National Geographic Cartography Intern, Summer 2026 job at National Geographic. Washington DC.

Job Summary:

About the Role & Program

At National Geographic, our cartography team is at the forefront of visual storytelling. We work together to transform complex ideas into stunning maps that reveal the world’s hidden stories. Our maps are essential—they establish place, illustrate concepts, and make information accessible in ways that words and photos alone cannot. As a Cartographic Intern, you’ll be part of our creative community, collaborating with award-winning journalists, designers, and subject matter experts. We dive deep into each topic, identify the elements that need spatial illustration, and use an iterative process to craft maps that engage and inform a global audience. Our work appears in feature articles for National Geographic Magazine, digital stories, and interactive experiences—reaching millions and inspiring curiosity about our planet. We pride ourselves on journalistic excellence, always seeking the latest spatial data and fact-checking every detail. By joining our team, you’ll gain hands-on experience in custom cartography, contribute to high-impact projects, and help shape the future of storytelling at National Geographic.

This is a full-time internship, and the approximate dates of this internship are from May/June through August/September 2026. If selected for this internship, you will report directly to the Senior Manager, Cartography. A portfolio review (PDF attachment or link) is required to be considered for the National Geographic Cartography Intern, Summer 2026 position.

What You Will Do

• Create Impactful Content: Contribute to National Geographic Magazine (NGM) and National Geographic History (NGH) by learning how custom cartography is crafted for journalistic publications. You’ll participate in team meetings and content critiques and be responsible for delivering assigned mapping projects on time.

• Apply GIS Skills: Dive into applied GIS work by mining databases and GIS resources to analyze and visualize story data. You’ll gain hands-on experience working alongside staff experts who use GIS daily in a professional environment.

• Collaborate Across Disciplines: Discover how our multidisciplinary story teams build projects for publication on multiple platforms. You’ll be attached to one or more story teams, assisting staff cartographers and learning the full lifecycle of a published project.

• Support Digital Storytelling: Work on short-form content for our digital platforms, providing mapping support for scheduled digital stories. By attending daily digital meetings and collaborating with the Manager of Digital Cartography, you’ll actively participate in story ideation and execution.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Strong oral and written communication skills

• Analytical and organized

• Ability to handle and prioritize simultaneous projects and meet deadlines

• Self-motivated and resourceful, with the ability to work with minimal supervision and exercise independent judgment

• Proficient in the use Adobe Creative Suite; Avenza Mapublisher; QGIS or other GIS software

• Adept at learning new software

• Curiosity about National Geographic and its core subjects

Preferred Qualifications

• Python coding experience

• Basic knowledge of HTML/CSS

• Familiarity with software like: Airtable, SPSS

Education

• Junior or Senior year preferred

• Pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree Geography, Cartography, or Geographic Information Systems

• Major or previous coursework in Geography, Cartography, GIS, or Environmental Science

Eligibility Requirements & Program Information

Candidates for this opportunity MUST meet all of the below requirements:

• Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree taking at least one class at time of application OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship.

• Current Disney Interns, College, International, or Culinary Program Participants: You may only work for ONE consecutive year (12 months) in any combination of an internship and/or program.

• Be at least 18 years of age

• Possess unrestricted work authorization

Additional Required Documents

• A portfolio review is required for this position. For full consideration, please include a link to your portfolio on your resume or with your application. You can also upload a PDF copy of your portfolio. Applications without a portfolio will not be considered a completed application packet and may not be fully considered for the position.

Additional Information

• Able to have a consistent, reliable work schedule throughout the internship

• The approximate dates of this internship are May/June 2026 through August/September 2026.

• Fully available from Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm ET for the duration of the internship

• Able to provide own housing for the duration internship program in the Washington D.C. area

• Able to provide/have reliable transportation to/from work