Intern/Co-Op- Product Design

Join the diverse and dynamic team that powers Michigan's largest energy provider and one of the nation's largest gas and electric combination utilities. Consumers Energy services 6.8 million of Michigan's 10 million residents - caring for our friends and neighbors in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. We embrace a cleaner and leaner utility vision focused on eliminating energy waste and adding renewable energy from sources such as wind and solar.

Product Design Intern

Location

This position is onsite a minimum of three days per week at our corporate headquarters in Jackson, MI. The selected candidate must be within a commutable distance or willing to relocate (a relocation package is available for those who qualify).

The interview process for this position will consist of both a panel interview and a portfolio review.

• This position is not open to sponsorship.

General Summary of Responsibilities

If you are a passionate and creative design student eager to gain practical experience and contribute to real-world projects, join our dynamic design team as an intern. Immerse yourself in the exciting world of design, learn from experienced professionals, and develop your skills across various design disciplines.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaborate with senior designers, product managers, and developers to understand project requirements and user needs.
• Assist in conducting user research, including surveys, interviews, and usability testing, to gather valuable insights.
• Translate research findings and user needs into design solutions, including wireframes, prototypes, and user flows.
• Utilize industry-standard design tools such as Figma and Sketch to craft intuitive and visually appealing user interfaces.
• Contribut to the development and maintenance of design systems and UI pattern libraries.
• Participate in brainstorming sessions, design reviews, and workshops, actively contributing ideas and feedback.
• Support the team in iterating designs based on feedback and usability testing results to ensure a seamless user experience.
• Assist in creating visual assets, icons, illustrations, and defining color schemes and typography as needed.
• Document design decisions, specifications, and other related artifacts.

Education/Experience

Currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s degree program in UX Design, Graphic Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field.

Preferred Experience

• A strong portfolio showcasing your understanding of UI/UX design principles and methodologies.
• Demonstrated proficiency in design tools such as Figma and Sketch, or similar industry-standard software like Adobe XD or InVision.
• Basic understanding of user research methodologies and usability testing practices.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, managing multiple tasks and meeting deadlines.
• Enthusiasm for learning and a passion for creating exceptional user experiences.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with responsive design principles.
• Basic understanding of front-end development technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
• Interest in accessibility and UX best practices.

Hours and Travel

Must meet the travel requirements of the position. Must be able to work a flexible schedule, which may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, and use hands to handle or feel objects. The employee is frequently required to talk and hear. The employee must be able to lift and move up to twenty pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Important Note

This posting does not represent a specific position and is intended to collect resumes from students interested in internship opportunities with Consumers Energy. Opportunities may include summer 2026 or part-time roles.

Due to the nature of this posting and its alignment with the winter/spring recruitment season, applications will be collected from September through October 2025. Responses to applications may be delayed due to the extended application period. The best way to stand out is to visit us on campus!

Consumers Energy Employee Referrals

If you are a Consumers Energy employee and would like to refer an applicant to this position, please visit your Workforce Connect homepage and use the “Refer Friends and Family” section.

For questions, please contact: [email protected]

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

We, at CMS Energy, value Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. It is part of our DNA. We treat our employees with respect, we treat each other fairly and we value the opinions of others. We are passionate about building and nurturing an environment where everyone feels included. We don’t discriminate. We seek to learn about each other and better understand our unique differences. Our uniqueness makes us authentic. We create safe spaces where everyone can be who they truly are. We invite difficult conversations and uncomfortable topics. We value diverse perspectives; this is what makes us great together. We harbor an inclusive environment where employees feel empowered to share their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas. Our Employee Resource Groups, Women’s Advisory Panel (WAP), Women’s Engineering Network (WEN), Minority Advisory Panel (MAP), Pride Alliance of Consumers Energy (PACE), GENERGY, capable, Interfaith and Veterans Advisory Panel (VAP) are key enablers to living the values of our company culture: Caring, Empowered, Deliberate, Agility, and Ownership.

All qualified applicants will not be discriminated against and will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability, race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.