Design Central creates solutions through research, design and engineering that improve lives for consumers and the bottom line for clients.

For more than 35 years, Design Central has partnered with clients like Proctor & Gamble, General Electric, LG, Scotts, Midmark, and Crown Equipment to launch award-winning products in every category from consumer goods to industrial equipment. We are seeking interns to serve on our industrial design team during the Summer, Fall and Winter/Spring season. We invite you to review the requirements and submission timelines below. If interested please submit your resume and portfolio in pdf format to careers@designcentral.com.

PROGRAM PURPOSE AND GOALS:

The internship program at Design Central is intended to expose students to the professional design and product development environment and help them understand how to apply what they learn in the educational environment into practical applications. The goal is for the student to understand the integration of their design education and professional practice.

PARTICIPATION CRITERIA:

Candidates for the program must be students enrolled in a degree-granting program in one of the following disciplines: industrial design, mechanical engineering, visual communications, UXUI, ethnographic research or a like field of study.

Internship candidates are evaluated based on their portfolio, presentation skills, written skills, previous experience, cross-functional skills, and ability to work as an effective team member. Most program participants have junior or senior level status, as they possess the basic understanding of the profession and tend to benefit more from daily activities within the professional environment.

Students in the Internship Program may be part of a formal college cooperative education or internship program that grants academic credit for participation or a less formal program purely for experience without credit. In all cases students must have the approval of their school, college or university in order to participate. Students need to provide Design Central with co-op/internship forms from their school or a letter from their department granting approval and indicating whether or not the student will receive academic credit for their participation.

PROGRAM HOURS AND ACTIVITIES:

Interns are requested to work a 40-hour week if schedules allow. As education is the main focus, any classes the student is enrolled in while at Design Central will be considered and worked into the intern’s schedule if possible. The activities in which each intern participates will be based on the experience level and capabilities of that particular student, but every attempt is made to involve the student in as many types of activities as possible so that they may experience the profession as an active and engaged participant, not just as an observer.

The roles and responsibilities of interns are first to observe and then to apply the knowledge they have gained to both their assignments at Design Central and their studies. Day to day activities include brainstorming, ideation, concept development, observational research, sketching, rendering, computer modeling, shop modeling, preparing presentation materials, project documentation and participating in team and client meetings. Other key responsibilities of the interns are to assist the design and administrative staff in daily routine procedures including documenting research, video capture/editing, meeting reports, sourcing materials and components, producing client presentations, general organization of source materials, 3D shop activities, testing and validation or other key roles assisting the staff.

SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES:

Primary skills and capabilities desired for industrial design interns:

• Ability to collaborate with others

• Design thinking

• Quick sketching with traditional media – pencil, marker, pen

• Sketching with digital media – SketchBook Pro

• Using 2D CAD software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign

• 3D modeling software – SolidWorks

• KeyShot rendering

Secondary skills and capabilities desired for industrial design interns:

• Ability to make quick physical mockups

• Making with digital fabrication methods – 3D printing, laser cutter

• Design research methods

PROGRAM COMPENSATION:

$18-$20 per hour

APPLICATION DEADLINES:

Summer (Mid May-Mid August): Resumes & Portfolios due: 2nd week of February

Fall (Mid August-Mid December): Resumes & Portfolios due: 1st week of June

Winter/Spring (Mid January- Mid May): Resumes & Portfolios due: 3rd week of September