[Hiring] Product Design Intern @Kiva.org

Role Description

Joining Kiva's Design Team, you'll be reporting to our Principal Product Designer. Your work at Kiva will enable people across the world to do good and help each other. This role requires a high level of collaboration with our Product Management and Engineering teams. We're looking for curious, thoughtful, collaborative people who want to live their values.

We're looking for a Product Design Intern with a focus on UX design, strong UX writing, and a knack for systems thinking. Each day will be super collaborative:

• Work with an international team of Kivans, designing features for millions of users.
• Run studies with our Principal Researcher.
• Contribute to Kiva's design system.

This Kiva internship is a 6-month , part-time (24-32 hours per week) , United States-based, remote volunteer position .

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with our Principal Researcher on at least one research project, helping conduct user interviews, usability tests, and surveys, and turning what you learn into insights that shape product decisions.
• Join a cross-functional team of engineers and a product manager to design and ship at least one feature tested live on Kiva.org, from early flows and wireframes through launch.
• Build interactive prototypes in Figma to explore ideas, test with users, and communicate designs to your team.
• Contribute to Kiva's design system by defining and shipping at least one new component or primitive alongside the system's design and engineering leads.
• Share your work in weekly design critiques with the team, giving and receiving feedback and explaining your decisions to designers and non-designers alike.

Qualifications

• At least 21 years of age or older by January 12, 2027.
• Able to commit to the full 6-month term.
• Strong UX writing skills: you can write clear, concise, brand-aligned copy.
• Systems thinking: you can spot patterns and design reusable components.
• Visual and interaction design: you can create polished, intuitive interfaces with a strong eye for detail.
• Comfortable working on macOS.
• Proficiency with standard design tools such as Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud.
• AI design tools: you can use tools like Figma Make, Claude, and ChatGPT to explore and prototype ideas.
• Able to keep track of projects from handoff to completion.
• Proactive, able to meet deadlines, and able to explain design decisions to non-designers.
• Exceptional communicator with a knack for articulating design rationale.
• Thrives in an iterative process that involves listening, adapting, moving fast, talking with users, incorporating feedback, and constantly collaborating.

Benefits

• Professional development and skills workshops.
• Access to Kiva’s network of Kiva Fellowship and Internship Alumni.
• Optional participation in Kiva’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and social activities such as happy hours and coffee chats.
• References are gladly given for successful participants.
• Kiva will provide a modest stipend of $800 a month (before taxes) to its volunteers.

Please note that the stipend is considered taxable income, and we expect interns to do their own research as to how this may affect their personal/tax implications.

The weekly time commitment for a Kiva Internship is 24 - 32 hours per week, from January 12, 2027 - June 30, 2027. Please make sure you have the availability to commit for the entire internship period before submitting an application.

Company Description

Kiva is a global nonprofit, founded in 2005, with a mission to expand financial access and help underserved communities thrive. Kiva unlocks capital for borrowers through crowdfunded loans supported by individuals around the world.

• Over two million people have invested over $2 billion in real dreams and real opportunity, spanning more than 100 countries and over 5 million borrowers.
• Kiva invests in building and retaining a global team of talent to add to our values-driven and digital-first culture.
• Supported by over 700 volunteers and 130+ full-time employees dispersed around the world.
• Kiva’s team is growing as we pursue exciting new opportunities to scale our impact and create a financially inclusive world.