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Public Interest Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Bureau of Reclamation

Civil Engineer

Billings, MT · On-site +1

$57K - $127K/yr

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: * your ... approving design documents from Architecture & Engineering (A&E) Contractors and providing ...

Bureau of Reclamation

Civil Engineer

Sacramento, CA · On-site +1

$133K - $160K/yr

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: * your ... through design and construction; performing the full range of project management activities ...

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Public Interest Design information

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$28K

$107.5K

$184.5K

How much do public interest design jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for public interest design in the United States is $107,533.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $73,500.00 and $134,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is public interest design?

Public Interest Design is a field of design that focuses on addressing social, environmental, and economic challenges to improve the lives of underserved communities. It involves architects, designers, and planners working collaboratively with stakeholders to create solutions that are sustainable, equitable, and responsive to community needs. The approach emphasizes participatory processes, ethical responsibility, and the positive impact of design on society. Public Interest Design can be applied to projects such as affordable housing, public spaces, and infrastructure improvements, prioritizing public well-being over profit.

How do public interest designers typically collaborate with communities and stakeholders during a project?

Public Interest Designers often work closely with diverse communities and stakeholders to ensure that design solutions address real needs and are culturally sensitive. This collaboration usually involves participatory design workshops, regular feedback sessions, and ongoing communication throughout the project lifecycle. Designers must balance technical expertise with active listening and adaptability, building trust and fostering inclusive decision-making. These collaborations not only enhance project outcomes but also empower communities to take ownership of the solutions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a public interest designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Public Interest Designer, you need a background in design (such as architecture, urban planning, or graphic design) with a strong focus on social impact, community engagement, and sustainability. Familiarity with participatory design methods, GIS software, and project management tools is often required. Excellent communication, cultural sensitivity, and collaborative problem-solving skills help build trust and effective partnerships with diverse communities. These skills ensure that design solutions are inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the real needs of the public.

What is the difference between Public Interest Design vs Community Development Planning?

AspectPublic Interest DesignCommunity Development Planning
CredentialsDesign degrees, certifications in sustainable or social designUrban planning, community development degrees, certifications
Work EnvironmentDesign studios, non-profits, public agenciesGovernment agencies, non-profits, consulting firms
Industry UsageFocuses on designing physical spaces for social impactFocuses on planning policies and community growth

Public Interest Design and Community Development Planning both aim to serve communities, but Public Interest Design emphasizes creating physical, sustainable spaces through design, while Community Development Planning focuses on policy, infrastructure, and community growth strategies. Both roles often collaborate but differ in their primary focus and methods.

More about Public Interest Design jobs

What states have the most Public Interest Design jobs?

States with the most job openings for Public Interest Design jobs include:

What job categories do people searching Public Interest Design jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Public Interest Design jobs are:

Public Interest Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Public Interest Design job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Internship, and 50% Part Time. Highlights an 50% In-person, and 50% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $107,533 per year, or $51.7 per hour.

12 Month Creative Design and Digital Media Intern (Part time)

New Mexico Immigrant Law Center

Albuquerque, NM • On-site

$19/hr

Part-time

Posted 8 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Create engaging visual content for NMILC's social media, website, email marketing, reports, and outreach materials.

  • Assist with managing social-media platforms, including creating, scheduling, and publishing posts, and monitoring engagement.

  • Support website updates, content formatting, and quality assurance for digital communications.

Job description

Position Summary
The New Mexico Immigrant Law Center (NMILC) seeks a creative, organized, and mission-driven Creative Design and Digital Media Intern to support NMILC's visual identity, digital communications, and immigrant-rights advocacy efforts.
This paid, part-time internship provides a meaningful opportunity to build practical experience in graphic design, photography, social-media management, website content, email marketing, campaign development, and nonprofit communications. Working under the supervision of the Communications Director, the Intern will help create engaging and accessible communications materials that elevate NMILC's services, advocacy priorities, events, resources, and community-centered work.
The ideal candidate is a visual storyteller with a strong design eye; excellent attention to detail; interest in immigrant rights, public-interest law, advocacy, or nonprofit communications; and the ability to collaborate effectively while working independently in a semi-remote environment.
Primary Responsibilities
Creative Design and Content Development
  • Create engaging, accurate, and visually compelling content for NMILC's social-media platforms, website, email marketing, reports, presentations, outreach materials, and digital campaigns.
  • Develop graphics, templates, layouts, infographics, digital toolkits, and other visual assets using NMILC's brand standards and established style.
  • Support the development of accessible and audience-appropriate materials that communicate legal, policy, advocacy, and community information clearly.
  • Assist with formatting and preparing materials for digital distribution, presentations, internal use, and professional printing when needed.
  • Proofread and quality-check content for grammar, spelling, accurate links, layout consistency, visual quality, and alignment with NMILC's voice and branding.
  • Organize and maintain digital files, design assets, photography, templates, and completed communications projects.

