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Game Design Internship Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

PD Instore

3D Design Intern

Minneapolis, MN · On-site

$20 - $24/hr

This internship is ideal for a current student, recent graduate, or early-career designer with ... Interest in retail, branded environments, experiential design, fashion, gaming, digital culture, or ...

PD Instore

3D Design Intern

Minneapolis, MN · On-site

$20 - $24/hr

This internship is ideal for a current student, recent graduate, or early-career designer with ... Interest in retail, branded environments, experiential design, fashion, gaming, digital culture, or ...

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Game Design Internship information

What is a Game Design Internship?

A Game Design Internship is a temporary position that allows students or recent graduates to gain practical experience in the game development industry. Interns typically assist with various aspects of game design, such as creating game concepts, designing levels, testing gameplay, and providing feedback on user experience. These internships are valuable for building a portfolio, making industry connections, and learning industry-standard tools and processes. They often work closely with experienced designers and development teams to understand the full cycle of game creation.

What types of projects and tasks can I expect to work on during a Game Design Internship?

As a Game Design Intern, you can expect to participate in a variety of hands-on projects, such as designing game levels, prototyping gameplay mechanics, and contributing to brainstorming sessions with the design team. You'll often collaborate with artists, programmers, and producers to help implement features or refine existing gameplay elements. Interns are typically given opportunities to playtest games, provide feedback, and document their design ideas. The fast-paced and creative environment provides valuable exposure to the full game development pipeline, making it an excellent learning experience.

What is the difference between Game Design Internship vs Game Development Internship?

AspectGame Design InternshipGame Development Internship
Required SkillsCreativity, storytelling, level designProgramming, software engineering, technical skills
Work EnvironmentDesign teams, creative departmentsProgramming teams, technical departments
Industry UsageUsed in game studios focusing on design and user experienceUsed in studios focusing on coding and technical development
Common Search IntentUnderstanding design roles in gamingUnderstanding technical roles in gaming

Game Design Internships focus on creative aspects like storytelling, level design, and user experience, while Game Development Internships emphasize programming and technical development. Both roles are essential in game studios but cater to different skill sets and career paths.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Game Design Intern, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Game Design Intern, you need a foundational understanding of game mechanics, storytelling, and user experience, often supported by coursework or personal projects in game development. Familiarity with industry-standard tools such as Unity, Unreal Engine, and graphic design software, as well as basic scripting knowledge, is typically required. Creativity, teamwork, and strong communication are vital soft skills to effectively collaborate and share ideas within a development team. These skills and qualities are important because they enable interns to contribute meaningful ideas, adapt to feedback, and support the fast-paced, collaborative nature of game development.
What are the most commonly searched types of Game Design jobs in Minnesota? The most popular types of Game Design jobs in Minnesota are:
What are popular job titles related to Game Design Internship jobs in Minnesota? For Game Design Internship jobs in Minnesota, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Game Design Internship jobs in Minnesota look for? The top searched job categories for Game Design Internship jobs in Minnesota are:
What cities in Minnesota are hiring for Game Design Internship jobs? Cities in Minnesota with the most Game Design Internship job openings:
Game Design Internship jobs near you
Infographic showing various Game Design Internship job openings in Minnesota as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution.

3D Design Intern

PD Instore

Minneapolis, MN • On-site

$20 - $24/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 27 days ago

Job description

MISSION
PD Instore is a future-forward creator of brand solutions that enlightens, inspires, and transforms the consumer's experience.
ABOUT PD
Founded in 1938, PD is a world-renowned design-to-build partner that crafts custom, future-forward brand solutions for some of the largest brands in retail
Summary
The 3D Design Intern is an emerging creative contributor who supports the development of retail environments, displays, branded experiences, and visual concepts that align with PD's clients and creative direction. Working under the guidance of the Creative Director and design team, this role offers hands-on exposure to the creative process from concept development through execution.
This internship is ideal for a current student, recent graduate, or early-career designer with strong creative instincts, curiosity around emerging technologies and AI-assisted workflows, and an interest in retail, spatial, and experiential design.
Essential Duties/Responsibilities
  • Support the design team in developing thoughtful, brand-right retail displays, environments, and visual concepts
  • Assist in creating presentation materials, renderings, mockups, and visual storytelling assets
  • Contribute ideas and references during concept development and creative reviews
  • Collaborate with designers, strategists, engineers, and account teams to support project execution
  • Explore modular and scalable design solutions that balance creativity with manufacturability
  • Participate in brainstorming, sketching, digital visualization, and production preparation
  • Help organize and prepare files, decks, and assets for internal reviews and client presentations
  • Stay curious about emerging creative tools, AI-assisted workflows, digital culture, and evolving design trends
  • Support multiple projects in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
  • Performs other duties as assigned
  • Fosters a culture that values family, innovation, collaboration and empowerment
  • Follows all safety and workplace policies

Competencies and Skills
  • Strong creative instincts with interest in retail, brand, spatial, or experiential design

  • Familiarity with 3D design tools such as Blender, SketchUp, Rhino, 3ds Max, KeyShot, or related software
  • Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite
  • Interest in digital culture, internet-native visual communication, and emerging creative technologies
  • AI-curious mindset with interest in using creative AI tools as part of concept development and workflow exploration
  • Experience with digital sketching tools such as Procreate or Adobe Fresco preferred
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills
  • Ability to take direction, interpret feedback, and learn quickly
  • Organized, adaptable, and eager to contribute in a team environment
  • Ability to demonstrate and apply our workplace values
  • Flexibility to travel between multiple PD locations
  • Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment

Education/Certification
  • Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in Industrial Design, Environmental Design, Interactive Design, Architecture, or a related creative field

Experience
  • Portfolio, coursework, freelance work, or personal creative projects demonstrating strong visual thinking and creative potential preferred
  • Interest in retail, branded environments, experiential design, fashion, gaming, digital culture, or contemporary visual communication is a plus
  • Exposure to culturally diverse, urban, or globally influenced creative environments encouraged.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions
  • This role is primarily based in a collaborative studio and office environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
  • Occasional movement throughout office, production, or client environments may be required, along with handling presentation materials, samples, or prototypes.
  • Walking, sitting, bending, twisting, reaching, pushing, pulling and lifting may be required throughout the workday.

Benefits and perks we offer to full-time, regular employees
  • Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
  • 4% 401k Match with 5% Employee Contribution
  • Paid Time Off
  • Parental Leave
  • 8 Paid Holidays
  • Flex Time
  • STD, LTD and Group Life Insurance
  • FSA and HSA Options
  • Voluntary
    • Life Insurance
    • Critical Illness Insurance
    • Accident Insurance
    • Legal and Identity Theft Plans
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Employee Referral Program
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Career Advancement
  • Professional Development Opportunities
  • Employee Recognition
  • English as a Second Language Education
  • Online Training Opportunities

Apply