Internship in Graphic Design

ESO's Department of Communication (COMM) comprises more than 20 staff with a range of complementary expertise ranging from astronomy, writing, image processing, video production, publishing, web production, social media and design to event organisation, and it is responsible for all aspects of internal and external communication for the organisation.

During Q1 2027, ESO Chile will be preparing for some of its most significant public engagement activities, including its flagship ESO ALMA Open House Day in Santiago, and Astronomy Day celebrations in Coquimbo and Antofagasta. These initiatives draw huge crowds and require a wide range of visual communication materials to support public participation and enhance visitor experience. The design intern will play a leading role in the development of these materials, from initial concept and design to final production and printing. Deliverables may include event signage, informational graphics, visitor wayfinding materials, digital invitations, promotional assets, and social media content.

The internship will also provide hands-on experience supporting ESO's permanent and traveling exhibitions. The selected student will contribute to the design of exhibition labels, interpretive panels, and infographics that communicate scientific concepts to diverse audiences within ESO's Visitor Centres and outreach programmes.

In addition, the intern will support ESO social media team by developing content for digital campaigns in collaboration with strategic partners, to promote public visits and events, among others.

Project:

Design internship: visitor experience and social media

One of 2026 challenges is the upgrade of the visitors' experience at its observatories and during the biggest outreach event of the year: ESO Open House (OH) at Vitacura offices. On this regard, the intern will support three key initiatives: updating the public visits scripts and talking points that the guides use during the 3-hour guided tour to ensure engagement, interest and understanding of the observatories mission for it its different audiences (high school students and teachers, families with small kids, and adults with interest in science); propose improvements to the OH based on visitor satisfaction surveys from previous years, and organizing the media database to better support promotion of these and other activities and events among COMM's responsibilities.

The selected student will help review and edit the tour scripts, contribute to content improvement of diverse COMM's products (announcements, reports, SM videos and others), alongside with working on updating, enriching, and profiling the database of national journalists who can cover topics related to the observatory's work: from the scientific field to tourism and educational entertainment. The intern will collaborate closely with the COMM Chile team and participate in coordination meetings throughout the project.

Reports to:

Outreach Officer

Objectives:

• Lead the design and production of visual materials for ESO's major public engagement events during the first quarter of 2027, including Open House Santiago and Astronomy Day activities in Coquimbo and Antofagasta.
• Develop graphic assets from concept to final production, including signage, wayfinding elements, informational materials, digital invitations, and promotional content following the principles and guidelines of the ESO Visual Identity.
• Coordinate with the Communication Team and external suppliers to prepare files for printing and installation.
• Create exhibition labels, interpretive panels, and infographics for ESO's permanent and traveling exhibitions, supporting visitor engagement and science communication objectives.
• Adapt scientific and institutional content into accessible visual formats for diverse audiences visiting ESO's Visitor Centres.
• Design social media templates and visual assets to support outreach campaigns, public visits, Astronomy Day events, and other educational initiatives.
• Collaborate with strategic partners and the Communication Team on the development and execution of digital communication campaigns.
• Participate in COMM Team meetings and present progress updates and deliverables throughout the internship.
• Submit regular progress reports for feedback and incorporate revisions into ongoing projects.
• Deliver a portfolio of completed design assets and production-ready materials developed during the internship.

Student Profile:

• Candidates currently enrolled in a university degree in design are eligible.
• Proficiency in graphic design, layout design, and exhibit design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign); strong creative thinking skills to develop innovative proposals. Coursework or experience in museums, visitor centres or similar is also desirable.

In addition, the candidate should have interest in communicating astronomy and other physical sciences to the public. A suitable candidate must be fluent in English and Spanish both written and oral, have strong MS Office applications skills (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint). Competences: Ability to work in teams and to communicate effectively in an international environment, interacting and collaborating with people from different countries and cultures; creative, proactive, open and friendly attitude; good organizational skills and comfortable working to deadlines.

Language skills:

The position requires being fluent in Spanish and English, both written and oral.

We offer

ESO offers a special allowance during the period you are performing your internship with us. The duration of the internship is 3 during summer 2026 (January to March).

Duty Station:

ESO's Offices in Vitacura, Santiago, with possible travels to the observing sites (Antofagasta and Coquimbo regions).

Application

We invite students from Chilean Universities in an advanced stage of their career to apply. The apprenticeship should be supported by the University and therefore covered by the accident insurance (Law 16.744).

If you are interested in working in areas of frontline technology and in a stimulating international environment, you are invited to apply online at http://recruitment.eso.org/.

Applications must be completed in English and should include a motivational letter and a CV. Please also include a portfolio showcasing a selection of your work that is relevant to this position, demonstrating your skills and creativity. Additionally, having experience or completed projects in the field of science communication will be considered a significant advantage.

Closing date for applications is 28 October 2027.

ESO Values

An important element in any successful employment relationship is harmony in values between an organisation and its people.

The ESO values are:

ESO strives for excellence through innovation.

ESO provides outstanding services to its communities.

ESO fosters diversity & inclusion.

ESO believes in the key role of sustainability for its future.

Achieving the above are recognized as only possible on the basis of personal values and attitudes that we expect from our employees: respect, integrity, accountability, commitment, collaboration, and clear & open communication.

Applicants to any ESO role are asked to reflect on their affinity with these values and advised they may be asked about them if called for interview.

Diversity

ESO has established diversity as an important value of the Organisation, is committed to providing an equal opportunities environment and is actively seeking to promote a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce. Please visit https://www.eso.org/public/about-eso/sustainability/dei-at-eso/ for further details.

Nationality

No nationality is excluded, however non-Chilean applicants must have a pertinent working permit, according to Chilean regulations, at the time of the application. The post is equally open to suitably qualified candidates irrespective of gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity or religion.