Designer Spring Co-op 2027

IBM
IBM

Design · Intern

Durham, NC, USA · Delft, Netherlands

Posted on Sep 29, 2026
Introduction

At IBM Software, we transform client challenges into solutions. Building the world’s leading AI-powered, cloud-native products that shape the future of business and society. Our legacy of innovation creates endless opportunities for IBMers to learn, grow, and make an impact on a global scale. Working in Software means joining a team fueled by curiosity and collaboration. You’ll work with diverse technologies, partners, and industries to design, develop, and deliver solutions that power digital transformation. With a culture that values innovation, growth, and continuous learning, IBM Software places you at the heart of IBM’s product and technology landscape. Here, you’ll have the tools and opportunities to advance your career while creating software that changes the world.

Your role and responsibilities

This is a 16‑week Co‑Op position designed for actively enrolled undergraduate students who are interested in gaining hands‑on, practical experience in their field while contributing to real IBM projects.

To be eligible, candidates must be currently enrolled at an accredited university and able to pause their coursework for the duration of the Co‑Op, as students may not be enrolled in classes while participating. This role requires full‑time availability (40 hours per week) during the Spring 2027 semester between Jan 19 - May 7. Eligible candidates should also be available to join IBM in a full‑time role between December 2027 and August 2028 upon successful completion of their degree.

We are looking for Product Design Co-op students to join our teams. As a design Co-op student, you will gain hands‑on experience creating intuitive, accessible, and visually cohesive enterprise software experiences. You’ll collaborate with designers, researchers, developers, and product managers throughout the full design lifecycle—turning ideas into prototypes, validating concepts, and shaping real product experiences used by customers worldwide.

What You’ll Do

• Create wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes using tools like Figma.

• Contribute to UI components, icons, and layouts aligned with the Carbon Design System.

• Help document reusable design components and interaction patterns.

• Collaborate with UX researchers to gather insights and validate designs.

• Apply accessibility standards and design system guidelines to all work.

• Join design critiques, ideation sessions, and Design Thinking workshops.

• Present design concepts and rationale to cross‑functional stakeholders


Location Flexibility: By applying to this requisition, you acknowledge and agree to be considered for

any of the listed locations associated with this position and are willing to work at the location where

you are ultimately assigned.

Required education
High School Diploma/GED
Preferred education
Bachelor's Degree
Required technical and professional expertise


(Guidelines — transferable skills are encouraged)
• Must be actively enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program at the time of application and returning to complete the degree after the co-op.

• Available to start full-time between December 2027 and August 2028.

• Available to work full-time (40 hours/week) at an IBM location for 16 weeks between Jan 19 - May 7.

• Co-op requires a full-time commitment; students should not be enrolled in concurrent coursework during the co-op term.

• A portfolio demonstrating design thinking, UI/UX fundamentals, and visual design skills.

• Experience with design tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Illustrator, or Photoshop.

• Understanding of user‑centered design, accessibility, and responsive design.

• Strong communication, collaboration, and problem‑solving skills.

• Enthusiasm for learning and openness to feedback.

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Familiarity with collaborative tools such as FigJam, Miro, or Mural.

• Exposure to HTML/CSS or front‑end development.

• Experience with motion design tools (After Effects, Lottie).

• Interest in design systems or metrics such as engagement and retention.

ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT

IBM Software infuses core business operations with intelligence—from machine learning to generative AI—to help make organizations more responsive, productive, and resilient. IBM Software helps clients put AI into action now to create real value with trust, speed, and confidence across digital labor, IT automation, application modernization, security, and sustainability. Critical to this is the ability to make use of all data, because AI is only as good as the data that fuels it. In most organizations data is spread across multiple clouds, on premises, in private datacenters, and at the edge. IBM’s AI and data platform scales and accelerates the impact of AI with trusted data, and provides leading capabilities to train, tune and deploy AI across business. IBM’s hybrid cloud platform is one of the most comprehensive and consistent approach to development, security, and operations across hybrid environments—a flexible foundation for leveraging data, wherever it resides, to extend AI deep into a business.

YOUR LIFE @ IBM

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.

Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

ABOUT IBM

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

Supplemental 1 employees may be eligible for up to 8 paid holidays, minimum of 56 hours paid sick time and the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan. IBM offers paid family medical leave and disability benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law.
This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 15 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.
We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.

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