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Volunteer Game Narrative Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

AEG

Game Day Volunteer

Columbus, GA · On-site

This internship is designed for individuals interested in game operations, live event production, fan experience, and sports entertainment. As a Game Operations Volunteer, you will work directly with ...

Lightspeed Studios

Senior Mission Designer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$93.10 - $216.70/hr

Collaborate with other game development teams--game designers, narrative designers, artists, and programmers--to ensure that the mission design aligns with the game's overall vision and mechanics.

Gearbox

Level Designer

Frisco, TX · Remote

$102K/yr

Prototype, iterate, and polish moment-to-moment gameplay while working with narrative designers, enemy designers, artists, and other disciplines to ensure quality combats and mission experiences for ...

New

Squanch Games

Design Manager

$140K - $200K/yr

We're Squanch Games! Squanch Games has been around since 2016, and since then we've released ... and narrative designers alike - aligned, unblocked, and shipping great work, while balancing ...

Naughty Dog

Senior Technical Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$114K - $122K/yr

Prototyping, implementing, and owning gameplay scenarios, narrative sequences, interactive objects ... Working with minimal supervision while keeping lead designers and directors well-informed. What ...

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$47K

$156K

How much do volunteer game narrative designer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for volunteer game narrative designer in the United States is $149,118.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $155,000.00 and $155,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a volunteer game narrative designer?

A Volunteer Game Narrative Designer is someone who helps craft the story, dialogue, and world-building elements of a video game, usually for indie or non-profit projects, without financial compensation. They collaborate with game developers, artists, and other writers to create engaging narratives that enhance the player's experience. This role often involves writing scripts, developing character backgrounds, and contributing to the overall lore and emotional impact of the game. Volunteering in this position is a great way to gain experience, build a portfolio, and network within the gaming industry.

How does a volunteer game narrative designer typically collaborate with other team members in the development process?

As a Volunteer Game Narrative Designer, you will work closely with game developers, artists, and audio designers to ensure that the story integrates seamlessly with gameplay and visual elements. Collaboration often involves participating in regular team meetings, sharing script drafts, and providing feedback on how narrative elements can enhance player engagement. Effective communication and openness to feedback are essential, as you'll need to adapt your writing to fit technical constraints and evolving design requirements. This team-oriented environment encourages creativity and provides valuable experience for those looking to advance in narrative or game design careers.

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

To thrive as a Volunteer Game Narrative Designer, you need strong storytelling abilities, a solid grasp of game design principles, and experience writing interactive narratives, often demonstrated through a portfolio rather than formal qualifications. Familiarity with narrative design tools like Twine, Ink, or game engines (Unity, Unreal) and version control systems is typically required. Collaboration, open communication, and adaptability are crucial soft skills for integrating feedback and working within a team environment. These skills ensure the creation of compelling, cohesive stories that enhance player engagement and support the overall game experience.

What is the difference between Volunteer Game Narrative Designer vs Volunteer Level Designer?

AspectVolunteer Game Narrative DesignerVolunteer Level Designer
Required skillsStorytelling, writing, creative thinkingLevel layout, environment design, technical skills
Work environmentCollaborative with writers and developersDesign teams, game engines, software tools
Industry usageUsed across narrative-driven and story-rich gamesUsed in level-based and environment-focused games

The Volunteer Game Narrative Designer focuses on crafting storylines, dialogues, and character development, while the Volunteer Level Designer concentrates on designing game environments and levels. Both roles require creativity and collaboration but serve different aspects of game development. Understanding these differences helps volunteers align their skills with the right role in the gaming industry.

More about Volunteer Game Narrative Designer jobs

What cities are hiring for Volunteer Game Narrative Designer jobs?

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What are the most commonly searched types of Game Narrative Designer jobs?

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Volunteer Game Narrative Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Volunteer Game Narrative Designer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, and 15% Part Time. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $149,118 per year, or $71.7 per hour.

Associate Game Designer, Technical

Naughty Dog

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

$37 - $50/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

Re-posted 4 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Prototyping, implementing, and owning gameplay scenarios, narrative sequences, interactive objects, and AI behaviors

  • Collaborating with the Design team to conceptualize, prototype, implement, tune, and balance gameplay mechanics and systems

  • Communicating with animation, programming, and art departments to effectively produce the assets and code support required for the areas you're owning

Job description

This position is for temporary engagement through our staffing partner, Yoh Enterprise Solutions. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for this position.
This is a hybrid / onsite position.
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.
In this role you'll be responsible for prototyping gameplay using our in-house tools and scripting language, which could range from combat encounters to narrative sequences to player mechanics and enemy behaviors. Then working across departments to bring your prototypes into production and polish your work to the high level of quality Naughty Dog is known for. We're looking for self-motivated, proactive designers who enjoy creating unique experiences and can combine their technical and creative skills while iterating rapidly.
What you will do
  • Prototyping, implementing, and owning gameplay scenarios, narrative sequences, interactive objects, and AI behaviors
  • Collaborating with the Design team to conceptualize, prototype, implement, tune, and balance gameplay mechanics and systems
  • Communicating with animation, programming, and art departments to effectively produce the assets and code support required for the areas you're owning
  • Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed

What skills will you use
  • Significant programming ability (Computer Science undergraduate degree preferred)
  • Knowledge of 3D math
  • Experience with C++, C#, Lua, or other scripting language
  • Broad understanding of gaming landscape
  • Self-starter with excellent communication and teamwork skills
  • Willingness to take design direction when offered, brainstorm, iterate and come up with fun and creative solutions
  • Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed

Bonus Skills
  • Experience developing third-person action games
  • Experience with 3D level editors
  • Understanding of narrative principles, and conveying emotion through gameplay
  • Experience with the following areas of design
    • Behavior Trees
    • Melee
    • Combat Systems
    • Character animation
    • Enemy & boss design

As part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates should expect to be given a technical interview
#LI-SP3
At SIE, working with our partners, we consider several factors when setting each role's base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.
Please note that the individual base pay range may vary based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location.
In addition, this role is eligible for benefit offerings that include medical, dental, and vision. Click here to learn more.
The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below, this is an hourly rate.
$37-$50 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.
Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

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