Internship, Visual Designer, Design Studio (Fall 2026)

Job description

Consider before submitting an application:   

This position is expected to start August or September 2026 and continue through fall term (ending approximately December 2026 or later, if available). We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time (40 hours/week) and on-site, for most internships. Our internship program is for students who are actively enrolled in an academic program. Recent graduates seeking employment after graduation and not returning to school should apply for full-time positions, not internships.

International Students: If your work authorization is through CPT, please consult your school on your ability to work 40 hours per week before applying. You must be able to work 40 hours per week on-site. Many students will be limited to part-time during the academic year.    

Internship Program at Tesla   

The Internship Recruiting Team is driven by the passion to recognize and develop emerging talent. Our year-round program places the best students in positions where they will grow technically, professionally, and personally through their experience working closely with their Manager, Mentor, and team. We provide an experience that allows the intern to experience life at Tesla by including them in projects that are critical to their team’s success.  

About the Team   

As a Visual Design Intern at Tesla, you will be responsible for aspects of the design development for all visual brand communications. You will be part of the team that creates and executes world-class graphic design, branding, and more.  

Using your considerable design experience and innovative thinking, you will be tasked with working with the team in creating designs for visual brand communications, but you may also be called upon for other design tasks (photography, illustration, etc.) based on your skillset. Our design team prides itself on being multitalented and flexible, and we look for the same in our potential candidates. This position is located in Hawthorne, California, and reports to the manager for visual design at the design studio. 

Locations: Hawthorne, CA

Responsibilities

• Develop and design assets for events, communications, web, marketing, sales, products, and anything else that needs graphic design work to communicate Tesla’s visual style in a creative way. This can be anything from full-on campaigns from start-to-finish or unique one-off properties 

• Some projects will require you to work with sales, engineers, digital modelers, architects, and other professionals within the company 

• Participate in cross-functional strategy, timing, and process discussion as it pertains to the brand and our visual design principles 

• Work cross-functionally with designers and key stakeholders of other disciplines 

• Work with suppliers to achieve our design goals on any physical assets 

• Collaborate with the fabrication team to complete prototypes when necessary 

• Occasionally participate in design efforts outside of your area of expertise as necessity and as your own skillset dictates 

Requirements

• Pursuing a degree in Graphic Design or a related field 

• Must be able to show a portfolio of work that reflects creative thinking, broad range, and modern, minimalist taste 

• Beneficial to have in-depth technical knowledge of product development as it relates to graphic design (such as printing, web and mobile app development, etc.) 

Compensation & Benefits