Who we’re looking for

Do you enjoy games, apps, tinkering, and generating ideas for the future of education? GameDesk is an energetic nonprofit developing innovative educational software, curriculum, and games.

Our work fosters deep conceptual knowledge and understanding of subject matter to students through game development, gameplay, tinkering, and film production. We are building iPhone games, 3d games, 2d games, course curriculum, and designing a new Los Angeles charter school.

Current Openings:


Non-profit Development Intern
Community Outreach Intern
Game Development Intern
Game Art Intern
Content Producer/Social Media Manager
Education Research Intern
Game Programmer
UI/ UX Designer
Research Intern
Senior Developer
Content Development Intern
Content Developer/Design Intern

 

Nonprofit Development Internship

GameDesk is seeking applicants for our Nonprofit Development Intern position who are familiar with the process of raising money for nonprofit institutions. Potential applicants should be familiar with grant writing for institutional funders. They should also be familiar with how to conduct research for prospective funders. You will be involved in the process of cultivating donors from research to initial approach to applying to processing grants and submitting reports. While this is an unpaid internship, you will receive valuable training and can receive course credit depending on the university and department.

Potential Responsibilities:

  • Research potential funding sources
  • Research and summarize issues for use in funding appeals
  • Work with staff on ways to engage major donors
  • Explore grant opportunities
  • Assist with preparing grant proposals
  • Data entry and other administrative tasks as needed

Intern Qualifications

  • Currently enrolled in an academic institution
  • Strong writing and research skills
  • Familiar with the process of grant writing
  • Be comfortable speaking on the phone to potential funders
  • Self-starter, flexible, and able to manage multiple tasks
  • Proficient at Microsoft Office
  • Effective interpersonal communication skills
  • Ability to work in a team or independently as needed
  • Ability to be flexible and work in a changing environment

Application Requirements

The position requires a commitment of 25-35 hours a week. Please be sure to indicate the time period during which you are seeking to intern.

Please submit the following to contactus@gamedesk.org:

Cover Letter
Resume

Please put the name of the position you are applying for in the subject line.

Community Outreach Internship

GameDesk is seeking applicants for our Community Outreach Internship to work with our core administrators on various ongoing projects. You will work closely with our Managing Director to enhance GameDesk Institute’s presence within the community. You will gain experience in public service, marketing, writing, and event coordination. While this is an unpaid internship, you will receive valuable training and can receive course credit depending on the university and department.

Potential Responsibilities:

  • Identifying and researching community events that we can attend
  • Identify and build relationships with local organizations, nonprofits, businesses and so forth
  • Develop letters and fact sheets about GameDesk for community leaders and potential parents for our charter school
  • Assist with PR by writing blogs, social networking, and email

Intern Qualifications

  • Currently enrolled in an academic institution
  • Strong writing and research skills
  • Self-starter, flexible, and able to manage multiple tasks
  • Proficient at Microsoft Office, especially Excel
  • Effective interpersonal communication skills
  • Ability to work in a team or independently as needed
  • Ability to be flexible and work in a changing environment

Application Requirements

The position requires a commitment of 25-35 hours a week Please be sure to indicate the time period during which you are seeking to intern.

Please submit the following to contactus@gamedesk.org:

Cover Letter
Resume

Please put the name of the position you are applying for in the subject line.

Game Development Internship

GameDesk is seeking programmers for our game development position on our dev team. This position requires the intern to work closely with the development and art team. You will be involved in working on games that span several platforms and art styles. While this is an unpaid internship, you will receive valuable training and can receive course credit depending on the university and department.

Potential Responsibilities:

  • Work on different projects with different technology requirements
  • Work through all phases of a project, from designing to implementation and maintenance
  • Contribute to game concept and art styles discussions and decisions

Intern Qualifications

  • Currently enrolled in an academic institution
  • Current student majoring in Computer Science, game programming, or equivalent
  • Experience developing and debugging in C# and/or Javascript
  • Preferred, some experience working with Unity
  • Ability to be flexible and work in a changing environment
  • Ability to work in a team or independently as needed

Application Requirements

The position requires a commitment of at least 16 hours a week. Please be sure to indicate the time period during which you are seeking to intern.

Please submit the following to contactus@gamedesk.org:

Cover Letter
Resume

Please put the name of the position you are applying for in the subject line.

Game Art Internship

GameDesk is seeking 2D and 3D artist(s) to assist with asset and art creation for various ongoing projects. You will be involved in the entire art pipeline from concept to creation. You will have the opportunity to participate in decisions about game concepts and art style. You will be involved in working on games that span several platforms and art styles. While this is an unpaid internship, you will receive valuable training and can receive course credit depending on the university and department.

