Position Summary
Schmidt Ocean Institute, a private nonprofit operating foundation, is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Web Experience & UX Intern to support ongoing improvements to our website and digital user experience. This internship is ideal for a student interested in user experience (UX), web design, accessibility, digital analytics, content strategy, or website quality assurance.
As Schmidt Ocean Institute prepares to launch a new headless website that will replace our current public-facing site, the intern will have the opportunity to contribute to a wide range of website enhancement, testing, and optimization efforts during a significant organizational digital initiative.
Working closely with the Communications team, the intern will help evaluate how visitors interact with website content and identify opportunities to improve usability, engagement, accessibility, and discoverability.
Projects May Include
User journey reviews and “next-step” content recommendations
Website exit-point and engagement analysis
AI search (Generative Engine Optimization/GEO) assessments
Quality assurance testing to identify usability issues, content errors, accessibility concerns, and user experience improvements before and after website launch.
Accessibility, metadata, and alt text audits
Broken link and redirect reviews
Mobile experience testing and recommendations
First-time visitor usability testing
Qualifications
- Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program
- Interest in UX design, web design, digital communications, analytics, accessibility, or related fields
- Strong attention to detail and analytical thinking
- Able to take initiative, stay organized, and follow through on tasks in a remote work environment
- Strong communication skills
- Familiarity with website usability principles and user-centered design concepts
- Experience with website testing, wireframing, analytics tools, accessibility reviews, or UX research is a plus
- Familiarity with content management systems (CMS) and modern website architectures is a plus
- Experience with headless CMS platforms and modern website architectures is a plus
- Familiarity with Sanity CMS is highly desirable but not required
Preferred Areas of Study
Additional Information
- Internship is approximately 10 hours per week.
- Applicants must be located within the United States during the internship period.
- Interest in ocean science, ocean exploration, or science communication is a plus.