3D Game - Level Designer

About Us

The Donovans’ Venom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on curating universal accessibility to fine arts and music education for all. We are passionately dedicated to ensuring that everyone, regardless of financial circumstances, has access to high-quality music education, performance opportunities, and fine art.

We aim to inspire, empower, and uplift communities by fostering a love for music and the arts through our commitment to education, inclusivity, diversity, and social impact. Our work expands access and enriches the lives of those we serve.

Role Overview

We are seeking a 3D Game Level Designer to craft immersive, meaningful, and engaging environments for our upcoming project(s). This volunteer will design interactive 3D spaces that support storytelling, player progression, and educational impact.

The ideal candidate understands spatial design, pacing, player navigation, and how level flow influences emotional and learning outcomes. You will collaborate with designers, developers, writers, artists, and subject-matter experts to create environments that are intuitive, inclusive, and aligned with our mission.

Time Commitment: 15–20 hours per week (Volunteer)

Key Responsibilities

• Design and prototype 3D levels, environments, and interactive spaces that align with gameplay and educational objectives.
• Develop level layouts, greybox prototypes, and spatial flow maps before final art integration.
• Create engaging player journeys, balancing exploration, challenge, narrative, and learning elements.
• Ensure accessibility, inclusivity, and intuitive navigation within all level designs.
• Document level structure, mechanics integration points, environmental storytelling elements, and flow diagrams.
• Collaborate closely with 3D artists, programmers, and system designers to ensure cohesive implementation.
• Playtest and iterate on level design to improve pacing, clarity, engagement, and user experience.
• Optimize levels for performance and technical feasibility within engine constraints.

Qualifications

• Passion for mission-driven, educational, or socially impactful games.
• Experience or strong interest in 3D level design (professional, academic, or hobbyist).
• Familiarity with game engines such as Unity, Unreal Engine, or similar tools (preferred but not required).
• Understanding of spatial storytelling, player psychology, and environmental design principles.
• Strong problem-solving and layout-planning skills.
• Ability to clearly document level flow, blackouts, and gameplay logic.
• Collaborative mindset and comfort working within a remote, volunteer-based team.

What You’ll Gain

• Hands-on experience designing 3D environments for a real-world nonprofit game project.
• Portfolio-worthy level design work demonstrating impact-driven game development.
• Opportunity to shape immersive spaces that promote arts, education, and community engagement.
• Collaboration with a passionate team of creatives, developers, strategists, and mission-focused volunteers.
• Networking opportunities within both the nonprofit and game development communities.
• A meaningful chance to contribute to a project that benefits players and communities through the power of interactive design.

Watch our video to learn more: The Donovan's Piano Room