Graphic Designer Intern Jobs in Rutherford, NJ (NOW HIRING)

About NewWorld:

NewWorld is an awardwinning nextgeneration media company operating at the intersection of culture, storytelling, and impact. Our stories, shows and campaigns meet audiences at the speed of culture, shining a light on the world as it is, while inspiring courage and confidence to change it. Our team combines cultural intelligence, creative storytelling and strategic intervention to build trust, shape narratives, and move people from outrage to optimism - and from optimism to action. We are building the media infrastructure of the next decade - developing hit digital shows, scaling fandoms, and organizing a multiracial working-class generation around belonging, belief, and real-world participation

About the role:

The Design Intern is an early-career designer who contributes directly to the creation of visual work across NewWorld's shows, campaigns, and media brands.

In this role, you will design social content, visual assets, and early creative explorations that help bring stories and ideas to life across digital platforms. You will collaborate closely with designers, strategists, producers, and show teams to translate concepts into clear, engaging visuals that connect with real audiences.

This is a hands-on creative role where interns are expected to design, experiment, and contribute ideas - not just support production. You will gain experience working inside a fast-moving media studio where strategy, research, and design come together to shape narratives in culture.

The ideal candidate is a curious and visually sharp emerging designer who wants to build real work, develop their creative instincts, and grow inside a collaborative creative team.

This is a remote role based in the US or Canada, though ideal candidates will live in New York, NY or Toronto, ON.

What Makes You Successful Here:

Successful designers at NewWorld tend to share a few key qualities:

Strong visual taste. You pay attention to typography, layout, color, and imagery. You care about making things look great and feel culturally relevant.

Curiosity about culture and media. You notice design trends, platform aesthetics, and emerging visual styles across the internet and entertainment.

Creative initiative. You bring ideas, explore possibilities, and take ownership of the work you're designing.

Comfort with iteration. You are open to feedback and able to quickly refine your work to make it stronger.

Clear communication. You can explain your design thinking, collaborate with teammates, and participate in creative conversations.

Excitement to build real work. You are energized by creating things that live in culture - whether social content, show identities, or campaign visuals.

Responsibilities:

1. Brand, Campaign and Social Design

• Design visual content that supports NewWorld campaigns, shows, and storytelling initiatives across digital platforms.
• This may include:
  • Social media graphics and visual storytelling posts
  • Platform-native design for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and emerging channels
  • Title cards, quote graphics, and visual explainers
  • Graphic elements used within video or show content
  • Campaign visuals that translate narrative ideas into clear design
  • Success in this role means creating work that is visually compelling, culturally aware, and designed for real audiences and platforms.

2. Brand & Visual Identity Development

• Contribute to the development of visual identities for shows, campaigns, and media initiatives.
• This includes:
  • Exploring typography, color systems, and layout approaches
  • Designing assets that extend a show or campaign's visual language
  • Supporting the creation of flexible design systems that can scale across platforms
  • Creating visuals that help define the look and feel of emerging NewWorld media properties
  • You will learn how strong design systems help creative ideas travel across formats and audiences.

3. Creative Exploration & Concept Development

• Participate in the early stages of creative development by exploring visual directions for new ideas.
• You may:
  • Create moodboards and aesthetic explorations
  • Design rough concepts for show brands or campaign visuals
  • Prototype graphics that test new ideas
  • Help visualize concepts during early creative development
  • Success in this area means contributing ideas and visual experimentation that helps the team see possibilities and shape creative direction.
    

4. Craft, Communication & Creative Process

• Participate actively in the creative process while building professional design habits.
• This includes:
  • Presenting your work in creative reviews
  • Incorporating feedback quickly and thoughtfully
  • Maintaining organized files and clean design systems
  • Communicating design ideas clearly with collaborators
  • Success in this role means growing both your creative craft and your ability to collaborate within a professional creative team.

Preferred qualifications:

Successful candidates will have all of the following:

• We are less focused on years of experience and more interested in creative ability, design instincts, and a strong portfolio.

• Ideal candidates may have:
  • Current enrollment in or recent graduation from a design, art, or creative program
  • A portfolio demonstrating strong fundamentals in typography, layout, and visual composition
  • Experience designing for digital platforms or social media
  • Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) or similar tools
  • Working knowledge of Figma or other digital design tools
  • Interest in storytelling, media, and visual culture
  • Ability to communicate ideas clearly and collaborate with others
  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to improving craft
  • Curiosity about how design influences culture, storytelling, and audience engagement

This contract role is expected to last three months, at 20-25 hours a week for the contract duration. The expected salary for this position is $25/hour. Though this is a Freelance role, there will be routine meetings and deliverables expected during the course of a traditional workday. NewWorld primarily works East Coast business hours (9am-6pm EST).
Preferred Additional Qualifications:

Few candidates will bring all of these strengths, and none are strictly required; experience in the following areas would be an additional asset:

• Comfort using emerging creative technologies is required, including AI-assisted tools for image generation, concept development, visual prototyping, and video creation.
• Designers at NewWorld are expected to experiment with new tools that accelerate creative exploration and production.
• Motion design or animation skills
• Experience creating graphics used within video content
• Familiarity with video editing tools such as Premiere, After Effects, CapCut, or similar
• Interest in exploring AI-assisted creative tools and generative design
• Experience building visual systems or brand identity explorations
• Interest in media, storytelling, or digital entertainment

Interns at NewWorld gain:

• Mentorship from senior creative leaders
• Hands-on design experience across campaigns, shows, and media brands
• Exposure to strategy, research, and storytelling teams
• Opportunities to build portfolio-ready work
• Experience working inside a fast-moving media studio

Application Instructions

Please submit a Resume, Portfolio and Cover Letter detailing relevant experience

Equal Opportunity Statement

Equity is at the heart of NewWorld. From the clients we partner with and vendors we engage, to the team we're building, we are committed to creating opportunities for the diverse community of talented, creative professionals who have been systematically denied opportunities across the professional communications industry. Women, people of color, LGBTI people, people of any religion or nationality and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Opportunities for advancement exist, and NewWorld is committed to helping all staff develop and grow.