Potential Intern Activities:

  • Participate in asset creation
  • Work on different projects with different technology requirements
  • Create concept art for new projects
  • Assist with UI design
  • Contribute to game concept and art style discussions and decisions

Intern Qualifications

  • Currently enrolled in an academic institution
  • Knowledge of Adobe Photoshop
  • For 3D artists, knowledge of Maya and/or 3DS Max
  • Ability to receive/respond to art direction
  • Ability to work in a team or independently as needed
  • Ability to be flexible and work in a changing environment

Application Requirements

The position requires a commitment of at least 16 hours a week. Please be sure to indicate the time period during which you are seeking to intern.

Please submit the following to contactus@gamedesk.org:

Cover Letter
Resume
Art Portfolio

Please put the name of the position you are applying for in the subject line.

Content Producer/Social Media Manager

Since its inception GameDesk has been a mixture of education, gaming and entertainment. Located in the creative capital of the world, GameDesk is looking for a creative and resourceful individual with a background in communications, journalism, or a related field, to join our Los Angeles team. The ideal candidate will be open to new ideas, team oriented, and will be eager to help Gamedesk in this exciting time of expansion.

The Content Producer/Social Media Manager will produce, organize, write, and edit content for the GameDesk website, PlayMaker website, education portal, social media channels and offline marketing materials. This would include weekly blog posts, daily social media posts, promotional videos and feature video pieces.
He/she will also work closely with the Director of Content Strategy and the Content and Community Coordinator to ensure that GameDesk’s mission and branding are consistent and compelling through fundraising campaigns and other events. Additionally this individual will cultivate a dynamic and colorful online and offline community around the GameDesk brand.

    Requirements:

  • Excellent editorial and writing skills
  • Good communications skills
  • Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines
  • Share GameDesk’s passion for STEM, education, and social change

Education and Experience:

  • At least five to seven years of experience working for a digital publication, tech startup, production studio or network
  • Bachelor of Arts or Science in Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, Communications, Creative Writing, Education or related field

Please submit the following to contactus@gamedesk.org:

Resume
Cover Letter

Additionally, please put the name of the position you are applying for in the subject line.

Education Research Intern

GameDesk is seeking applications for an Education Research Internship. As a part of the GameDesk research team, you will act as deep and critical thinker, master documenter, and content expert in collaboration with senior researchers, designers, artists, educators, and industry experts. Alongside this inspiring and interdisciplinary team, you will participate in the development and launch of exciting projects ranging from our PlayMaker school to a community-based educational laboratory and playspace to a web-based Netflix for education, and a handful of educational games. Moving through these contexts, you will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience conducting groundbreaking and important research into play-based education, and participating in the development and evaluation of new pedagogical models and tools designed to meet the needs of a changing economy, world, culture, and classroom. As a valued contributor to our team, you will be empowered to shape projects and exercise ownership. You’ll also get a diverse perspective on start-up culture and business development and strategy. Although this is an unpaid internship, your time with us will certainly be memorable, and you’ll see your work have a measurable impact on GameDesk and the students and families we support. Of course, you will also have the opportunity to receive course credit depending on your university and department’s requirements and opportunities.

About GameDesk: GameDesk is a growing 501c3 committed to the idea that a new century needs a new educational standard focused on transforming the world of education through play. To develop this next generation model of education, GameDesk has bridged the worlds of education and industry, operating simultaneously as a research lab, game development studio, and outreach organization. The GameDesk team researches and implements new educational concepts and curriculum, as well as creates groundbreaking, high quality software. This work has been developed, tested and evaluated by schools and community centers in the Los Angeles area, and is positioned to soon scale nationally.

    Potential Responsibilities:

  • Research learning standards and concepts for game creation projects
  • Track new developments and technologies in 21st century learning and the educational game sector
  • Participate in design, fieldwork, documentation, and analysis of formal research projects at GameDesk and in the field
  • Conduct summative and in-depth research into concepts, tools, games, trends, history, and other topics as needed
  • Prepare research reports and presentations for team and senior staff
  • Contribute to conference papers and presentations as well as academic and non-academic articles
  • Maintain existing informational databases and help to design and implement new databases
  • Data entry and other administrative tasks as needed

Required Qualifications:

  • Current enrollment in an academic institution
  • Strong and demonstrable writing and research skills
  • Interest in educational transformation
  • Voracious appetite for knowledge
  • Comfort thinking critically and creatively
  • Internal motivation, flexibility, and time and task management
  • Comfort with computer technology and commonly used office software (word processing, basic image editing).
  • Familiarity with documentation styles (APA, Chicago, etc.)
  • Effective interpersonal communication skills and affable personality
  • Comfort shifting between independent and team-based work scenarios

Desired Qualifications:

  • Prior experience as a research/lab assistant or in similar capacity a plus
  • Experience using Google docs, Podio, and/or Zotero a plus

Application Requirements:

The position requires a commitment of 20-30 hours a week. Please be sure to indicate the time period during which you are seeking to intern.

