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Game Design Jobs in Hawaii (NOW HIRING)

Technician

Honolulu, HI · On-site

$21 - $27/hr

You make sure every game is ready for action, every guest leaves with a smile, and every visit is unforgettable. From fixing games and keeping them in top shape to helping guests get back to the fun ...

Technician

Honolulu, HI · On-site

$21 - $27/hr

You make sure every game is ready for action, every guest leaves with a smile, and every visit is unforgettable. From fixing games and keeping them in top shape to helping guests get back to the fun ...

They are looking for a talented Software Developer to design, develop, and maintain high-quality ... Game Development, etc. • Proficiency in programming languages (e.g., Java, C++, Python) • ...

Senior Project Architect

Honolulu, HI · On-site

$97K - $124K/yr

Along with our interior design studio, Wimberly Interiors, we specialize in hospitality, gaming + entertainment, urban + mixed-use, and high-end residential design. We were founded in Honolulu in ...

Senior Project Architect

Honolulu, HI · On-site +1

$97K - $124K/yr

Along with our interior design studio, Wimberly Interiors, we specialize in hospitality, gaming + entertainment, urban + mixed-use, and high-end residential design. We were founded in Honolulu in ...

Racquet Instructor

Kamuela, HI · On-site

$50 - $65/hr

Design, implement, and promote innovative tennis clinics, private lessons, junior development ... Must possess an excellent understanding of the game of golf. * Must possess knowledge of working ...

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Game Design information

See Hawaii salary details

$48.8K

$162.1K

How much do game design jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for game design in Hawaii is $154,927.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $161,000.00 and $161,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is game design?

Game design is the process of creating the content and rules of a game, including its mechanics, story, characters, and overall player experience. Game designers develop the structure and features of a game, decide how it will be played, and work closely with artists, programmers, and other team members to bring the game to life. Their goal is to make engaging, balanced, and enjoyable experiences for players. Game design can apply to video games, board games, and other interactive entertainment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a game designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Game Designer, you need a strong grasp of game mechanics, storytelling, user experience, and typically a degree in game design or a related field. Familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, scripting languages, and prototyping tools is crucial. Creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving are standout soft skills for this role. These abilities are essential for developing engaging, innovative games that resonate with players and meet project goals.

How do game designers typically collaborate with other departments during the development process?

Game designers work closely with artists, programmers, writers, and audio engineers to ensure that the gameplay experience aligns with the creative vision and technical constraints of the project. Regular meetings, feedback sessions, and iterative prototyping are common, allowing designers to communicate their ideas and adjust designs based on input from other team members. This collaborative environment helps address challenges such as balancing gameplay mechanics and ensuring that all elements integrate smoothly. Strong communication and flexibility are essential for success in this role.

What is the difference between Game Design vs Game Development?

AspectGame DesignGame Development
Primary FocusCreating game concepts, mechanics, and user experienceImplementing, coding, and building the game based on design
Skills RequiredCreativity, storytelling, understanding of gameplay mechanicsProgramming, software engineering, technical problem-solving
Work EnvironmentDesign studios, creative teams, collaborative settingsDevelopment teams, technical environments, coding labs
Common CertificationsGame design degrees, UX/UI certificationsComputer science, software engineering degrees

Game Design focuses on conceptualizing and designing gameplay experiences, while Game Development involves the technical implementation and coding of those designs. Both roles are essential in the game creation process and often collaborate closely to produce engaging games.

How do I get a job as a game designer?

To become a game designer, develop a strong portfolio showcasing your design skills, gain experience through internships or entry-level positions, and learn industry-standard tools like Unity or Unreal Engine. A background in computer science, art, or creative writing can also be beneficial, along with understanding game mechanics and user experience principles.

Is game designing a good career?

Game designing is a viable career for those with creativity, strong problem-solving skills, and proficiency in tools like Unity or Unreal Engine. It often requires collaboration, a portfolio of work, and knowledge of industry trends; job stability can vary based on the industry’s demand and individual skill level.

