McMullan Arts Leadership Internship, Experience Design, Visual Design

Position Summary

The Art Institute of Chicago’s department of Experience Design is excited to offer a McMullan Arts Leadership intern position to work with their Visual Design team. The Experience Design team is the creative studio at the heart of the museum, hosting a multidisciplinary team of visual designers, video and audio producers, developers, project managers and integration specialists. The Visual Design team is responsible for all things visual in the museum—ranging from exhibits, to print materials, digital products, environmental and service design, and brand.

Responsibilities

• Support creative concepts.
  • Support design inspiration research, interpreting creative briefs, and generating design ideas that interpret the goals for exhibitions, printed material, campaigns, and brand work.
  • Support production design.
    • Support the design team with production across many visual design formats including: exhibition graphics, wayfinding and campus signage, marketing campaigns, digital products, moving image, and printed materials.
  • Participate in the design process.
    • Collaborate with other members of the Visual Design team and participate in group design crits and feedback sessions. They will be regularly encouraged to provide and receive constructive feedback.
  • Contribute to authentic and original creative work.
    • The Art Institute has a unique voice and identity. The McMullan Arts Leadership Intern will support the brand and the museum’s dynamic programming. They will help explore a rich visual vocabulary to find the best solution for the design challenge.
  • Support the museum in its commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable institution.
    • Our team treats all colleagues and visitors equitably and respectfully, recognizing the value that diverse backgrounds and perspectives bring to our organization.
• Attend intern cohort professional development programs and museum practice seminars.
  • Regularly participate in virtual and in-person intern professional development programs.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate or graduate student; recent graduates (within one year of graduation) will also be considered;
• Based in the Chicagoland area and/or attending school in the Chicagoland area over the course of the internship term;
• Strong interest in developing typographic skills and understanding of grid systems;
• Creatively approach to the use of typography, image, and color;
• Proficiency in Adobe’s Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro);
• Comfortable working in a team environment and contributing to group discussions as well as receiving feedback;
• Collaborative approach to problem solving + problem solving mindset;
• Ability to balance multiple projects in a fast-paced studio environment.

Compensation & Benefits

Hiring Range: $17.50/hour (Maximum 14 hours per week, for a total of up to 448 hours over the course of the internship.) This position is not benefits eligible.

Job Classification

Hiring Range: $17.50/hour (Maximum 14 hours per week, for a total of up to 448 hours over the course of the internship.) This position is not benefits eligible.

Schedule

This is a part-time, 32-week position for a currently enrolled or recently graduated undergraduate or graduate student. The intern will work 14 hours per week, for a total of up to 448 hours over the course of the internship. Work days will occur between Monday–Friday; the start date and schedule will be determined upon agreement with the candidate and the host department.

Application Instructions

You must upload all of the requested materials below (resume and essay responses) into only one pdf document and list your last name and “AY 26-27” in the title of the file (example: [LAST NAME]_AY 26-27.pdf.) Please upload your materials where asked in the online application. PLEASE NOTE: You will not be considered if any requested application element is missing.

To Apply For This Internship, Tell Us Your Story. We Want To Understand Who You Are, What Motivates You, How You Think, And Where You’re Coming From. Please Submit The Following Materials

• Resume
• Short Essays: Instead of a cover letter, please respond to the following questions in short essays (no more than 300 words per essay.) We encourage you to provide specific examples to support your answers or to illustrate your ideas:
• What about this job description interests you the most?
• With the mission of the McMullan Arts Leadership intern program in mind, what perspectives might you bring to this role that you think museums need more of?
• How do you envision this opportunity helping you towards your professional goals?
• Digital Portfolio: A website, Dropbox, or Google Drive hyperlink made accessible on your résumé showing examples of design work

Deadline: The deadline to submit an application to this position is Monday, July 27 at 11:59 pm CDT. We will not accept late applications.