Design Intern — St. Louis, Portland

Posted March 30, 2011

Summary
Design Interns work with XPLANE | Dachis Group for three months to get a hands-on experience working on design projects, from interactive PDFs and animations to complex print maps. You’ll learn our process, our methodologies, our styles, and you’ll be able to dive right in to provide your input on projects as well. Interns will work closely with one of our world-class Associate Creative Directors to create and design visual treatments that meet interactive design quality and client specifications. Interns will interact with X-Teams to create innovative communications for presentation. Requires imaginative flair, awareness of current trends in the visual arts, working knowledge of the latest computer packages, and an understanding of material costs and time limits, all of which can impact the design. The ideal candidate will possess solid design skills with a sharp attention to detail, positive attitude, and innovative thinking.

Essential duties

• Create innovative designs that are useful, usable, engaging, and appropriate for a variety of complex business processes and goals.
• Advocate and design for the user’s goals. Employ problem solving and design methodologies as appropriate for each project.
• Facilitate communications internally and collaborate with creative team members. Actively solicits feedback to ensure that all activities and deliverables meet expectations.
• Help create and revise project workflow process and best practices as necessary. Push the work creatively and technologically.
• Keep abreast of changes and innovations in research, design and technology and evangelize those changes as appropriate.

Requirements & responsibilities

• Enrolled in a design program in an accredited institution
• Studying or have an interest in interactive design.
• Understanding of user-centered design. Driven to learn how interaction design, graphics and technology work together to produce an integrated user experience.
• Ability to communicate, both visually and in writing, about a wide variety of concepts.
• A strong team player, possessing a solution-oriented attitude.
• Ability to organize tasks and meet deadlines. Must have ability to manage and stay on top of details for several projects or components. Demonstrates attention to detail with work and process.
• Strong portfolio including interaction design, linear storytelling, and typography. Project work evokes appropriate emotional response from the intended audience.
• Required to have working knowledge of Adobe CS4, especially Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Familiarity with Office Suite including Excel, Outlook and similar business tools.
• Have a finger on the pulse of emerging web technologies and presentation tools.
• Thrive in a highly collaborative, agile, fast-paced, exciting work environment.

Supervisory responsibility: Low
Individuals in this role will seldom oversee the work of others.

Client responsibility: Low
Individuals in this role will seldom have contact with XPLANE clients and will usually work with a senior designer in deciphering client feedback.

Decision-making responsibility: Low
The person in this role will be delegated responsibilities and tasks.

Job competencies

• Visualization Ability: Ability to present information and data in a visual format. Expertise in composition and finding unique ways to express things visually. A solid knowledge of typography and color. The ability to sketch roughs and draw refined finals.
• Motivation/Initiative: Self-management, takes responsibility for personal job performance. Has demonstrated record of being a self-starter and self-motivated. Actively seeks opportunities to make a contribution rather than passively accepting situations. Takes action to achieve goals beyond what is necessarily called for; originates action. Maintains a high level of interest and enthusiasm for job responsibilities.
• Time management: Manages a variety of responsibilities in a timely, efficient manner.
• Results orientation: Ensures that one’s own and/or others’ work and information are complete and accurate; focuses on desired result of one’s own or one’s units’ work.
• Flexibility & responsiveness: Recognizes and responds to unanticipated events and requirements. Willing to do what is necessary to get the desired results. Reacts quickly in responding to needs of projects, team, clients.

ADA

• This is a sedentary position, with occasional periods of standing.
• The position demands extensive keyboarding. Visual acuity required.
• Occasionally asked to lift 25+ pounds.
• Limited (0-10%) travel domestically.

How to apply:
Think you’ve got what it takes? Then apply now at http://xplane.catchthebest.com/apply/7bb9/7dae.