Is there a high demand for game design?

The demand for game designers is strong due to the growth of the gaming industry, with opportunities increasing in mobile, console, and PC game development. Skills in programming, storytelling, and familiarity with design tools like Unity or Unreal Engine are highly valued, and employment prospects are expected to grow steadily over the next several years.

What careers are in game design?

Careers in game design include roles such as game designer, level designer, character designer, and narrative designer. These positions involve creating game concepts, mechanics, storylines, and visual elements, often requiring skills in programming, art, or storytelling, and proficiency with design tools like Unity or Unreal Engine.

What are the most commonly searched types of Game Design jobs in Hawaii?

The most popular types of Game Design jobs in Hawaii are:

What are popular job titles related to Game Design jobs in Hawaii?

For Game Design jobs in Hawaii, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Game Design jobs in Hawaii look for?

The top searched job categories for Game Design jobs in Hawaii are:

Infographic showing various Game Design job openings in Hawaii as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $154,927 per year, or $74.5 per hour.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR / PROFESSOR with Security Clearance

Department of Defense

Honolulu, HI • On-site

Other

Posted 6 days ago


U.S. Department Of Defense rating

7.9

Company rating: 7.9 out of 10

Based on 539 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

27th of 49 rated military and defense


Job description

Duties * You will lead the development of the College's capability to design, conduct, assess, and integrate educational and analytical decision gaming addressing consequential Indo-Pacific security challenges. * You will design and facilitate analytical games that examine consequential strategic problems and generate insights relevant to DKI APCSS leadership, IPSA, USPACOM, other U.S. defense stakeholders, and Indo-Pacific partners, as appropriate * You will translate strategic problems and sponsor requirements into well-defined educational or analytical questions, game objectives, scenarios, player roles, decision environments, adjudication approaches, and data-collection plans. * You will collaborate with department chairs, course managers, workshop leads, faculty, and subject-matter experts to align decision games and other structured approaches with educational objectives, strategic priorities, and sponsor requirements. * You will develop common standards, processes, and practices for game design, facilitation, adjudication, data collection, assessment, after-action analysis, and reporting. * You will analyze game results and translate observations into educational lessons, policy-relevant insights, and areas for further examination, strategic discourse, or institutional action. * You will develop and maintain reusable scenarios, game materials, facilitation and adjudication guides, analytical frameworks, decision-support tools, and instructional resources. * You will build faculty capacity in decision-game design, facilitation, experiential learning, systems thinking, and structured problem-solving, and related methods through mentoring, training, and collaborative design. * You will responsibly integrate artificial intelligence, digital collaboration platforms, modeling and simulation, visualization, and other technologies into decision gaming and analysis, and executive education. * You will develop curriculum and instructional materials and teach, facilitate, and mentor security practitioners from diverse national backgrounds using appropriate adult-learning methods. * You will conduct research and publish scholarly and policy-relevant research on decision gaming, strategic analysis, executive education, and related national security challenges. * You will assess the educational effectiveness of decision games and other experiential methods and apply findings to improve curriculum, instructional design, and outcomes. * You will contribute to the effective administration and institutional development of the College. * You will integrate educational decision games into courses, workshops, and programs to let Fellows apply concepts, exercise strategic judgment, face uncertainty, test assumptions, evaluate options, and learn through structured experiences * You will support course managers, workshop leads, and faculty teams during design, development, execution, and assessment of decision-gaming and analytical activities of the College's portfolio of courses, workshops, and strategic engagements Requirements Conditions of employment * Must be a US Citizen. * Must be determined suitable for federal employment. * Must participate in the direct deposit pay program. * New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov * Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326. * Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. * You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal. * This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time. * This is a Key Security Cooperation Workforce (SCW) position and requires a DoD SCW Certification. Selectee must obtain and maintain certification within prescribed timeframes. SCW level required: 3 Qualifications DKI APCSS seeks qualified candidates at the level of Associate Professor or Professor specializing in Executive