INTERNSHIP DETAILS

Design Intern

CompanyCritical Mass
LocationChicago
Work ModeOn Site
PostedFebruary 18, 2026
Internship Information
Core Responsibilities
Interns will gain exposure to the creative discipline, collaborate on client and global intern projects, and work with a mentor to design solutions that meet strategic objectives. Responsibilities include creating various design assets like mood boards, storyboards, layouts, and providing quality assurance on creative deliverables.
Internship Type
full time
Company Size
1847
Visa Sponsorship
No
Language
English
Working Hours
40 hours
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About The Company
We’re Critical Mass. We are 2,000 inspired humans across 14 offices, setting the right path—not just the next one—for our clients, their customers, and our own colleagues. We work with the best, Apple, Adobe, BMW, Nike, Diageo, Airbnb, BNY and many more, to power connected ecosystems that make brands stand out by driving performance with data, technology, AI, creative and media. We’re a global marketing agency founded in Canada, but digital is our home. If you know us, then you know we’re a special place that attracts big talent and tiny egos. We’re driven, uncompromising and we live our values. We’re Critical Mass, but our friends call us CM. Learn more at criticalmass.com.
About the Role

Critical Mass' Internship opportunities are part of our Trailhead Program and will provide a 12-week jump-start to your career. The program is a fast-track to launch your career through regular learning opportunities, mentorship, client work exposure, while also getting paid. We aim to show you all the amazing work we do here at Critical Mass, and to support you as part of the team! You will have the opportunity to try the digital agency world through multiple internship and client projects to see if it's for you!  

Our Internship will run from May 26 – August 14.  


We’re looking for talented designers who want to learn more about a life crafting beautiful digital design. Whether you’re a photo-comping wizard, grid-adhering fanatic, or kerning-obsessed typographer, Critical Mass can introduce you to a career in design. 

We’re firm believers in cross-discipline thinking. So, you’ll also get the chance to see how copywriters, strategists, art directors, technologists and project managers go about their business – and what that means to you as designer. 

You Will: 

  • Gain exposure and understanding to the creative discipline at Critical Mass.  
  • Collaborate with interns on a client and global intern project.  
  • Work with a mentor to design solutions that meet or exceed strategic objectives.  
  • Have the opportunity to create mood boards; storyboards; interactive page layouts; site grids and interface demos; photo retouching and enhancements; animated GIFs 
  • Provide quality assurance on creative deliverables. 
  • Build and maintain a team rapport with entire multidisciplinary project team. 

 You Have: 

  • Strong design portfolio (you must include a portfolio URL or digital samples with your application. 
  • Currently in the second or third year of a four-year degree program, or first year of a two-year program.  
  • Preference may be given to students who are enrolled in programs with related to design, visual communications or advertising 
  • Strong visual, interactive and graphic design skills that contribute to traditional digital media.  
  • Solid working knowledge of the latest design toolsets - Mac OS, Figma, Photoshop and Illustrator. 
  • Ability to comfortably brainstorm and contribute to bigger ideas. 
  • Ability to articulate creative ideas. 
  • Proven aptitude for quick creative thinking with acute attention to detail. 
  • Comprehensive understanding of interactivity and the web. 
  • Passion for design and eagerness to collaborate with other creative people. 

 

What We Offer 

  • Vacation, compassionate leave, wellness days, and flex days 
  • Hybrid work options 
  • Summer Fridays (off at 3:00 PM local time every Friday) 
  • Diversity and Inclusion Board with 13 affinity groups 
  • Enterprise-wide employee discounts 

 

The Talent Team at Critical Mass is focused on ensuring we provide the best training, onboarding, and employee experience possible! Our new hires & employees are the future of our organization, and we want to set you up for long-term success. In an effort to do so, we expect our team to work from an office a minimum of 3 days a week. The ask stems from our want to: 
 
 
Strengthen opportunity for continuous learning.
Improve collaboration and team relationships. 
Increase employee engagement .

We continually review ranges to address skills, experience and markets. Base salaries are determined during our interview process, by assessing a number of factors that include, but aren’t limited to, a candidate’s experience and skills relative to the scope and responsibilities of the position. For current CM employees, tenure will also be a consideration.
Salary Range
$21$21 USD

Critical Mass is an equal opportunity employer. 

Critical Mass uses artificial intelligence in our recruitment process to enhance job postings, filter keywords during the review of prospective candidates, and, in some cases, transcribe interviews with our recruiters. Human review remains central to the process, and all hiring decisions are ultimately made by our team.

The Critical Mass Talent Acquisition team will only communicate from email addresses that use the URLs criticalmass.com, omc.com and us.greenhouse-mail.io. We will not use apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or Google Hangouts for communicating with you. We will never ask you to send us money, technology, or anything else to work for our company. If you believe you are the victim of a scam, please review your local government consumer protections guidance and reach out to them directly.

If U.S. based: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams#avoid
If Canada based: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/finance/consumer-affairs.html
If U.K. based: https://www.gov.uk/consumer-protection-rights
If Costa Rica based: https://www.consumo.go.cr/educacion_consumidor/consejos_practicos.aspx 

Key Skills
DesignPhoto-compingGrid adherenceTypographyCross-discipline thinkingCreative solutionsMood boardsStoryboardsInteractive page layoutsSite gridsInterface demosPhoto retouchingQuality assuranceFigmaPhotoshopIllustrator
Categories
Art & DesignCreative & MediaTechnologyConsulting
Benefits
VacationCompassionate leaveWellness daysFlex daysHybrid work optionsSummer FridaysDiversity and Inclusion Board with 13 affinity groupsEnterprise-wide employee discounts