Please submit the following to contactus@gamedesk.org:

A brief cover letter highlighting your interest and potential qualifications and contributions
Writing sample
Resume

Please put the name of the position you are applying for in the subject line.

Game Programmer

GameDesk is looking for an experienced C# programmer who is familiar with the .NET framework and Unity engine. The main focus will be evaluating systems in an upcoming iPad game to pinpoint and fix/improve inefficient code as we move the product from prototype to release. Other tasks may include adding new gameplay or effects systems, as well as scripting tutorial/gameplay sequences. You will be expected to keep open communications with our lead in-house programmer and our producer. Time and assistance will be provided to help familiarize you with the current codebase and to inform you on the direction we are taking with the game project. We will be handling version control using Unity Asset Server and will provide remote access to you. It is preferred that you already own a Unity Pro license with iOS Pro and a Team License (for UAS).

    Potential Responsibilities:

  • Ability to accommodate input and revisions under deadlines
  • Work on different projects with different technology requirements
  • Work through all phases of a project, from designing to implementation and maintenance.
  • Contribute to game concept discussions and decisions

Skills:

  • Ability to be flexible and work in a changing environment
  • Be able to work as a team and independently as needed
  • Please be aware this is a full-time paid position that would require spending time in our Los Angeles office.

About GameDesk:

GameDesk is a growing 501c3 committed to the idea that a new century needs a new educational standard focused on transforming the world of education through play. To develop this next generation model of education, GameDesk has bridged the worlds of education and industry, operating simultaneously as a research lab, game development studio, and outreach organization. The GameDesk team researches and implements new educational concepts and curriculum, as well as creates groundbreaking, high quality software. This work has been developed, tested and evaluated by schools and community centers in the Los Angeles area, and is positioned to soon scale nationally.

Application Requirements:

Please submit the following to contactus@gamedesk.org:

Resume
Cover Letter

Additionally, please put the name of the position you are applying for in the subject line.

UI/UX Designer

The ideal candidate will be a passionate UI Designer and strategist with a killer portfolio of web projects and the ability to concept and solve problems at a high level.


Primary Roles and Responsibilities:

•   Work closely with CEO and in-house developer to create educational platform

•   Design high-quality wireframes, prototypes, mockups and sketch with the CEO to bring the vision to life

•   Execute and expand on existing wireframes and a look and feel previously created by a design agency

•   Be the primary contributor on designing the new product pages

•   Execute design stages from concept to hand-off of final files for digital development

•   Work with content team to help incorporate design into the full product vision

•   Flesh out icons, nav systems, content pages, and other components of a user’s experience


Required Skills/Qualifications:

•   4+ years professional experience as a UI/UX designer, web design, or related experience

•   Expert in Photoshop and Illustrator

•   Basic HTML / CSS knowledge a plus

•   Organized with great time management

•   Flexible, and take feedback easily

•   Able to work very quickly

•   Able to take an abstract vision and build out to completion with high attention to detail

•   Clear understanding of responsive web design

•   Versed in creating an elegant and seamless user experience

•   Able to ask appropriate questions and communicate effectively to convey solutions


Bonus Points for:

•   Passion for start-ups and education


To apply:

•   Send resume, cover letter and portfolio samples or link to contactus@gamedesk.org

Please include your name in all files

Senior Developer

The ideal candidate will be a passionate developer with experience building platforms from the ground up.


Primary Roles and Responsibilities:

•   Develop a highly interactive front-end user experience that relies heavily on HTML5, CSS3 and Javascript.

•   Leverage an existing CMS system (such as Drupal) or build a custom content management system using a language of your choosing (such as Ruby on Rails, Phython / Django, PHP, or…).

•   Generate ideas for how to facilitate the best possible user experience for viewers, content producers, and internal team members.


