Creative Technologist Intern, Open Innovation

Location: New York, NY
Reports to: Senior Manager, Incubation Programs and Partnerships
Contract: Full-time, internship
CHANEL
At Chanel, we are focused on creating an inclusive culture that nurtures personal growth, contributing to collective progress. We believe the uniqueness of each individual increases the diversity, complementarity and effectiveness of our teams. We strongly encourage your application, as we value the perspective, experience and potential you could bring to CHANEL.
ABOUT THE ROLE
We’re looking for a Creative Technologist Intern—a bold builder, rapid prototyper, and creative coder—to join CHANEL’s Open Innovation team in NYC. As the Creative Technologist Intern, you will be the team’s builder and maker. You will bring technical fluency, turning concepts, research findings, and innovation briefs into tangible prototypes, demos, and visual assets. Whether it’s a working prototype, an immersive data visualization, or a proof-of-concept demo using emerging technology, you will accelerate the team’s ability to experiment, demonstrate, and communicate ideas.
WHAT IMPACT YOU CAN CREATE AT CHANEL
Rapid Prototyping & Technical Execution
Build quick, functional prototypes to bring innovation concepts and project ideas to life
Develop interactive demos, proof-of-concept experiences, or MVP-level tools to support team experiments and venture explorations
Prototype across a range of formats — web-based experiences, mobile interfaces, physical-digital interactions, or data-driven tools — depending on project needs
Emerging Technology Exploration
Stay current on emerging technologies (Including but not limited to Agentic systems, generative models, spatial computing (AR/VR/MR), and advanced human-computer interaction, and proactively identify opportunities to apply them within the team’s projects
Create small-scale experiments or demos to showcase the potential of new technologies for the team’s priorities
Support the team’s trend and signal research with a technical lens, evaluating feasibility and identifying build opportunities
Cross-Team Technical Resource
Serve as a technical resource for the broader Open Innovation team, supporting projects that require coding, design, or build capabilities
Collaborate with external partners (development studios, universities, startups) on technical aspects of co-creation projects
Help evaluate and test tools, platforms, and technologies that could enhance team workflows and innovation processes
YOU ARE ENERGIZED BY
Rapidly turning bold ideas and research into tangible prototypes and interactive experiences
Experimenting with the latest emerging technologies (i.e., agentic AI, generative models, spatial computing, and creative coding)
Collaborating with designers, engineers, strategists, and makers from diverse backgrounds
Connecting big-picture vision with hands-on making
Staying curious and fearless in the face of new tools, new challenges, and the unknown—constantly learning and exploring what’s next
Collaborative spirit, you work well across teams and welcome feedback
WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE TEAM
Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in Creative Technology, Interaction Design, Computer Science, Digital Arts, UX/UI Design, or a related field
Demonstrable ability to build — portfolio or examples of prototypes, creative projects, or technical experiments required
Proficiency in one or more of the following: generative models (GANs, diffusion, LLMs), creative coding (Processing, p5.js, TouchDesigner), prototyping tools (Figma, Framer, Principle), physical computing (Arduino, Raspberry Pi), or spatial computing (AR/VR/MR).
Experience with next-generation development tools and AI coding assistants (e.g., Cursor, Claude, Lovable, Github Copilot, or similar) to accelerate prototyping and enhance your creative coding workflow
Experience with Gen AI tooling (Vertex AI and/or CoPilot Studio is a significant advantage)
Working knowledge of Python
Strong visual design sensibility and ability to communicate ideas through compelling visuals
Self-directed, resourceful, and comfortable with ambiguity
Collaborative mindset and eagerness to work across disciplines
English fluency required
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
How a corporate innovation team within a global luxury house ideates, experiments, and builds new ventures
Real-world application of creative technology in a luxury and retail context
Experience prototyping for diverse use cases
Cross-functional collaboration with strategists, business leads, and external partners
How to translate innovation research and strategy into tangible, demonstrable outputs
COMPENSATION
The anticipated base salary range for this position is $50,600 through $62,800. Base salary is one component of the total compensation for this position. Other forms of variable pay [may/will] be offered for this position. Other components [may/will] include bonus potential, benefits, and/or perks.
Benefits and Perks:
Wellbeing resources include dedicated paid time off for wellbeing (2-week August Office Closure and Wellbeing Days in Retail and a Wellbeing fund
Family and care giving benefits (inclusive of parental leave, fertility support, MilkStork, and Care.com Membership)
Generous paid time off policies to include vacation, holiday, sick and volunteer days
401K and other incentives
Robust healthcare offerings; medical, dental, vision, MDLIVE (virtual care), One Medical, Flexible Spending Accounts (Health Care & Dependent Care), Health Savings Account and Employee Assistance Program
Life insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Health Advocate, International Business Travel Accident & Medical, and Commuter Transit & Parking
Additional Information:
CHANEL is a private company whose values are grounded in creating the conditions for people to perform at their best and feel fulfilled and confident in their work. We offer a unique work environment where individuals are encouraged to better understand the brand, the business, and motivations, so that together we can unlock the possibilities of growth. This is reflected in:
Diversity and Inclusion:
At CHANEL, we are intentional in promoting Diversity & Inclusion. We foster respect, empathy and dignity for all. We believe strongly that the diversity of our people across the full spectrum of human differences is essential to our organization and the connections we have with each other and our clients
We offer Employee Resource Groups in the US that are voluntary, open to all, employee-led groups formed around a shared identity or lived experience, whose aim is to foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community aligned with the values and missions of the communities they support
CHANEL Community:
CHANEL Community empowers our employees to channel their passions, talents, and sense of purpose to contribute to and learn from our communities
Employees are encouraged to take time off annually to volunteer through CHANEL Community. CHANEL also matches employee donations to select charitable organizations
Sustainability:
CHANEL Mission 1.5° is our climate action plan. It is focused on transforming the business in line with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement on climate change to limit the average global mean temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels
Employees are encouraged to contribute to our US Sustainability efforts at the corporate level and within the divisions, through organized taskforces and initiatives
Arts and Culture:
We are committed to extending our legacy of cultural engagement. Global support includes the CHANEL Culture Fund, which supports a select group of leading art culture institutions across the globe, and the CHANEL Next Prize for the next generation of creative talent. US support currently includes Annual sponsorship of the MoMA film program, Tribeca Film Festival programs and Through Her Lens, Support of the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women and Sponsorship of the BAAND Together Dance Festival at Lincoln Center
Fondation CHANEL:
Since 2011, Fondation CHANEL’s mission is for women and girls to be free to shape their own destiny. Through multi-year partnerships with financial and technical support, Fondation CHANEL is committed to improving the safety and autonomy of women and adolescent girls around the world, impacting over a million women and girls in its first 10 years
For more information, please navigate to the Fondation CHANEL website here
Career and Leadership Development:
We have dedicated in-house teams focused on supporting the onboarding of employees, developing leadership skills via custom programs like Imagine CHANEL People, Heart of Leadership and group and individual coaching, and blended online and live classes offered on our Bloom platform and by skilled trainers, such as Shape Your Career, to develop career building skills
*CHANEL, Inc. benefits and perks are dependent on eligibility and subject to modification by CHANEL at any time.