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Game Design Intern Jobs in Rochester, NY (NOW HIRING)

The archival processing intern will process 3.0 linear feet of audiovisual materials, game design documentation, and artwork of Michael Shorrock, a video game producer and executive who has worked at ...

Game Design Intern information

See Rochester, NY salary details

$9

$19

$36

How much do game design intern jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 3, 2026, the average hourly pay for game design intern in Rochester, NY is $19.12, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.23 and $21.35 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a game design intern do?

A Game Design Intern assists game designers and development teams in creating and refining video game concepts, mechanics, and levels. Their responsibilities often include brainstorming ideas, prototyping gameplay elements, providing feedback on game features, and conducting playtests. Interns may also help document design decisions and collaborate with artists, programmers, and other team members to ensure the game is engaging and meets quality standards. This role is a great way to gain hands-on experience and learn about the game development process.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a game design intern?

To thrive as a Game Design Intern, you generally need a solid understanding of game mechanics, storytelling, and basic programming or design principles, often supported by coursework or a related degree. Familiarity with industry-standard tools like Unity, Unreal Engine, and graphic or prototyping software is highly valuable. Creativity, teamwork, and strong communication skills help you contribute ideas and work effectively with multidisciplinary teams. These competencies are crucial for turning concepts into engaging gameplay experiences and for learning quickly in a dynamic industry.

What is the difference between Game Design Intern vs Game Developer Intern?

AspectGame Design InternGame Developer Intern
Required SkillsCreativity, game mechanics understanding, basic design toolsProgramming, coding, software development
Work EnvironmentDesign teams, creative departmentsDevelopment teams, coding environments
Typical TasksConcept creation, level design, prototypingWriting code, debugging, implementing features

Game Design Interns focus on conceptualizing game mechanics, designing levels, and creating prototypes, while Game Developer Interns work on coding, software development, and implementing game features. Both roles often collaborate but differ mainly in skill set and daily tasks, with design interns emphasizing creativity and planning, and developer interns concentrating on technical programming.

What cities near Rochester, NY are hiring for Game Design Intern jobs?

Cities near Rochester, NY with the most Game Design Intern job openings:

Infographic showing various Game Design Intern job openings in Rochester, NY as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $39,767 per year, or $19.1 per hour.

Archives Intern

Strong National Museum

Rochester, NY • On-site

$20/hr

Part-time

Posted 29 days ago


Job description

The Strong seeks a current graduate or undergraduate student intern to process, arrange, and describe the Michael Shorrock papers and digitize VHS cassettes from the 1UP collection. The intern will gain a better understanding of professional archival work, through hands-on experience in archival processing, preservation techniques, and familiarization with archival management software. There is a paid stipend associated with this internship, made possible through a grant from the Rochester Regional Library Council.

The archival processing intern will process 3.0 linear feet of audiovisual materials, game design documentation, and artwork of Michael Shorrock, a video game producer and executive who has worked at Broderbund Software, Sega of America, Leap Frog, Sony Computer Entertainment America. Shorrock also ran Interactive Game Studios for IGT and currently consults on game development and educational technology. The intern will also digitize 15 VHS cassettes of video game event coverage such as the Gaming Summit, E3 conference, Computer Gaming World Awards, and more. The intern will perform an initial inventory of the Michael Shorrock papers; create a processing plan; physically arrange and re-house materials; perform preservation tasks; and describe the collection using ArchivesSpace. The intern will digitize, create metadata, and upload the 15 cassettes to Preservica.

Requirements:

  • Candidate must be enrolled in an accredited university graduate or undergraduate program and in an associated internship/practicum and must receive college credit for this internship. This intern must fully adhere to all requirements for credit-bearing internships, including specific procedures which may be required by the intern’s college/university.
  • Candidate must work well in a team setting, be reliable, flexible, organized, and self-motivated.
  • Candidate must have strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Candidate must consent to a criminal background check and a drug screen.

Recommended skills: 

  • Familiarity with basic archival theory.
  • Demonstrated interest in archives, public history, or museum studies.
  • Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, etc.
  • Prior experience with archival processing.

Pre-Internship Requirements:

Must consent to and pass a drug screen and criminal background check as conditions of the internship.

Equal Opportunity Statement: 

The Strong is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of The Strong to provide equal employment opportunity to all persons without regard to gender, sexual preference, age, race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, disability, military, or marital status. This policy of nondiscrimination applies to all aspects of the employment relationship, including but not limited to recruitment, selection, advancement, compensation, benefits, layoff, recall, transfer, and termination.