Summer Intern, XQ Institute: Design Operations & Production
Emerson Collective
Oakland, United States
November 18, 2025
Apply NowSummer Intern, XQ Institute: Design Operations & Production
Oakland, CA
2026 Summer Internship – XQ Institute /
Internship /
On-site
Overview
Emerson Collective (EC) is a company of investors, changemakers, creative thinkers, and problem solvers working to make a lasting mark on the world.
places rising college sophomores, juniors, and seniors - and, for select opportunities, recent college graduates - in paid internship opportunities across Emerson Collective and our longstanding nonprofit partners , , and .
We’re looking for college students who think big, embrace challenges, and thrive in collaboration.
The internship is onsite, 40 hours per week, from June 15 through August 7, 2026. A mandatory paid virtual onboarding and orientation will take place June 10–12. See below for more details.
Application Deadline: Friday, January 9, 2026, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.
The Opportunity
XQ Institute is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to rethinking the high school experience so every student graduates ready to succeed in college, career, and real life.
As the Design Operations & Production intern, you’ll join the Product and Creative team, helping bring ideas to life from concept through delivery. In this role, you’ll gain hands-on experience in creative production, project management, and design operations—learning how brand systems, workflows, and production pipelines enable creative consistency and impact. You’ll support campaigns and initiatives across multiple channels, including print, digital, social, video, and live events, collaborating with cross-functional partners to move projects forward efficiently and effectively
Role and Responsibilities
- Support producers and project managers in tracking timelines, deliverables, and milestones across multiple channels (print, digital, social, video, and live events).
- Maintain project documentation, dashboards, and status updates in Asana.
- Participate in team meetings and capture key decisions, action items, and follow-ups.
- Assist with pre-production tasks such as sourcing images, coordinating with vendors, and preparing creative files.
- Perform quality assurance reviews on design deliverables before final delivery.
- Support creative reviews and prepare presentation decks and materials as needed.
- Organize and maintain creative assets and archives using Google Drive, Figma, and related tools.
- Contribute to updating team templates, documentation, and process playbooks.
- Partner with cross-functional teams in full-company operational launches.
- Learn how brand systems and production pipelines enable creative consistency and efficiency.
Qualifications, Skills, and Requirements
- Rising undergraduate junior or senior, preferably pursuing a degree in communications, design, media production, marketing, or a related field.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable collaborating across diverse teams.
- Familiarity with Google Suite, Asana, and Figma.
- An interest in creative production, storytelling, and the process of moving ideas from concept to execution efficiently.
- Positive attitude, willingness to learn, and contribute to a collaborative team environment.
- Strong sense of accountability, time management, and curiosity to learn new systems and tools.
- Troubleshoot small challenges independently.
- Possess a strong sense of accountability and ability to prioritize in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
Internship Details
Compensation
- All interns are paid $25 per hour and can expect to work 40 hours per week from June 15 to August 7 (eight weeks).
- Interns will also be paid $25 per hour for onboarding and orientation sessions taking place June 10–12.
- All interns receive a lunch allowance and a commuter allowance, and may also receive travel and housing allowances as needed.
Key Dates
- November 18 – January 9: Internship applications accepted; interviews begin on a rolling basis
Applications must be submitted by 2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET on Friday, January 9.
(Please note that not all applicants will be selected for interviews.)
- January 12 – March 7: Interviews continue and offers extended
- June 10–12: Mandatory virtual onboarding and orientation
- June 15: Internship program begins
- August 7: Internship program concludes
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.