Women in Energy (WE), Minority Advisory Panel (MAP), Pride Alliance of Consumers Energy (PACE), GENERGY (Different Generations), capable (Different Abilities), Interfaith, People Planet Partners, and Veterans Advisory Panel (VAP) are key enablers to living the values of our company culture: Caring, Empowered, Deliberate, Agility, and Ownership.

All qualified applicants will not be discriminated against and will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability, race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.

Job Segment: User Experience, Intern, Equity, Technology, Research, Entry Level, Finance

Consumers Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer, please review our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Military Leave Allowance. CMS Energy endeavors to make https://careers.consumersenergy.com/ accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact our team at [e-mail]. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications. ACCOMMODATION NOTICE: Federal law and many state laws require employers to make accommodations to disabled applicants and employees where the accommodation does not impose an undue hardship on the employer. For those applicants seeking a position within the State of Michigan, a disabled individual needing accommodation for employment must notify the employer in writing within 182 days after the need is known or should have been known. Michigan law provides that failure of a Michigan employee to properly notify the employer will preclude any claim that the employer failed to accommodate the disabled individual. However, this does not waive an individual’s right under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, which sets no time limit for requesting an accommodation nor does it require such accommodation in writing.