Required Skills/Qualifications:

•   Advanced knowledge of HTML5, CSS3, and Javascript

•   Advanced knowledge of a programming framework or language (such as Ruby on Rails, Phython / Django, or PHP) that can be used to build the CMS for the portal AND/OR advanced knowledge of an existing CMS (such as Drupal) that can be customized to fit our needs

•   A 4 year degree is preferred (Computer Science or Information Technology a plus)


•   Massively organized with a solid understanding of file management


Bonus Points for:

•   Passion for start-ups and education


To apply:

•   Send resume, cover letter and sample URLs of your work to contactus@gamedesk.org

•   Please include your name in all files

Content Development Intern


Job Title: Content Development Intern
Company Name: Gamedesk
Work Schedule: Part-time Internship
Salary: Unpaid Internship
Employment Start Date: Asap
Location: L.A., CA

Company Description: 
GameDesk is an L.A.-based, nonprofit company striving to create a playful, making-focused, discovery-based, education-tech model. We are funded by AT&T to create a national web portal and training facility for teachers tools to revolutionize the way we teach and learn.

What’s in it for you?

  • The opportunity to be part of a project to redefine education for the 21st century student.
  • Valuable communication and marketing experience
  • Learn cutting-edge SEO, analytics and high-quality sharable content tactics

Overview:
 The ideal candidate will be a passionate writer and go-getter.

    Primary Roles and Responsibilities:

  • Research exciting new education resources.
  • Create clever, interest headlines and taglines.
  • Write thoughtful, concise but fun descriptions.
  • Generate ideas for how to use tools in the classroom and communicate them in visual ways.
  • Organize assets and communicate with team
    
Required Skills/Qualifications:

  • Working on a 4-year degree (Journalism, Communications, English preferred)
  • Exceptional writing & editing skills
  • Massively organized with a solid understanding of file management
  • Tech savvy and efficient
  • Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and effectively
  • Demonstrate extraordinary communication skills and a meticulous eye for detail

    Bonus Points for:

    • Passion for start-ups and education

    To apply:

    • Send resume, cover letter and writing samples to contactus@gamedesk.org
    • Please include your name in all files

    Potential Responsibilities:

    • Ability to accommodate input and revisions under deadlines
    • Work on different projects with different technology requirements

    Skills:

    • Ability to be flexible and work in a changing environment
    • Be able to work as a team and independently as needed
    • Please be aware this is a paid position that would require spending time in our Los Angeles office.

    About GameDesk: GameDesk is a growing 501c3 committed to the idea that a new century needs a new educational standard focused on transforming the world of education through play.To develop this next generation model of education, GameDesk has bridged the worlds of education and industry, operating simultaneously as a research lab, game development studio, and outreach organization. The GameDesk team researches and implements new educational concepts and curriculum, as well as creates groundbreaking, high quality software. This work has been developed, tested and evaluated by schools and community centers in the Los Angeles area, and is positioned to soon scale nationally.

    Application Requirements:

    Please submit the following to contactus@gamedesk.org:

    Resume
    Cover Letter

    Additionally, please put the name of the position you are applying for in the subject line.

    Content Developer/Design Intern


    Job Title: Content Developer/Design Intern
    Company Name: Gamedesk
    Work Schedule: Part-time Internship
    Salary: Unpaid Internship
    Employment Start Date: Asap
    Location: L.A., CA

    Company Description: GameDesk is an L.A.-based, nonprofit company striving to create a playful, making-focused, discovery-based, education-tech model. We are funded by AT&T to create a national web portal and training facility for teachers tools to revolutionize the way we teach and learn.

    What’s in it for you?

    The opportunity to be part of a project to redefine education for the 21st century student
    Valuable communication, marketing, and design experience.

    Overview:

    The ideal candidate will be a passionate designer and go-getter.

      Primary Roles and Responsibilities:

    • Research exciting new teaching resources
    • Create fun vector designs to tell the story of online tools
    • Generate ideas for how to use tools in the classroom and communicate it in visual ways.
    • Organize assets and communicate with team
      Required Skills/Qualifications:
  • Working on a 4-year degree (Design, Photography preferred)
  • Working knowledge of Photoshop and illustrator
  • Great eye for design, and visual story-telling
  • Massively organized with a solid understanding of file management
  • Tech savvy and efficient
  • Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and effectively.
  • Demonstrate extraordinary communication skills and a meticulous eye for detail

    Bonus Points for:

    Passion for start-ups and education

    To apply:

    Send resume, cover letter and writing samples to contactus@gamedesk.org
    Please include your name in all files


GameDesk is a 501(c)3 nonprofit research, development, and outreach organization that seeks to rethink learning through play, making, and interaction.

We look to transform the learning experience, help close the achievement gap, and deeply engage students in learning core curriculum.

The organization (originally developed out of research and support at the University of Southern California's IMSC) has now been in development, practice, and/or evaluation for over four years in various schools, learning centers, and homes nationally.