NIKE, Inc. NXT Apparel Design Graduate Internship

NIKE Retail Services; Beaverton (OR); On-site; USD 28,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Paid internship

Job summary

Nike Explore Team (NXT) Apparel Innovation internship welcomes an emerging designer to collaborate with Nike leaders and designers. You will learn Nike's design philosophy through making, research and cross-functional exposure across pattern making, materials, and development.

Under mentorship, you’ll contribute to projects, present your concepts, and gain experience with tools such as Illustrator, CLO, Vizcom and Gravity Sketch. This 10-week paid internship includes relocation assistance.

Qualifications

• Portfolio demonstrating apparel design process and thinking.
• Strong visual storytelling and concept presentation ability.
• Interest in performance, innovation or sport with design curiosity.

Responsibilities

• Research athlete needs and trends to inform concepts.
• Build mood boards, sketches and head-to-toe product stories.
• Explore silhouette, fabrication, draping and pattern making.
• Create concepts with Illustrator, CLO, Vizcom and Gravity Sketch.
• Develop mockups and prototypes and incorporate feedback.
• Present project progress to Design and cross-functional partners.

Skills

Portfolio

Communication

Collaboration

Design thinking

Problem-solving

Education

Masters in Apparel Design

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

CLO

Vizcom

Newarc

Gravity Sketch

Job description

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

This internship is part of Nike Explore Team, (NXT) Apparel Innovation team. You'll work closely with Nike Innovation leaders and apparel designers. You'll receive mentorship from design leaders while building your understanding of Nike's design philosophy, products, and processes.

You'll also collaborate with multidisciplinary partners across pattern making, materials, apparel development, the apparel lab, field testing, the sample room, merchandising, and manufacturing to help bring innovative product concepts to life.

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON

As an Apparel Innovation Design Intern, you'll help explore the future of functional, performance-based apparel and how it intersects with sport and modern culture. With guidance from design leaders, you'll use research, hands-on making, and design problem-solving to create original concepts that serve athletes*.

The internship will be project-based, with opportunities to contribute across the innovation process. You will lead or collaborate on work such as:

• Researching athlete needs, cultural shifts, emerging technologies, color, materials, and performance apparel trends
• Building inspiration, concept presentations, mood boards, sketches, and head-to-toe product stories
• Exploring silhouette, proportion, fabrication, draping, pattern making, construction, and form through digital and physical making
• Creating and communicating concepts using tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, CLO, Vizcom, Newarc, and/or Gravity Sketch
• Developing physical mockups and prototypes, then responding to feedback from Design and cross-functional partners
• Supporting prototype reviews and collaborating with product creation partners to improve feasibility, function, and execution
• Presenting your project and design process to stakeholders at the end of the internship

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We're looking for an emerging apparel designer who is curious about innovation, energized by performance product, and excited to learn through making. You bring a strong point of view, but you're also open to feedback, collaboration, and exploring more than one answer to a design problem. Our ideal candidate is a thoughtful storyteller and hands-on builder who can connect athlete and consumer insights to product ideas. You are comfortable working through ambiguity, experimenting with new tools and materials, and sharing work in progress with a multidisciplinary team.

• Currently pursuing a master's degree in Apparel Design, Fashion Design, Industrial Design, or a related field, with a graduation date between December 2027 and June 2028.
• A portfolio that demonstrates apparel design process, creative thinking, and an interest in performance, innovation, or sport
• Experience translating research, consumer insights, or athlete needs into design narratives and product concepts
• Working knowledge of apparel construction, pattern making, draping, fabrication, and physical prototyping
• Experience with one or more design tools such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, CLO, Vizcom, Newarc, or Gravity Sketch
• Ability to build clear concept presentations, mood boards, and visual stories
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with a willingness to ask questions, share ideas, and respond to feedback
• Curiosity for innovation, materials, technology, research, and design problem-solving

This is a 10-week paid internship opportunity with relocation assistance. Curious to know what it's like to be part of a world-class Internship Program? Check out our recap video from last summer: Nike Internship Program Recap Video

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed.