Current Employment Opportunities at the Design Lab

Are you interested in a job with the Design Lab? All of our current employment opportunities are listed on this page. For information and to apply for a position, please follow the instructions or links posted below. Additional questions may be directed to Ashley Davis, Director of the Design Lab, or Abby Bagwell, Coordinator of Pre-College Programs. Thank you for your interest in working with us!

Design Camp 2025 Staff Positions

Interested in working with us? Please review the following information to learn more about all employment opportunities, and specifics for each position.

Design Camp 2025 Programs

• Day Camps
  • Middle School Day Camps // Rising 6th – 8th grade students
  • Design Fundamentals Day Camp // Rising 8th + 9th grade students
  • High School Day Explorations Camp // Rising 9th – 12th grade students
• Residential Camps
  • High School Explorations Residential Camp // Rising 10th – 12th grade students
  • Design Immersions Residential Program // Rising 11th + 12th grade students
  • Design Connections Residential Experience // Rising 10th – 12th grade students

See our Design Camp website for detailed information on each camp.
See below for staff position details.

Those interested in Counselor or TA positions MUST attend ONE of the mandatory information sessions to apply:

• February 5, 2025 | 6:00 pm | Location TBD
• February 6, 2025 | 11:00am | Virtual Info Session
  • Register for the Virtual Info Session HERE
• February 6, 2025 | 6:00 pm | Location TBD
  • Information and reminders will be sent through the College of Design’s undergraduate and graduate student listserv.
  • IF you are studying abroad and cannot attend our information session, but you are interested in working at Design Camp, please email us at designlab_k12@ncsu.edu.

Design Camp 2025 Staff Positions

Interested in working with us? Please review the following information to learn more about all employment opportunities, and specifics for each position.

Design Camp 2025 staff working weeks*:

• Training Retreats
  • Instructor & TA Training Retreat (Mandatory Attendance)
    • May 21 – 23, 2025
    • Additionally, instructors and TAs must be available to present their studio projects at the Counselors’ Training on Friday, June 6, 2025.
  • Counselor Training Retreat (Mandatory Attendance)
    • June 3 – 6, 2024
• Day Camps
  • Middle School Day Camps // Rising 6^th – 8^th grades 
    • July 6 (Prep Day); July 7 – 11, 2025
    • July 13 (Prep Day); July 14 – 18, 2025
    • July 25 (Prep Day); July 28 – August 1, 2025
  • Design Fundamentals // Rising 8th and 9th grades
    • July 6 (Prep Day); July 7 – 11, 2025
  • High School Explorations Day Camp // Rising 9^th – 12^th grades 
    • July 25 (Prep Day); July 28 – August 1, 2025
• Residential Camps
  • High School Explorations Residential Camp // Rising 10^th – 12^th grades
    • June 20 (Prep Day); June 22 – June 28, 2025
  • Design Immersions Residential Camp // Rising 11^th and 12^th grades
    • June 17, 2025 // Online Orientation for Registrants
    • July 13 – 19, 2025 // Residential Week
  • Design Connections Residential Experience // Rising 10^th – 12^th grades
    • July 6 – 11, 2025
• End of Camp Season
  • Design Camp Clean-up & Leazar Reset
    • August 5, 2025

*More details and information will be shared at the mandatory interest meeting in February 2025.

Design Camp Counselors and TAs // Job Descriptions

Counselors 

While all Design Camp staff have a strong impact on the lives of our campers (and future designers!), counselors have the unique opportunity to inspire students by working with them around the clock in different scenarios and on different projects, as well as helping them make connections between personal experience and the path towards becoming designers. 

Counselors are responsible for supervision of their group of campers at all times and assist with studio activities, recreation, and presentations. Counselors work with instructors and teaching assistants (TAs) to help facilitate learning during each studio project, and are required to present a portfolio piece of their own to campers. In addition, Counselors work with fellow camp staff to prep, organize, and lead camper’s in-group activities.

Counselors must maintain a positive, professional, and encouraging relationship with campers and fellow staff taking an active role in the studio environment.

Residential Design Camp counselors are expected to be available 24/7 during the week of Design Camp and will live in assigned dorms to cover supervision. 

Teaching Assistants

Teaching Assistants (TA’s) are assigned to a specific studio. TA’s assist camp instructors with studio instruction, project critiques, and general studio management. In addition, TA’s will fulfill similar work duties as described above for camp counselors. 

TA’s work directly with campers, helping them learn and practice using design skills, techniques and ways of thinking relevant to the project or focus of the project.

TAs will assist with studio prep and keep tabs on project supplies during camp. TAs are required to be available to complete prep work the weeks directly before each camp, as well as the full day on Prep Days. Prep work hours are set by instructors and approved by the Coordinator of Pre-College Programs. Prep hours should not exceed 6 hours per camp week, and may be concentrated in the week preceding the first camp if the TA is working multiple weeks.

This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in or curious about teaching, leadership, or project management.

College of Design Students and recent graduates are eligible for counselor and TA positions.

Design Camp Instructors // Summer 2025

Design Camp is an annual series of pre-college summer programs offered at NC State University’s College of Design for high school and middle school students. Design Camp aims to inform students about the study of design and raise awareness of the impact of design on all aspects of our everyday lives. The design thinking skills and creative experience gained can empower students on their path toward becoming innovative problem solvers and prepare them to tackle the challenges of the future.

Having operated for over a quarter of a century, the Design Camp at NC State College of Design has provided the spark and fuel of inspiration for thousands of aspiring designers, including some who have gone on to national and international success in their field. Design Camp changes the lives of not only its campers but has proved to be a wonderful, life changing experience for hundreds of College of Design faculty, staff and students who have worked for the program over the years. 

Design Camp students work with camp instructors and teaching assistants on projects involving disciplines offered at the college: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Industrial Design, Art & Design, and Graphic Design. 

Instructors will follow the Design Camp curriculum guidelines and develop age appropriate studio projects in response to a different theme each year, challenging students to explore their creativity and critical- thinking skills while pushing them to try a range of techniques and media.

Work Schedule

• Varies according to camp(s) selected. Approximately 8:30am-5:00pm during the camp week(s) worked. Instructors will be required to complete training throughout the Spring Semester, including attending a 3 day training with their TA on May 21 – 23, 2025.
• Additionally, instructors must be available to present their studio projects at the Counselors Training on Friday, June 6, 2025.
• Camp Prep Day is held in a 1/2 day period before each camp session begins. Instructors are required to work Prep Day sessions and ensure all studio prep is complete before the start of camp. Dates listed above include Camp Prep Days. 

For more information and to apply, please reach out to Ashley Davis, Director, Design Lab for K-12 Education.

College of Design faculty, adjunct faculty, graduate students and design professionals are eligible to apply.

Former Design Camp Hires