Design Studio Intern

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.

Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.

Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.

Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure, always ready to explore new perspectives.

Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution.

SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.

Schedule: Full Time, 35 hours/week, Monday, June 15 - Friday, August 14, at least three days working onsite

Department Description

The SFMOMA Design Studio helps to translate the vision of our institution into a vibrant, cohesive, and welcoming brand and experience. The Graphic Design team within the Design Studio is responsible for all visual communication for the museum, both print and digital, including branding, exhibition graphics, publications, , digital screens, and more. The department plays an integral role in content strategy and communicating the museum's voice to onsite and offsite visitors.

Position Description

The Design Studio Intern will work closely with the Senior Graphic Designer and other members of the Design Studio team on a wide range of projects. Projects may include brand system studies, museum signage initiatives, store product collaborations, social media efforts, website design, building and organizing a material library, and assisting on current and future exhibition materials. Through these projects the Design Studio Intern will get hands-on experience scheduling, producing, delivering, and installing graphics for exhibitions, as well graphic design support on museum-wide projects. The Design Studio Intern will be someone who loves a challenge, is an enthusiastic learner, has an eye for detail, and is both self-motivated and works well in a team.

Project Plan

The Design Studio Intern will be given a project plan at the start of their internship that outlines several projects to be completed over the course of the summer. These projects will expose the intern to the breadth of work we do in the Design Studio and be tied to initiatives our team is working on over the summer.

Educational Objectives

• Gain hands-on experience working on an in-house design team
• Gain knowledge of the inner workings of a world class arts institution
• Practice various production methods including printing and prepress, web and email production, large scale

vinyl graphics, etc.

• Participate in Design Studio Pin-up critiques

Additional Internship Programming

The Summer 2026 Internship will offer 9-weeks of hands-on experience and mentorship along with weekly presentations and discussions with various departments in the museum, off-site educational visits within the Bay Area community, and access to various tours and events within the museum.

Requirements

• Applicants must be currently enrolled in school or a recent graduate. The SFMOMA recognizes a graduation date

within 6 months of the internship start date as a recent graduate.

• If you are a current employee of the SFMOMA applying for an internship, you must be a current student or a

recent graduate, within 6 months of the internship start date.

• Fluency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop); familiarity with After Effects, a plus
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of typography, including hierarchy, legibility, expressive type use, proper

ragging, and ability to typeset large amounts of text.

• Understanding of design principles: typography, color theory, layout, and composition
• Familiarity with design for various formats (social media, web, print, environmental, etc.)
• Organized, rigorous, and has an eye for detail
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team and take direction from senior designers and art directors
• Strong time management, ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-

paced environment.

Pre-tax stipend paid out in a one-lump sum after start date

• TAX WITHHOLDING: For certain non-US residents and non-CA residents, any payments that constitute taxable income under U.S. tax law may be subject to up to 30% federal and 7% state tax withholding (or the current applicable rates), and so any payments you receive may be reduced accordingly. Please consult with your tax advisor regarding the tax treatment of your stipend from this internship.

Application Requirements

• Intern application on SFMOMA job site
• Resume, in PDF format
• Cover letter stating the specific internship of interest, in PDF format

· Describe the experience you bring, why you are interested in museum or nonprofit work, reasons for

applying to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and your goals for the internship.

• Two letters of recommendation from either a college professor or current/former employer, in PDF format
• College/university transcript, in PDF format

· Transcripts can be unofficial but must be legible

· If you are currently enrolled in a master's or PhD program, please provide the transcript for your current

program, not your undergraduate transcript

Application Deadline: February 28, 2026

Please note: You only need two letters of recommendation total, not separate letters for each internship. If you apply to multiple internships (up to three), simply inform your recommenders which positions you're applying for. We'll review the same two letters across all your applications.

Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal of state law.

You may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable to or are limited in your ability to access job postings or provide additional information asked in the job posting.

You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People Team at

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.