Creative Technologist Intern, Open Innovation

Overview

CHANEL is hiring a Creative Technologist Intern for its Open Innovation team in New York City. This role is focused on building, experimenting, and translating ideas into working outputs that help the team test concepts, show possibilities, and communicate innovation clearly. The position reports to the Senior Manager, Incubation Programs and Partnerships.

CHANEL emphasizes an inclusive environment that supports personal growth and values varied perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds.

About the Role

In this position, you will act as the team’s hands-on builder and creative maker. You will take research, briefs, and early-stage concepts and turn them into prototypes, demos, and visual materials. Your work may include functional prototypes, immersive visualizations, or proof-of-concept experiences built with emerging technologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Create fast, practical prototypes that make innovation ideas concrete.
• Develop interactive demonstrations, proof-of-concept builds, and MVP-style tools to support experimentation and venture exploration.
• Work across multiple prototype formats such as web experiences, mobile interfaces, physical-digital interactions, and data-led tools.
• Track new technologies, including agentic systems, generative models, spatial computing, and advanced human-computer interaction, and look for ways to apply them to active projects.
• Build small experiments and demos that show how new technologies could support team priorities.
• Contribute a technical perspective to trend and signal research by assessing feasibility and identifying opportunities for implementation.
• Support the broader Open Innovation team as a technical resource for coding, design, and build-related needs.
• Work with external collaborators such as studios, universities, and startups on the technical side of co-creation efforts.
• Assess and test tools, platforms, and technologies that could improve workflows and innovation processes.

What You Should Be Comfortable With

• Moving quickly from ideas and research into tangible interactive outputs.
• Exploring emerging technologies such as agentic AI, generative models, spatial computing, and creative coding.
• Working collaboratively with designers, engineers, strategists, and makers from different disciplines.
• Balancing strategic thinking with hands-on building.
• Learning continuously and staying adaptable when tools or problems are unfamiliar.
• Receiving feedback well and contributing positively in team settings.

Requirements

• You are currently studying in, or have recently completed, a degree in Creative Technology, Interaction Design, Computer Science, Digital Arts, UX/UI Design, or a similar area.
• You can demonstrate your ability to build through a portfolio or examples of prototypes, creative work, or technical experiments.
• You have proficiency in one or more relevant areas such as 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).
• You have worked with newer development tools and AI coding assistants such as Cursor, Claude, Lovable, GitHub Copilot, or comparable tools to speed up prototyping and creative coding.
• Experience with Gen AI tools such as Vertex AI and/or Copilot Studio is a strong plus.
• You have working knowledge of Python.
• You have a strong visual design sense and can explain ideas through compelling visuals.
• You are comfortable working independently, solving problems resourcefully, and navigating ambiguity.
• You work well across disciplines and enjoy collaboration.
• You are fluent in English.

What You Will Learn

• How an in-house innovation team at a global luxury brand develops ideas, experiments, and new ventures.
• How creative technology is applied in luxury and retail settings.
• How to prototype for a variety of practical use cases.
• How to collaborate with strategists, business leaders, and outside partners.
• How to transform research and strategy into visible, testable outputs.

Compensation

The expected base salary for this role is USD 50,600 to USD 62,800 per year. Base pay is only one part of the overall package, and variable pay may also be included. Other compensation elements may include a bonus opportunity, benefits, and/or perks.

Benefits and Perks

• Wellbeing support, including dedicated paid time off for wellbeing, an August office closure, wellbeing days in retail, and a wellbeing fund.
• Family and caregiving support such as parental leave, fertility support, MilkStork, and Care.com membership.
• Paid time off benefits including vacation, holidays, sick time, and volunteer days.
• 401(k) and additional incentives.
• Health coverage options including medical, dental, vision, virtual care, One Medical, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, and employee assistance program.
• Life insurance, AD&D, short-term disability, long-term disability, Health Advocate, international business travel accident and medical coverage, and commuter transit and parking support.

Additional Information

CHANEL describes itself as a private company that aims to create an environment where people can do their best work and feel confident and fulfilled. The company encourages employees to better understand the brand, the business, and the motivations behind both so that growth can be unlocked together.

Diversity and Inclusion

• CHANEL promotes diversity and inclusion through a culture of respect, empathy, and dignity.
• The company believes that a wide range of human differences strengthens the organization and its relationships with colleagues and clients.
• CHANEL also offers employee resource groups in the United States, which are voluntary, employee-led communities open to all.

CHANEL Community

• Employees are encouraged to use their passions and talents to support and learn from local communities.
• Team members may take annual time off to volunteer through CHANEL Community, and the company matches employee donations to selected charities.

Sustainability

• CHANEL Mission 1.5° is the company’s climate action plan, aligned with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels.
• Employees can contribute to sustainability efforts at both corporate and divisional levels through task forces and initiatives.

Arts and Culture

• CHANEL supports cultural engagement through initiatives such as the CHANEL Culture Fund and the CHANEL Next Prize for emerging creative talent.
• In the United States, support includes annual sponsorships and programs associated with MoMA, Tribeca Film Festival, Through Her Lens, the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, and the BAAND Together Dance Festival at Lincoln Center.

Fondation CHANEL

• Founded in 2011, Fondation CHANEL works to help women and girls shape their own futures.
• Through long-term partnerships with financial and technical support, the foundation focuses on improving the safety and autonomy of women and adolescent girls worldwide.

Career and Leadership Development

• CHANEL provides in-house support for onboarding, leadership development, coaching, and learning programs.
• Training opportunities include custom programs and blended online and live courses designed to support career growth.
• Benefits and perks are subject to eligibility and may be changed by CHANEL at any time.

Role Details

Location: New York, NY. The role is described as full-time and internship-based.