JobsMercury Marine

Mercury Marine: Industrial Design Intern

Mercury Marine · Fond du Lac, WI

Posted Aug 25, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

Apply at Mercury Marine

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through your portfolio. Pick one project and tell me how it went from an early sketch to a finished concept.

whether the candidate can articulate a design process and defend their own decisions, not just show pretty pictures

Tell me about a time you got tough feedback in a design critique. What was said, and what did you do with it?

how they handle criticism, since weekly critiques are core to this internship

Tell me about a project where you had to work with engineers or people outside of design. How did you handle it when their constraints clashed with your concept?

ability to collaborate cross-functionally and compromise without losing design intent

Tell me about a time you had multiple projects going at once with different deadlines. How did you keep track and decide what to work on first?

time management and ability to juggle several assignments, since the role spans multiple product lines

How do you stay aware of trends in your competitors' or other industries' design work, and can you give an example of something you noticed recently?

genuine curiosity and market awareness versus rehearsed interest in the field

Technical

What's your process for developing surface quality and proportion once you've picked a direction from initial thumbnail sketches?

depth of hands-on sketching and form skills beyond entry-level ability

Have you worked with Color, Materials, and Finishes decisions before? Tell me how you picked materials or colors for a project and why.

whether they understand CMF as a real design discipline, not just picking colors they like

Which design software have you used - Photoshop, Illustrator, and have you touched Keyshot, Alias, or Vizcom at all?

actual software fluency versus what's listed on a resume

Describe a time you had to build a physical model or prototype by hand. What tools did you use and what problems came up?

comfort with physical model-building, not just digital rendering

Situational

How would you approach sketching concepts for something like a marine propulsion control, where the form has to work for someone's hand on a moving boat?

ability to balance user-centric ergonomics with aesthetic form development, not just style

If you were asked to design a graphic element or icon set for a control panel, how would you think about legibility and brand consistency at the same time?

understanding of graphic design fundamentals applied to a real product context

Imagine you're given a vague brief, like 'make this outboard motor cowling feel more premium.' What would your first few steps be?

ability to translate ambiguous direction into a concrete design process

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Mercury Marine from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Mercury Marine.

