Summer Intern, XQ Institute: Creative Technologist
Emerson Collective
Oakland, United States
November 18, 2025
Apply NowSummer Intern, XQ Institute: Creative Technologist
Oakland, CA
2026 Summer Internship – XQ Institute /
Internship /
On-site
Overview
Emerson Collective (EC) is a company of investors, changemakers, creative thinkers, and problem solvers working to make a lasting mark on the world.
places rising college sophomores, juniors, and seniors - and, for select opportunities, recent college graduates - in paid internship opportunities across Emerson Collective and our longstanding nonprofit partners , , and .
We’re looking for college students who think big, embrace challenges, and thrive in collaboration.
The internship is onsite, 40 hours per week, from June 15 through August 7, 2026. A mandatory paid virtual onboarding and orientation will take place June 10–12. See below for more details.
Application Deadline: Friday, January 9, 2026, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.
The Opportunity
XQ Institute is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to rethinking the high school experience so every student graduates ready to succeed in college, career, and real life.
As the Creative Technologist intern, you’ll join XQ’s Product and Creative team to build interactive, experimental digital experiences that bring ideas about the future of learning to life. This is a hands-on role for someone excited by the intersection of art, code, and storytelling—from browser-based mini-games and generative visualizations to interactive data storytelling and motion-driven prototypes. You’ll collaborate with designers, engineers, and content creators to prototype new ways of engaging audiences, develop visual experiments, and help shape the creative technology toolkit that powers XQ’s storytelling and educational products. This internship is ideal for a creative coder who loves to experiment, iterate, and use technology to make complex ideas both beautiful and accessible.
Role and Responsibilities
- Collaborate with XQ’s Product and Creative teams to design and build interactive experiences that communicate ideas about the future of high school.
- Create visual experiments, interactive data stories, and playful prototypes that push the boundaries of how education can be visualized and experienced online.
- Prototype and develop motion-driven, generative, and game-like interactions using tools such as GSAP, Framer Motion, , , or —and explore emerging creative coding technologies.
- Contribute to production-ready front-end components and animations that enhance XQ’s digital platforms and storytelling tools.
- Collaborate with designers and engineers to translate conceptual ideas into expressive, interactive web experiences.
- Work on a cross-disciplinary intern project, co-designed and built with other XQ interns from product, design, and content teams.
- Participate in creative critiques, design reviews, and team brainstorms that connect code, narrative, and motion design.
- Experiment boldly—this role encourages curiosity, technical play, and creative risk-taking in service of powerful storytelling.
Qualifications, Skills, and Requirements
- Rising undergraduate junior, senior, or recent graduate studying interactive media, creative technology, computer science, digital arts, or a related field.
- Strong foundation in JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and at least one modern front-end framework or creative coding library (e.g., React, , GSAP, Framer Motion, , ).
- Ability to build interactive prototypes that connect to data—for example, visualizations or creative interfaces that pull from APIs or databases.
- Interest in generative design, creative coding, or motion design—with a portfolio, GitHub, or demo reel showcasing personal or class projects.
- Strong visual sensibility and attention to craft in typography, composition, and animation timing.
- Collaborative mindset and comfort working in cross-functional teams that mix designers, developers, and storytellers.
- Eagerness to learn new tools, experiment with unfamiliar technologies, and explore novel ways to blend design and engineering.
- Passion for using creativity and technology to tell stories, visualize data, and make ideas about learning come alive.
Internship Details
Compensation
- All interns are paid $25 per hour and can expect to work 40 hours per week from June 15 to August 7 (eight weeks).
- Interns will also be paid $25 per hour for onboarding and orientation sessions taking place June 10–12.
- All interns receive a lunch allowance and a commuter allowance, and may also receive travel and housing allowances as needed.
Key Dates
- November 18 – January 9: Internship applications accepted; interviews begin on a rolling basis
Applications must be submitted by 2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET on Friday, January 9.
(Please note that not all applicants will be selected for interviews.)
- January 12 – March 7: Interviews continue and offers extended
- June 10–12: Mandatory virtual onboarding and orientation
- June 15: Internship program begins
- August 7: Internship program concludes
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.