Summer 2026 Art Automation Design Internship

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Lakeshirts is seeking a detail-oriented Design Intern to support our Art Automation initiative. This internship provides hands-on experience working at the intersection of apparel design, production workflows, and emerging automation technology.

You'll work alongside our automation and art teams to help prepare and standardize garment templates used in automated artwork placement systems.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys organized file structure, precision work in Adobe Illustrator, and learning how design connects to production and technology.

This is an on-site position based in Detroit Lakes, MN.

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm

Duration: Summer 2026

Join us and be a part of a company that values teamwork, innovation, and making work enjoyable every day! The starting wage range for this position is $16/hour.

What You'll Learn

• How garment templates are structured for production
• How artwork placement systems work
• How design files must be organized for automation
• Real-world problem solving within a production environment
• File preparation standards used in large-scale apparel manufacturing

What You'll Do (With Guidance & Training)

• Assist in preparing garment laydown files in Adobe Illustrator
• Help organize layers and objects according to defined naming standards
• Support building placement guides and safe zones
• Clean and optimize vector files for consistency
• Test templates using internal tools and report inconsistencies
• Document updates and maintain organized file libraries

You will not be expected to design production artwork or write automation code. Your focus will be structured file preparation and technical organization.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a degree in Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Apparel Design, or related field
• Working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator required
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to follow structured guidelines
• Organized and dependable
• Interest in technical design or production workflows preferred
• Comfort working with measurements and scaling
• Curiosity about automation and emerging technology

By the end of the internship, you will have:

• Contributed to standardized garment template files
• Developed stronger technical Illustrator skills
• Gained experience in production-ready file preparation
• Understood how automation integrates with creative workflows

OUR CULTURE TRULY SETS US APART. Life at Lakeshirts is all about embracing our core values, having fun, and working with great people who make every day an opportunity to thrive. We're looking for those who want to roll up their sleeves and make an impact while enjoying a culture that values creativity, teamwork, continuous improvement, and empowering each team member to define and elevate their success. We also foster a strong sense of community and are dedicated to wowing our customers on the daily.

LIFE'S BETTER IN A T-SHIRT & SO IS WORK! Here's what you can expect when you join the Lakeshirts team:

• Compensation| Work Hard. Get Rewarded: Guided by our value of meritocracy, we offer a compensation package that reflects your unique skills, talents, and contributions. You are not just a number-your success, ideas, and efforts directly shape your growth and earning potential, empowering you to take your career to the next level. And there is an option to be paid daily!
• Onsite Perks |Get in my Belly: At our HQ in Detroit Lakes, enjoy hot breakfast, lunch, and snacks from our subsidized cafeteria
• Dogs @ Work| Yes. It's A Thing. And It's Pawsome: Bring your furry friend to work, because we believe dogs just make everything better
• Relaxed Dress Code | Wear What Makes You Feel Your Best: Whether it's jeans, tees, and flip flops- we believe comfort fuels creativity, and we offer an employee merchandise discount to keep you & your family well-stocked
• Flexible Work Schedules | Full Time, Part Time & Everything In Between: Because we understand the importance of work-life balance
• Unique Culture | That Is Priceless: We make work fun; we believe in teamwork, giving back to our communities and doing what we love with great people, and always rocking a t-shirt, a hat, and some cool socks

Cognitive or Mental Requirements of the Job:

Employee must be able to see and hear, read and write. Requires good judgment, people-oriented, flexible organized diplomatic, reliable, enthusiastic, courteous, helpful, patience.

Physical Demands:

Occasionally: Lifts, Carries, Pushes, Pulls, Climbs, Balances, Bends, Twists, Crawls, Reaches, Lifts 25-50lbs, Carries 25-50lbs, , Reaches at above or below shoulder height

Frequently: Lifts and Carries 10-24lbs, Stands, Walks 

Continuously: Sits