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Research and Design Intern - Summer 2026

New York, NY (Hybrid)

For over two decades, BrainPOP has been trusted by educators and parents worldwide as a source of engaging and impactful learning experiences for all kids. With a presence in over two-thirds of U.S. districts through school and district subscriptions and an estimated annual reach of 25 million students, BrainPOP is empowering kids to take agency over their learning and excel in and out of the classroom. 

The company was acquired in 2022 by KIRKBI, the family-owned holding and investment company of the LEGO brand, marking a significant milestone as their first acquisition in the digital learning realm. We are thrilled to continue making learning fun and accessible with the strategic guidance and support of KIRKBI.

Internship Program Overview

BrainPOP’s Summer 2026 Internship Program provides an opportunity for college students to learn about the EdTech space from an industry leader and brand beloved by teachers and students. BrainPOP’s intern will participate in business relevant projects, collaborate with teams and leaders in the organization, and take part in our unique culture.

We are a hybrid workplace, and the Intern will work in the BrainPOP NYC office on Wednesdays during the course of the internship. Each Wednesday we’ll provide lunch, opportunities to interact onsite with teams, and host special programming and events throughout the experience.

Applications are open until March 31, 2026.

Please note: BrainPOP does not offer relocation, housing or travel assistance.

Details

  • Paid Internship for college students
  • 8 weeks: June 8 - July 31, 2026
  • 35 hours per week: Monday through Friday from 9:30 am - 5pm (30 minutes lunch).
  • Location: NYC / Hybrid - Wednesdays in-person at the BrainPOP Office in NYC, with the option to work remotely on other days
  • Lunch provided every Wednesday in the BrainPOP Office
  • Special events and learning oriented programming

About The Role

BrainPOP's Research and Design (RAD) team works to understand what students and teachers need and then brings those insights to life through thoughtful, engaging design. We combine user research — like interviews, testing, and observation — with visual and interaction design to shape the appearance, flow, and experience of BrainPOP's products. Our work helps ensure that every experience a user has with BrainPOP is easy to navigate, effective, and purposeful.

In this internship, you'll get hands-on experience with the research and design process at an education technology company. You'll learn how to evaluate our products for usability, identify where users may be running into challenges, and analyze real user behavior through testing. You'll collaborate closely with product designers, our lead user researcher, and members of the broader Product team to help shape experiences that work better for the people who use them.

In This Role You Will

  • Evaluate our products against usability best practices to identify areas for improvement. Document and communicate findings through diagrams and other visual artifacts
  • Observe user behavior to identify usability issues and opportunities for improvement. Design and analyze unmoderated user tests using tools like Maze. Present findings and recommendations to team members and facilitate discussions about next steps
  • Audit and document common user interface patterns across our product to help build and maintain a shared design system that supports consistency and efficient prototyping

On Your Resume

  • A rising college junior or senior (preferred); preferred courses of study include Human-Computer Interaction, UX/UI or Digital Design, Psychology, Cognitive Science
  • Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage notes, findings, and project materials in a clear and structured way
  • Effective verbal communication skills — able to share observations, ask questions, and contribute to team discussions
  • Attention to detail and a curious, observant mindset — you notice things others might overlook and ask "why"
  • Demonstrated initiative — whether through projects or extracurriculars, you take ownership and follow through without being asked
  • Basic familiarity with tools like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and diagramming or whiteboarding software such as FigJam is helpful

Location

The BrainPOP team operates in a hybrid work environment: Each role has remote flexibility and an in-person component at our New York headquarters or other meeting locations. Based on the requirements of a specific role, we may prioritize hiring within a commutable distance of our New York headquarters or in another region relevant to that role.

We can employ individuals residing in the following approved hiring states:

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Massachusetts
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Tennessee
  • Texas

#LI-DNI

We take a geo-neutral approach to compensation within the US, meaning that we pay based on job function and level, not location. We have competitive pay bands for all other countries based on market standards. Individual compensation decisions are based on a number of factors, including experience level, skill set, and balancing internal equity relative to peers at the company. Based on these factors, we expect most of the candidates offered roles at our company to fall healthily throughout the range. We recognize that the person we hire may be less experienced (or more senior) than this job description, as posted. If so, the updated salary range will be communicated to you as a candidate.

USA Pay Scale

$17 - $17 USD

Life at BrainPOP

At BrainPOP, our work directly impacts how teachers teach and students learn. They inspire us to build solutions that facilitate joy and meaningful learning outcomes. Our commitment to educators and kids is reflected in our dedication to the BrainPOP team: ensuring their experience is empowering, creative, collaborative, playful, and anchored in learning and growth.  

Our team is made up of educators, data scientists, published authors, engineers, artists, bakers, film buffs, cyclists, dual citizens, and so much more. We value diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and learning from multiple perspectives.

We believe that a diverse organization is a more effective organization. BrainPOP is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

NOTICE: We have become aware of various fraudulent websites and third parties impersonating our company and offering false job opportunities. These offers are not affiliated with BrainPOP and are considered part of an unlawful recruitment scam. To ensure your safety and protect your personal information we strongly recommend that you only apply for positions through the official BrainPOP website or BrainPOP's official LinkedIn page. If you receive any job offers or communications that do not originate from this page or our official e-mail domain brainpop.com, please treat them as suspicious and do not engage or provide any personal information. For any questions or to report suspicious activity, please contact us directly at legal@brainpop.com. While we have reported this general fraud to the authorities, you can report this fraud on your own behalf to the Federal Trade Commission (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’ s Internet Crime Complaint Center (https://www.ic3.gov/).

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