Decision Gaming and Analysis. The Center welcomes applications from established scholar-practitioners and exceptional early-career professionals. Academic rank and salary will be determined based on education, professional experience, scholarly record, teaching and facilitation experience, subject-matter expertise, leadership, and demonstrated capacity to contribute to the DKI APCSS mission. The successful candidate will lead the development and integration of executive decision gaming and strategic analysis throughout the College of Security Studies, using structured decision experiences to strengthen executive education and examine consequential Indo-Pacific security problems. The position encompasses two complementary applications. Educational decision gaming enables civilian and military security practitioners to apply concepts, exercise judgment, confront uncertainty and competing interests, test assumptions, and evaluate alternative courses of action. Analytical gaming brings faculty, Fellows, and other practitioners together to examine consequential strategic problems; explore actor behavior and interaction; challenge assumptions; identify vulnerabilities and opportunities; and generate insights relevant to DKI APCSS, U.S. defense stakeholders, and Indo-Pacific partners. The position extends beyond traditional force-on-force or Red-versus-Blue wargaming constructs. Depending on the problem and objective, methods may include strategic decision games, tabletop exercises, matrix games, crisis simulations, negotiation exercises, policy games, scenario-based simulations, and other structured approaches. The position spans the full process from problem framing and game design through execution, observation, analysis, and translation of findings into educational and policy-relevant insights. Candidates are not expected to possess expertise in every gaming, analytical, educational, or technological methodology. DKI APCSS seeks individuals with demonstrated expertise in relevant decision-gaming or analytical methods and the intellectual breadth and professional commitment to develop and integrate complementary approaches appropriate to executive education and strategic inquiry. Faculty members at DKI APCSS are educators, facilitators, curriculum designers, action officers, researchers, mentors, and institutional leaders. They plan and execute executive education courses, workshops, strategic dialogues, and regional engagements; develop and facilitate curriculum; conduct policy-relevant research; and build relationships with security professionals throughout the Indo-Pacific. Essential Criteria * An advanced degree in security studies, international relations, political science, public policy, military studies, education, instructional design, systems analysis, operations research, or another relevant field. A doctorate or other terminal degree is preferred. * Demonstrated expertise or substantial professional experience in decision gaming, analytical gaming, strategic gaming, wargaming, exercise design, simulation, or closely related structured decision methodologies. * Demonstrated ability or strong potential to translate complex strategic or policy problems into structured educational or analytical activities that support learning, inquiry, or decision-making. * Demonstrated ability or strong potential to design and facilitate decision games, exercises, simulations, or comparable structured decision experiences. * Demonstrated understanding of adult-learning principles, curriculum design, learning objectives, and educational assessment, or the ability to apply these principles effectively in executive education. * Demonstrated ability or strong potential to teach, facilitate, and mentor adult learners from diverse professional, national, and cultural backgrounds. * Demonstrated ability or strong potential to conduct research, analyze complex problems, and produce scholarly or policy-relevant work. * Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly to practitioner audiences and translate them into effective learning experiences and analytical products. * Strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate, and execute complex projects or programs. * Ability to collaborate effectively with subject-matter experts and multidisciplinary teams. * Ability to use contemporary technologies and digital tools in research, teaching, collaboration, decision gaming, analysis, and program execution. * Demonstrated commitment to the DKI APCSS mission and to advancing security cooperation and understanding throughout the Indo-Pacific. Desired Criteria Demonstrated expertise, research, or professional experience in one or more of the following areas: * Educational and analytical decision gaming * Strategic game design and facilitation * Strategic problem and sponsor requirement framing * Analytical question development and research design * Scenario and alternative-futures development * Facilitation and adjudication * Observation, qualitative data collection, and analysis * Game analysis, after-action analysis, and reporting * Executive education and adult learning * Educational assessment and learning evaluation Supporting Expertise Additional expertise in one or more of the following areas is desirable: * Systems thinking and systems analysis * Strategic foresight * Red teaming * Structured analytic techniques * Decision analysis * Modeling and simulation * Artificial intelli

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