Are you ready for what’s next?   Come explore opportunities within Brunswick, a global marine leader committed to challenging conventions and innovating next-generation technologies that transform experiences on the water and beyond.  Brunswick believes “Next Never Rests™,” and we offer a variety of exciting careers and growth opportunities within united teams defining the future of marine recreation.  Mercury Marine- Fond Du Lac, WI- Mercury Marine: Industrial Design Intern Location: Fond du Lac, WI – Plant 12 Workplace Category: (Onsite) Travel Required: No Direct Reports: No Pay Range:  Visa Sponsorship: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.  This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.   Relocation: Yes Innovation is the heart of Brunswick.  See how your contributions will help transform vision into reality: Position Overview :   As part of the Industrial Design team at Mercury as a design intern, you will be engaged in both conceptual and production work that enables the best designs for Mercury’s marine-specific products. This role supports Industrial Design, and interfaces with Engineering and Product Integration team members . In your daily work you will be supporting Mercury Marine’s premium brand and performance expectations. This role will require you to utilize your design skills to generate ideas and concepts, while respecting project requirements and research data to enable these ideas to be usable for marine propulsion systems, marine controls, and associated components. At Brunswick, we have passion for our work and a distinct ability to deliver.  Essential Functions:   • The ID intern is involved in several aspects of design and supports projects throughout various stages of product development • Create concepts both in 2D and 3D to convey ideas/design intent • Has the ability to create both conceptual designs and learn processes for production design on both physical hardware and graphics related projects • Works alongside cross functionally regularly with other designers within the ID team in addition to Engineering staff members • Is involved in weekly design critiques on active projects • Rapid visualization using both physical and digital tools • Creation of Color, Materials, and Finishes (CMF) concepts/proposals • Assists design team with various assignments on propulsion systems, product graphics and controls projects Diversity of thought and experiences is fundamental when imagining the unimaginable. Certain skillsets/experiences are necessary; however, others can be developed along the way. Required Qualifications:    • Must be enrolled in an accredited university studying toward a bachelor’s degree for Industrial Design • Candidates should be ready to demonstrate an imaginative mindset looking to solve both conceptually based challenges and real-world program challenges with a willingness to embrace multiple projects • Strong abilities in sketching, form development, surface interest and proportions  • Solid knowledge of design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) • Product concepting including sketches, renderings and model building (digital and physical) • Clear communicator, motivated and ambitious, with a user-centric mindset • Proficient in MS Office, preferably Power Point, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook • Minimum second semester sophomore status with 48 completed credits • Availability to work full-time (40 or more hours per week) during the the months May through August of 2027. Preferred Qualifications:   • Demonstrating knowledge of design industry modeling-rendering software- Keyshot/Alias/Vizcom  • Observation/documentation skills of competitive trends in design segments/ industries • Graphic design knowledge using Illustrator for vector art development, typeface design Working Conditions: • Learning Opportunities: Our Student Program is designed to provide hands-on experience in a professional setting. You will work alongside experienced professionals and get a chance to apply your academic knowledge to real-world tasks.  • Project Work: The work environment is supportive, collaborative, and conducive to learning. Student co-ops or interns typically work on specific projects or tasks that contribute to the organization’s goals. This may range from supporting larger projects to handling smaller, individual assignments.   • Hours: Co-ops and Interns are expected to work a full 40-hour work week • Feedback and Performance Reviews: As a co-op or intern, you will receive feedback and performance reviews throughout your assignment. We value the importance for interns to understand their progress and areas for improvement.  The pay range for this position is $18.00-27.50 per hour.   The actual hourly rate offered will vary depending on multiple factors including year in school/credits earned, degree, job-related knowledge/skills, relevant experience, business needs, and geographic location.  Compensation decisions are dependent upon the specifics of the candidate’s qualifications and the business context. Why Brunswick:   Whatever tomorrow brings, we’ll be at the leading edge.  As the clear leader in the marine industry, we’re committed to our values and supporting our exceptional people. We offer and encourage growth opportunities within and across our many brands. In addition, we’re proud of being recognized for making a splash with numerous awards !  About Mercury Marine Headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Mercury Marine® is the world’s leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion engines. A division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), Mercury provides engines, boats, services and parts for recreational, commercial and government marine applications. Mercury empowers boaters with products that are easy to use, extremely reliable and backed by the most dedicated customer support in the world. The company’s industry-leading brand portfolio includes Mercury outboard engines, Mercury MerCruiser® sterndrive and inboard packages, Mercury propellers, Mercury inflatable boats, Mercury SmartCraft® electronics, Land 'N' Sea marine parts distribution and Mercury and Quicksilver® parts and oils. More information is available at MercuryMarine.com. Next is Now!   We value growth and development, recognizing that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. Brunswick is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is key to innovation and inspiration and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.  If you require accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact hrsharedservices@brunswick.com  for support.  Brunswick and Workday Privacy Policies Brunswick does not accept applications, inquiries or solicitations from unapproved staffing agencies or vendors. For help, please contact our support team at: hrsharedservices@brunswick.com or 866-278-6942. All job offers will come to you via the candidate portal you create when applying through a posted position through https:///www.brunswick.com/careers .  If you are ever unsure about what is being required of you during the application process or its source, please contact HR Shared Services at 866-278-6942 or HRSharedServices@brunswick.com . #Brunswick Corporation - Mercury Marine For more information about EEO laws, - click here Brunswick Corporation participates in E-Verify as part of our commitment to a lawful and transparent hiring process. For additional information click here: https://www.brunswick.com/e-verify .

Apply at Mercury Marine

Related jobs

Engineering Manager - FEA Lead

Mercury Marine · Fond du Lac, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Lead Manufacturing Quality Engineer

Mercury Marine · Fond du Lac, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Manufacturing Engineer

Mercury Marine · Fond du Lac, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Mercury Marine - Quality Engineer, Assembly

Mercury Marine · Fond du Lac, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Engineer III - Mechatronics

Mercury Marine · Fond du Lac, WI

Posted Sep 16 · Verified Sep 20

Assembly Tech II - 3rd Shift

Mercury Marine · Fond du Lac, WI

Posted Sep 16 · Verified Sep 20