Design & Consumer Insights Intern Opportunities

About the Role

SharkNinja is a global product design and technology company. We are seeking Product Development, Design & Consumer Insights Interns to join our Early Edge Experience, designed for early career talent and geared toward impact and speed. This is a single application for product development, design, and consumer insights early talent roles across SharkNinja, with hiring teams spread across various functions. Interns will work on real products and launches alongside experienced professionals.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to real product launches from early research and concepting through to shelf.
• Translate consumer insights into product and design decisions that shape what gets built.
• Bring ideas to life through sketches, renderings, prototypes, wireframes, and design specifications.
• Conduct hands-on product testing and competitive research, and document findings that influence design direction.
• Present work and thinking to cross-functional partners and design leads, and incorporate feedback.
• Collaborate across Product Development, Industrial Design, Engineering, Marketing, Consumer Insights, and Product Management.
• Gain exposure to the full product development cycle, solving for performance, cost, and delight.
• Own a meaningful project end to end and present contributions to SharkNinja leaders.

Day-to-day may include (Depending on the Team)

Product Development, Insights & Consumer Experience

• Developing user-relevant design targets for product performance and user experience.
• Acting as a product "expert" for cross-functional questions.
• Supporting qualitative and quantitative research, designing and refining research tools, and translating needs into recommendations.
• Building customer personas and journey maps, identifying opportunities and pain points, and monitoring competitors and market trends.
• Supporting the post-purchase consumer journey.
• Culinary testing and hero recipe development.
• Recording test results and synthesizing insights.

Industrial, CMF & Digital Experience Design

• Translating consumer insights into user-centered design solutions.
• Creating product designs in SolidWorks or Rhino, producing renderings in KeyShot.
• Specifying product look and feel (surface finish, color, material, texture, branding) and creating/maintaining color specifications.
• Developing color palette proposals, organizing supplier CMF samples, and working to standards such as Pantone, NCS, SPI, YickSang, and Mold-Tech.
• Supporting UI design, icon design, and rating/warning label creation.
• Creating wireframes, interactive prototypes, and visual design specs in Figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch.
• Participating in usability testing and maintaining/evolving design systems.
• Building visual and functional prototypes.

Requirements & Tech Stack

Attributes & Skills

• Current student in a related bachelor's, master's, or PhD program, or graduated within the past year, in fields such as:
• Industrial Design
• Product Design
• UX/UI or Interaction Design
• Mechanical Engineering
• Marketing
• Market Research
• Psychology or Sociology
• Culinary Arts or Food Science
• Business
• Communications
• Or similar
• Must be able to work a full-time, 40-hour-per-week onsite-hybrid schedule.
• A consumer-first perspective and curiosity about product usage.
• Strong visual and verbal storytelling abilities.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Strong organizational and project management instincts.
• Hands-on and resourceful.
• Able to synthesize complex input into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Collaborative and positive in discussions and reviews.
• Proficient in Microsoft 365 (particularly PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook).
• Prior internship, co-op, studio, kitchen, research, or personal project experience is a strong asset.

Additional Skills (a plus)

• CAD and 3D: SolidWorks, Creo, or Rhino; rendering in KeyShot.
• Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.
• Design and prototyping tools: Figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch.
• Prototyping and shop competency: 3D printing, machine shop equipment, building in plastic and metal.
• Color and materials standards: Pantone, NCS, SPI, YickSang, Mold-Tech; interest in color communication.
• Basic understanding of electronics commonly used in small appliances.
• Accessibility best practices and responsive design principles; interest in connected consumer products, smart home technology, or IoT ecosystems.
• Coursework in market research, consumer insights, psychology, sociology, or related social sciences.
• Prior experience in food service, recipe testing, or culinary R&D.
• Project tracking and file management tools such as Asana, Monday, Airtable, Box, or SharePoint.

Work Samples

• If interested in a design role (Industrial Design, CMF, or UX/UI), please include a portfolio demonstrating your design process.

Compensation & Benefits

• Hourly Pay Range: $26—$35 USD
• Benefits include: medical insurance, health savings account (HSA) with company contribution, sick time, company holidays, employee product discount, product testing opportunities, referral bonuses, and more.

Culture

• Outrageously Extraordinary mindset.
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.