Already applied?
View DashboardImagine working side-by-side with industry leaders in your field of study. Imagine building upon the skills you've learned in the classroom within a family of legendary brands passionate about creating world-class experiences on a global scale. Now, imagine yourself in a paid Disney Internship.
National Geographic Cartography Intern, Summer 2026
Apply Now Apply Later Job ID 10137856 Location Washington, DC, United States Business National Geographic Date posted Jan. 23, 2026Job 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
The pay rate for this role in Washington D.C. is $22.50 per hour. Select benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, such as medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered. To learn more about our benefits visit: https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.
About National Geographic:
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between Disney and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 131 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education.
About The Walt Disney Company:
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.
This position is with National Geographic Partners PAY SVC, which is part of a business we call National Geographic.
National Geographic Partners PAY SVC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.