Position/Title: Paid, part-time Graphic Design Intern  (part time - 24 hrs/week)

Location: Chicago (in office on Tuesday and Wednesday, option to work remote Monday, Thursday and Fridays)

Who We Are

Spool is an independent PR and communications agency that elevates brands by shaping culture, defining categories and delivering results. If you have an entrepreneurial mindset, want to make a real impact and are hungry to shape both your career and the future of an agency, Spool might be the place for you.

Working at Spool

At Spool, our values guide how we show up every day. Our commitment to authenticity, curiosity, agility, impact, and accountability creates an environment where people are trusted to do great work and supported as they grow.

• We ask smart questions and value different perspectives
• We share feedback with intention and use it to strengthen our work
• We collaborate openly, contribute ideas freely, and work without ego

Everyone at Spool plays an active role in shaping our culture, our work, and our growth. We believe strong teams are built on trust, shared accountability, and a genuine commitment to doing excellent work together. Our approach empowers people to build meaningful careers while delivering work we’re proud of, for our clients and for each other.

Role Overview:

Spool is seeking a part-time Chicago-based Graphic Design Intern to support our creative team in executing high-quality internal and client-facing design work. This role is rooted in strong foundational design skills, particularly presentation design, visual storytelling, and tactical creative execution, with the opportunity to also support trend-forward social media content for Spool’s brand and clients.

This is an ideal role for a design student or recent graduate with 1–2 years of academic, freelance, or professional experience who wants hands-on exposure inside a culturally driven PR and creative agency.

At Spool, design isn’t just aesthetics, it’s storytelling. We’re looking for someone who understands how smart visuals and creative help shape narratives, sell ideas, and make campaigns culturally relevant.

What You’ll Do:

• Provide day-to-day design support across digital and print materials, including (but not limited to):

+ Client presentation decks and templates

+ Mockups in Photoshop and Illustrator

+ Campaign identity elements

+ Event collateral, signage, invitations

+ Social media materials and branded assets

• Help translate creative concepts into polished, client-ready visual materials
• Collaborate with art director and account leads to bring ideas from brainstorm to execution
• Assist in conceptualizing and refining visual narratives for internal and client presentations
• Contribute thoughtfully in brainstorms and internal reviews
• Maintain organized files and meet deadlines with strong attention to detail
• Use AI tools (as directed) to support research, ideation, and production 
• Design compelling and trend-forward social media graphics and content
• Help turn agency POV, campaigns, and cultural insights into social-first content
• Assist in concepting, scripting, and editing short-form social video content

What We’re Looking For:

• Strong grasp of design fundamentals (typography, layout, hierarchy, color, composition)
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (especially Photoshop and Illustrator)
• Ability to design polished, professional presentation decks
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Clear written and verbal communication skills
• Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively
• Social media fluency (Instagram, TikTok, emerging platforms)
• Curiosity about PR, culture, and how brands show up in the world
• Growth mindset and openness to feedback
• Low ego, high initiative

Bonus Skills:

• Motion graphics 
• Short-form video editing
• Basic analytics knowledge

Education & Minimum Qualifications

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in design, communications, marketing, or a related field
• 1–2 years of experience (academic, freelance, personal brand, or professional)
• A portfolio that includes:
• Presentation or brand design work
• Social-first content
• Ability to join the team in person on Tuesdays and Thursdays

You must include a portfolio link or work samples in your application.

What We Offer: 

• Interns are paid $18/hour and can also receive class credit
• Growth and development opportunities 
• Flexible hybrid approach that allows us to come together in the office to build connection, enable collaboration and foster community, while also offering remote workdays to support balance and wellbeing. 
• Onsite fitness center 
• Office closures for summer holidays, including May 22 and 25 for Memorial Day; June 19 for Juneteenth; July 1 through 3 for Independence Day; and Sept. 5 and 7 for Labor day

*Thank you for your interest in working at Spool. As you look at open positions, if you see any that you may not meet 100% of the qualifications for but believe you could be successful within, please apply anyway. Data shows men will apply for jobs when they meet approximately 60% of a position's criteria, yet women and other people systematically marginalized tend to apply only if they meet every requirement. At Spool, we want builders, dreamers, workers and critical thinkers; if you believe you can thrive in this role, even if you don't check every box of the position's criteria, please apply. We are committed to considering all candidates including those with diverse employment backgrounds and experiences (and tell you what, we'd hire someone who worked retail or hospitality over a fancy schmancy internship any day). Whether you're new to PR and marketing or returning to the workplace after a gap, or you're ready for the next chapter in your career, we would love to consider you as part of our team at Spool.