ONG (Setor Social)
Video Game Designer (Progression & Systems) - Volunteer Role
Detalhes
Descrição
The Donovan’s Venom is a 501c3 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, which drives us to expand our reach continually and enrich the lives of those we serve.
Position Overview
The Video Game Designer (Progression & Systems) is responsible for designing, implementing, and refining the game’s progression systems, including leveling, rewards, unlockables, and player advancement.
This role focuses on how players move through the game over time, ensuring that progression is engaging, balanced, and aligned with both gameplay and educational objectives.
Operating at the intersection of game systems design, player engagement, and iteration, this role is critical to maintaining long-term player retention and meaningful progression.
Key Responsibilities
- Progression System Design & Implementation
- Design and implement progression systems, including:
- Level structures
- Experience systems
- Unlockables and rewards
- Ensure progression is clear and motivating
- Reward System Development
- Create reward structures such as:
- Achievements
- Milestones
- Incentives
- Align rewards with player motivation and engagement
- Gameplay Loop Support
- Support development of core gameplay loops
- Ensure progression systems integrate smoothly with gameplay
- Reinforce player engagement through system design
- Balance & Tuning
- Balance progression pacing, including:
- Difficulty scaling
- Reward frequency
- Ensure fair and engaging player experience
- Data-Driven Iteration
- Analyze gameplay and player data (if available)
- Identify:
- Drop-off points
- Engagement trends
- Adjust systems based on insights
- Collaboration with Developers
- Work with Unity developers to:
- Implement systems
- Ensure functionality
- Provide clear design specifications
- Design Documentation
- Create and maintain documentation for:
- Progression systems
- Reward structures
- Ensure clarity and consistency
- Player Experience Optimization
- Ensure progression feels:
- Rewarding
- Intuitive
- Engaging
- Support overall player journey
- Cross-Functional Alignment
- Collaborate with:
- Gameplay designers → mechanics alignment
- Art team → visual feedback systems
- UX → clarity of progression indicators
- Testing & Iteration
- Participate in playtesting
- Identify issues with progression systems
- Iterate based on feedback
- Scalability & Future Content
- Design systems that can:
- Expand with new content
- Support long-term updates
- Ensure flexibility in progression structure
- Continuous Improvement
- Stay updated on:
- Game progression trends
- Player engagement strategies
- Introduce improvements to systems
Volunteer Commitment Expectations
- Estimated Commitment: 8–12 hours per week
- Availability: Flexible, aligned with development sprints
- Participation in game design and development meetings required
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Game Design, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience)
- 2–4 years of experience in game design or related roles
- Strong understanding of:
- Progression systems
- Player motivation and retention
- Familiarity with Unity or similar game engines
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience designing progression systems in games
- Experience with balancing and tuning gameplay systems
- Experience with data-driven design
- Experience in remote or distributed teams
Important Disclaimer
As a 100% volunteer-led U.S. nonprofit organization, we may engage volunteers located outside the United States. International volunteer participation is subject to applicable U.S. sanctions and export-control requirements, data privacy and information-security requirements, background screening where appropriate, and confirmation that the volunteer’s country and assigned responsibilities have been approved by the organization.
This is a volunteer position and does not constitute employment.
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Thank you for your interest in joining The Donovan’s Venom.
To be considered for this role, please ensure your application includes:
- A current resume
- Responses to all application questions (thoughtful and complete)
- A brief overview of your strategic experience and areas of impact
We encourage applicants to be intentional and specific in their responses, as this role requires a high level of strategic thinking and active contribution.
Important Considerations:
- This is a volunteer role requiring consistent engagement
- Applicants must be able to begin within 14 days
- Incomplete or low-effort applications will not be considered
We are seeking individuals who are ready to contribute, build, and lead in real time.
