Visual Design Intern

About the Program:

The Global Restoration Initiative (GRI) works with governments and international partners to inspire, enable and implement restoration on degraded landscapes, returning them to economic and environmental productivity.

Globally, WRI has identified more than two billion hectares of cleared and degraded forest and agricultural lands suitable for restoration – an area roughly twice the size of China. Using this data as a foundation, we work to promote restoration of degraded lands back into natural forests, agroforestry systems, or productive agriculture. Embracing forest and landscape restoration will allow for a world in which the amount of forest cover grows while the productivity of existing agricultural land increases.

The GRI has raised $150M for Restore Local, an initiative focused on three iconic African landscapes, which delivers capacity, capital, enabling policy and monitoring solutions to locally led restoration efforts. From community nurseries in Kenya to watershed revival in Burundi, Restore Local works at the intersection of science, storytelling and community enterprises.

You will be supporting Restore Local and other restoration initiatives.

Internship Highlight:

This is a hands-on design internship at the heart of one of the world's most ambitious restoration programs. You will add creative capacity to support communications needs across Restore Local and other restoration initiatives while strengthening scalable design tools and improving the quality and consistency of visual communications outputs. Design is a core part of how we communicate urgency, build credibility and move people to act, and you will help shape how restoration is seen by developing the visual systems that make complex science accessible and compelling for global audiences.

You will gain hands-on experience in branding, digital design and strategic communications; build a strong portfolio through real-world assignments; and receive mentorship in creative concepting and design within an international mission-driven organization.

In this role, you will strengthen the visual communications toolkit for Restore Local and other restoration projects and produce high-quality assets across live campaigns, donor materials and digital channels.

Your internship supervisor will be GRI’s Lead Designer. You will work closely with the wider communications team and with subject matter experts across teams and regions.

What you will do:

Design Systems & Tools (50%):

Develop and refine scalable design templates including presentations, reports, social media, donor materials and more;

Support the build-out and ongoing improvement of Restore Local's Canva platform, making high-quality design accessible to the full program team;

Ensure visual consistency across all materials, maintaining alignment with WRI brand standards;

Document and organise design assets so they are easy to find, reuse and adapt;

Creative Production (50%)

Produce visual assets for presentations, digital campaigns, infographics and donor-facing materials;

Support live communications priorities with timely, high-quality design output; from quick social graphics to polished publication layouts;

Contribute original creative thinking to briefs, bringing visual ideas that elevate the story we are telling about restoration in Africa and beyond;

Collaborate with communications colleagues and with subject matter experts to translate complex data and scientific findings into accessible, compelling visuals.

What you will need:

We are looking for a design student with genuine craft skills, an eye for visual storytelling, and a desire to put them to work for an international, mission-driven organization. Professional experience isn't required — we value strong student work and creative curiosity just as much.

·         Demonstrated proficiency in Canva and/or Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop).

·         A portfolio of design work: this can be university projects, personal work or freelance pieces

·         Experience designing for digital channels (social media, email, web) and/or print/publication formats

·         Attention to detail and the ability to maintain brand consistency across a range of formats and use cases

·         Currently pursuing a degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Media Design, Communication Design or a related field

·         Interns at WRI Europe must be registered in a study programme with a Dutch college or university for the full duration of the internship

·         Proficiency in written and spoken English; additional languages are a plus but not required.

Conditions of the Internship:

·         This is a 6-month internship with a September 21st, 2026, start date. Please indicate your availability in your application

·         Working hours:32 hours per week (to be agreed with your supervisor)

·         This internship will be based at the WRI Europe office in The Hague, with some flexibility to work from home

·         This internship offers a reimbursement of €700 per month based on full-time working hours (32 hours per week).

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume and cover letter via the WRI Careers portal by 10th August 2026. Applications submitted outside the portal will not be considered. In your cover letter, tell us about a piece of design work you are proud of, also, we want to hear your thinking, not just see the output.

You are strongly encouraged to include a link to your portfolio or any relevant work samples. We review applications on a rolling basis, so early applications are welcome.

About Us:

World Resources Institute works to improve people's lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyse change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.

Our Mission and Values:

WRI's mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth's environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations. Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Independence, Integrity, Impact, Partnership and Care.

Our Culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission including equal opportunities in employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, caste, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status.