Full-Time Faculty: Game Art Department, Game Designer

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Job Description Summary

Job Description

Beginning August 2026

Game Art Department

Game Designer

Full-Time Faculty Appointment with Benefits

The Game Art Department is one of the nation's most respected undergraduate programs dedicated to game art and interactive design. The curriculum places emphasis on game design principles, level design, systems balance, and player experience, while integrating rigorous training in real-time 3D asset creation pipelines. Students graduate prepared to design and build compelling interactive experiences that meet the standards of professional production.

Facilities: The Game Art Department provides facilities designed to replicate a professional studio environment. Students and faculty work with state-of-the-art computers, high-end graphics hardware, industry-standard software, and ergonomic furniture. Full-time Institutional Technology staff support the Department.

The Position: The Game Art Department is seeking a Game Designer to join our full-time faculty and contribute to the continued strength and evolution of the program. The successful candidate will bring professional experience in game design and development, with demonstrated ability to guide projects from concept through prototype to polished completion. Faculty will teach three courses (nine credits) per semester, ranging from introductory to advanced work in game design, level design, and interactive systems development. Instruction will cover ideation and prototyping, core mechanics design, systems balance, level design, player psychology, UX principles, iteration through playtesting, and design documentation, translating these principles into performant, playable experiences in Unreal Engine 5. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working across art, programming, and production disciplines, and will bring experience mentoring designers and leading teams.

This full-time appointment with benefits carries the expectations for ongoing creative work or research in the field, as well as active participation with faculty, department and college services. The salary will be commensurate with the candidate's qualifications and experience. Ringling College faculty are expected to be on campus to teach in person and contribute to the broader academic community. The College maintains a supportive, collegial faculty and a robust support system dedicated to using the most current technology. The salary will be commensurate with the candidate's qualifications and experience.  The anticipated start date is August 2026.

Education and Experience

(Minimum Qualifications) Include evidence of:

• A Master's degree in Game Design, Interactive Media, or a related field; or a four‑year degree combined with significant professional experience and a record of shipped games or notable interactive products.
• At least three years of experience designing and developing digital games, demonstrating ability to shepherd projects from concept through prototype to polished completion. 
• A portfolio showcasing design thinking, iteration, and player-centric design is essential.
• Ability to articulate core design principles: ideation, prototyping, systems balance, player psychology, and to guide students in pitching and defending design concepts.
• Familiarity with at least one modern game engine (Unreal 4/5, Unity or equivalent) and ability to integrate performant engine workflows into their teaching.
• Demonstrated ability to work across disciplines (art, programming, production) and communicate design concepts clearly in both written and verbal forms.
• Strong interpersonal skills for mentoring students and collaborating with faculty.

(Preferred Qualifications) Include evidence of:

• Five or more years in game design or related roles, including leadership or mentoring.
• Expertise with one or more areas of game design, e.g. narrative design, mechanics, level design, system design, or UX design.
• Ability to analyze player behavior and motivation and communicate these insights.
• Passionate interest in experimentation and prototyping game mechanics; ability to teach rapid iteration based on playtest feedback.
• Expert-level command of source control systems (e.g., Git, Perforce) and ability to instill professional version control practices with students and collaborative teams.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and projects, including project management, in support of expanding student game development teams.
• Interest or experience in teaching XR and immersive experiences.
• Experience organizing game jams, industry partnerships or outreach activities that could enhance program visibility and student opportunities.
• Record of scholarly or creative work in game design (publications, talks, exhibits, grants, or festival presentations).

(Special Instructions to Applicants)

Required materials include cover letter incorporating experiences that address the position requirements, resume or CV, employment history, contact information of three references (names, titles, email and telephone numbers), examples of personal work and an unofficial transcript copy of the most relevant degree. Official transcripts will be required upon hire. Student work examples may also be submitted, if available.  Candidates may be asked to submit additional materials if needed. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

For portfolio, you have the option to upload electronic documents/images, up to 5 MB, or a URL.

General questions regarding the job application process may be emailed to

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Ringling College of Art and Design is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  The College provides equal employment opportunity to all persons without regard to sex, age, gender, color, race, national or ethnic origin, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law.