Paid Design Internship Part Time – Summer 2026

New Jersey Institute for Social Justice•Newark, NJ

1d•$16 - $16•Hybrid

About The Position

The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice seeks a creative and detail-oriented Design and Communications Intern to support visual storytelling and digital content creation. The ideal candidate for this position will have a deep commitment to social justice work and familiarity with social media and graphic design. Established in 1999, the Institute’s cutting-edge racial and social justice advocacy seeks to empower people of color by building reparative systems that create wealth, transform justice and harness democratic power—from the ground up—in New Jersey. The Institute advocates for systemic reform that is at once transformative, achievable in the state and replicable in communities across the nation. The Institute’s programmatic focus rests upon three interconnected pillars: Economic Justice, Criminal Justice Reform, and Democracy and Justice. The Design and Communications Intern will report to the Communications and Design Manager. The role will have a large focus on graphics design and also provide support to the Communications & Marketing team overall and its work to promote the institute's programmatic and organizational branding. The Summer Intern Program at the Institute is hybrid, consisting of in-office and remote work. The intern will work approximately 20 hours per week for about 13 weeks and will be paid $16 per hour.

Requirements

Experience or interest in learning basic graphic design using platforms like Canva, Photoshop and Indesign.
A passion for social and racial justice.
Experience effectively navigating social media and knowledge about the latest platforms, with a vision for maximizing the Institute’s social media presence.
Experience or interest in learning WordPress.
A four-year degree, preferably in graphic and/or communication design, communications, marketing, journalism, political science, sociology, or a policy related field (or, if the applicant is a current student, be working toward such a degree).
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse groups that help to drive the Institute’s mission.
Proficiency with MS Office applications.
Extremely detailed and organized.

Responsibilities

Assist in creating flyers, social media assets including graphics, and other designed materials.
Create and implement social media campaigns across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube with an eye toward reaching a younger audience.
Assist in organizing the Communications shared folders, including uploading photos and videos (when needed).
Attend and support Institute events (when needed).
Participate in Institute meetings and other collaborative activities (when needed).
Assist in organizing advocacy platform’s email and campaign database (when needed).
Assist in organizing press lists in media database (when needed).
Compile and distribute press clips, including updating the Institute’s website media page (when needed).
Help draft and proofread collateral materials such as fact sheets, brochures and web content, as well as press releases and email blasts (as needed).