Social Media and Digital Campaigns
  • Assist with managing NMILC's social-media presence across multiple platforms.
  • Create, schedule, and publish social-media posts and stories in coordination with the Communications Director and approved content calendars.
  • Help develop content calendars that support organizational priorities, advocacy campaigns, community education, events, fundraising, and client-resource promotion.
  • Identify opportunities to adapt and repurpose content across social media, email, web, print, and presentation formats.
  • Monitor social-media engagement and flag comments, direct messages, emerging opportunities, or concerns for the Communications Director.
  • Research digital-media trends, platform updates, best practices, and examples of effective nonprofit and advocacy communications.

Photography and Event Documentation
  • Assist with taking, selecting, editing, captioning, organizing, and archiving photographs for NMILC communications.
  • Help document community events, trainings, outreach activities, advocacy events, staff gatherings, and other organizational activities.
  • Follow NMILC procedures related to photography permissions, consent, confidentiality, privacy, and respectful representation of community members.
  • Support maintenance of photo releases, consent records, and organized image archives.

Website and Email Communications
  • Assist with updates to NMILC's Squarespace website, including uploading and formatting content, refreshing pages, checking links, and making basic layout adjustments.
  • Support basic search-engine optimization and web-accessibility practices, including clear page titles, headings, links, image alt text, and readable content formatting.
  • Assist with quality assurance for website content by identifying outdated information, broken links, inconsistent formatting, or accessibility concerns.
  • Create graphics and visual materials for email marketing, newsletters, event notices, fundraising communications, and other digital outreach.

Reporting and Administrative Support
  • Assist with tracking social-media, website, email, and digital-campaign performance.
  • Help prepare concise reports or dashboards on audience engagement, content performance, campaign reach, and emerging trends.
  • Maintain project trackers, content calendars, asset libraries, and other communications records.
  • Participate in communications planning meetings, check-ins, trainings, and cross-functional collaboration as assigned.
  • Perform other related duties and special projects consistent with the purpose of the internship.

Required Qualifications
  • Interest in graphic design, digital media, communications, marketing, photography, advocacy, nonprofit work, public-interest law, or a related field.
  • Demonstrated ability to create visually appealing graphics or digital materials using Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or similar design tools.
  • Familiarity with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign is preferred; willingness and ability to learn is required.
  • Experience creating or managing social-media content for a school, organization, employer, campaign, volunteer activity, or personal portfolio.
  • Familiarity with photography, photo editing, visual storytelling, or digital asset organization.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Strong attention to detail, including the ability to proofread, review links, verify formatting, and produce polished work.
  • Ability to manage multiple assignments, prioritize effectively, meet deadlines, and communicate early about workload or timeline concerns.
  • Ability to work both collaboratively and independently in a semi-remote work environment.
  • Ability to work respectfully and effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, identities, and communication styles.
  • Basic proficiency with Microsoft 365 tools, including Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Willingness to attend and document NMILC events, which may include local or occasional in-state travel.
  • Submission of a portfolio or work samples, including examples of graphic design, photography, social-media content, digital campaigns, web content, or other relevant creative work.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Current enrollment in, recent completion of, or demonstrated coursework in graphic design, visual communications, digital media, marketing, journalism, photography, communications, public relations, or a related area.
  • Experience with Squarespace or another content-management system.
  • Experience with email-marketing platforms and digital newsletter design.
  • Experience preparing files or materials for professional printing.
  • Interest in or experience with nonprofit communications, issue-based advocacy, immigrant rights, social justice, political campaigns, or public-interest work.
  • Familiarity with bilingual English-Spanish communications or experience creating materials for multilingual audiences.
  • Knowledge of accessibility and inclusive-design practices for digital content.
  • Experience with fundraising, donor communications, community outreach, or event promotion.

Compensation and Status
This is a part-time, nonexempt employee position scheduled for 19 hours per week for a 12-month term. The hourly rate is $19.00 per hour. The selected candidate must accurately record all hours worked and obtain advance approval before working beyond the established schedule. Benefits eligibility, if any, will be determined in accordance with NMILC policy and applicable law.

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