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Junior Game Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Senior Game Designer (Combat)

Santa Monica, CA ยท On-site

$145K - $181K/yr

Mentor junior designers and contribute to the overall growth of the design team What skills you will use: * 5+ years of industry experience in combat design and/or technical design for games ...

Position Summary The Junior Program Coordinator is responsible for the daily direction ... Thorough knowledge of the game of tennis and possesses effective teaching styles and techniques

Contractor - Senior Game Producer

Austin, TX ยท On-site

$122K - $124K/yr

Aspyr is a leading game publisher and developer, bringing the world's biggest franchises and bold ... Align junior producers on projects and support departmental production standards and workflows on ...

We are seeking a Senior Game Designer to work with our design team to conceptualize and build ... Break down large design projects and assign tasks for junior designers * Manage the work of ...

Manager, Junior Golf

Pebble Beach, CA ยท On-site

$70K - $75K/yr

The NCGA vision is "to ensure the game is vibrant, inclusive, and accessible" and is focused on ... Manager, Junior Golf Status : Exempt Reports to : Director, Junior Golf POSITION SUMMARY: The ...

... game and the communities around it. We bring deep expertise in golf operations and club culture ... Job Purpose The Junior Golf Instructor supports the delivery of the junior golf program by ...

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Junior Game information

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$19K

$52.5K

$88K

How much do junior game jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for junior game in the United States is $52,462.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $36,000.00 and $57,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a junior game developer?

A Junior Game Developer is an entry-level professional who assists in creating and maintaining video games under the supervision of senior developers. They typically handle tasks such as coding, debugging, testing, and sometimes contributing to game design or asset integration. Junior Game Developers usually have foundational knowledge of programming languages like C# or C++ and work closely with other team members, such as artists and designers, to bring a game to life. This role is ideal for individuals looking to start their careers in the gaming industry and gain practical experience.

What are the typical responsibilities of a junior game developer?

As a Junior Game Developer, your daily tasks often include writing and testing code for game features, debugging issues, and collaborating with artists and designers to implement assets and gameplay mechanics. You may focus on smaller features or specific modules while learning industry-standard workflows and tools. Juniors are encouraged to participate in team meetings, contribute ideas, and gradually take on more complex assignments as they gain experience. Your work is integral to the overall success of the project, supporting senior developers and ensuring that deadlines and quality standards are met.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a junior game developer?

To thrive as a Junior Game Developer, you need a solid understanding of programming languages (such as C++ or C#), basic game design principles, and often a relevant degree or portfolio. Familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine and version control systems like Git is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, creativity, and effective teamwork help you stand out in this collaborative field. These abilities are crucial for efficiently building, debugging, and contributing to engaging game experiences within a development team.

What is the difference between Junior Game vs Junior Game Designer?

AspectJunior GameJunior Game Designer
Required CredentialsHigh school diploma or equivalent; some roles may prefer related courseworkDegree in game design, computer science, or related field; portfolio often required
Work EnvironmentGame development studios, indie teams, or freelance projectsDesign teams within game studios, collaborating with artists and programmers
Employer & Industry UsageEntry-level position in game development companies or indie projectsEntry-level role focused on designing game mechanics, levels, and user experience

While both roles are entry-level, a Junior Game typically refers to a broader position in game development, whereas a Junior Game Designer specializes in designing game content and mechanics. The latter usually requires a relevant degree and a portfolio, focusing on creative design tasks within the development process.

More about Junior Game jobs

What cities are hiring for Junior Game jobs?

Cities with the most Junior Game job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Game jobs?

The most popular types of Game jobs are:

What states have the most Junior Game jobs?

States with the most job openings for Junior Game jobs include:

Infographic showing various Junior Game job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 3% Internship, 64% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 9% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $52,462 per year, or $25.2 per hour.

Senior Game Designer (Combat)

Santa Monica, CA โ€ข On-site

Naughty Dog
PC Gamesย โ€ขย 51 - 200 employees

$145K - $181K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 13 days ago


Job description

Ability to work onsite from our Santa Monica, CA based studio is required.
For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Part I is now available for the first time on PC.
Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.
What you will do:
  • Pitch, design, implement, and own enemy NPC archetypes
  • Work with AI programmers to develop foundational NPC technology and implementing and tuning enemy AI behaviors
  • Work with animators to develop enemy locomotion and traversal, melee moves, ambient behaviors, and other custom abilities. Make every enemy archetype feel unique and memorable
  • Collaborate with the Design team to conceptualize, prototype, implement, tune, and balance gameplay mechanics and systems
  • Communicate with animation, programming, and art departments to effectively produce the assets and code support required for the enemies you're owning
  • Write and maintain documentation that establishes the core vision of the enemy archetypes
  • Drive communication and collaboration for enemies you design and the levels they are in, ensuring communication across disciplines and meeting deadlines
  • Effective and respectful communicator and collaborator, both with other designers and members of other departments
  • Facilitate playtesting and feedback sessions to iterate on combat systems and fine-tune them based on player experiences
  • Mentor junior designers and contribute to the overall growth of the design team

What skills you will use:
  • 5+ years of industry experience in combat design and/or technical design for games, specifically focused on developing action-adventure or shooter games
  • At least one shipped title as a combat designer or similar role. Experience with behavior trees or similar NPC AI concepts preferred
  • Strong coding ability: Computer Science degree preferred though not required
  • Proficient in using game engines and tools (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) for combat implementation and design scripting (C#, Lua, Visual Scripting)
  • Welcomes feedback on their work and embraces the "let's try it" mentality
  • Proficient and effective communication skills, including diagramming and sketching
  • Fluent in modern character action-adventure and shooter combat games. Maintains knowledge of the broader gaming landscape trends
  • Knowledge of narrative structure and how it intersects with gameplay and combat
  • A keen eye for detail in character action games, able to tune gameplay systems to make them feel smooth and impactful
  • Strong leadership and mentoring skills

The estimated USA base pay range for this zone (Los Angeles area) is listed below. This role may be eligible for additional compensation packages that includes annual bonus and other incentive plans.
$145,100-$181,400 USD
Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.
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