Designer Intern, Owned Brands- Minneapolis, MN (Starting Summer, 2027)

Target•Minneapolis, MN

23h

About The Position

Target’s Owned Brand Design team develops original products across Home, Apparel and Fun 101, drawing on emerging trends, guest insights and creative ideas to deliver exceptional design, quality and value. Designers partner with merchandising, sourcing, product development, technical design and external vendors to create cohesive assortments aligned with brand direction and business objectives. As a Designer Intern, you will gain exposure to Owned Brand Product Design and Development and contribute to projects across categories as business needs dictate. With guidance from design leaders and team members, you will learn how concepts progress from research through design, development and presentation. You will apply your creative perspective, build technical design skills, and explore how guest needs, brand strategy, trends, materials, cost and production considerations shape retail products. The internship includes training, coaching and cross-functional learning, along with ownership of a defined project or body of work from inspiration through recommendation. You will present your work and learnings to design leadership. This entry-level internship is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and begins in Summer 2027. The starting hourly rate is $27.00. The posting says candidates must be able to begin a full-time position, if offered, starting Summer 2028.

Requirements

Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Product Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Textile Design, Graphic Design, Fine Arts or a closely related field.
Strong academic performance and demonstrated progress toward degree completion.
A portfolio showing creative thinking, design process, visual communication and relevant project work.
Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud tools such as Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign.
Experience with CAD illustration or relevant 2D/3D design software, and ability to learn new tools quickly.
Interest in consumer products, retail, trends, color, materials and culture across categories.
Foundational understanding of product construction, textiles, materials, manufacturing or development processes relevant to one or more design disciplines.
Ability to research, synthesize and apply trend, market and guest insights to design work.
Strong communication, organization and presentation skills, with close attention to detail.
Ability to receive and apply feedback, manage priorities and contribute effectively in a team environment.
Curiosity, initiative and comfort working through ambiguity while meeting deadlines.
Ability to begin a full-time position, if offered, starting Summer 2028.

Responsibilities

Support product, trend, color, material and competitive research to inform seasonal concepts and design direction.
Translate ideas into CAD illustrations, hand sketches, technical sketches, layouts and presentation materials.
Assist in developing product concepts, colorways, patterns, prints, graphics, trims, embellishments, hardware or material stories appropriate to the assigned category.
Help prepare design specifications and communicate relevant design details to internal teams and vendor partners.
Participate in team critiques, working sessions and milestone meetings, and incorporate feedback to refine concepts and deliverables.
Partner with Merchandising, Sourcing, Product Development, Technical Design and other teams to understand assortment strategy, guest needs, feasibility, quality and value.
Organize files, samples, boards and project materials accurately and follow through in a timely manner.
Manage a scoped internship project from research through final recommendation and present the outcome to leadership.
Demonstrate curiosity, initiative, accountability and openness to learning in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.