Visual events, reusable behaviors, scene systems, variables, extensions, and optional JavaScript.
Intern Welcome HubROLE 35 · TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTS
Low Code Game and Interactive Experience Development Intern
Create educational games, simulations, original avatar experiences, interactive stories, and immersive learning tools for the Heart Spark Ecosystem through a low code first, code capable production pathway.
Begin with visual logic. Add code when it creates a clear educational, technical, or accessibility benefit.
Experiences that turn an idea, story, skill, or program pathway into meaningful participation.
Core creation can begin with free and open source tools. Any paid service requires advance organizational approval.
POSITION OVERVIEW
Research, design, build, test, document, and hand off one connected experience.
As the Low Code Game and Interactive Experience Development Intern, you will help transform education, research communication, professional development, wellness, community engagement, and program navigation into engaging interactive experiences. You will participate in the full development pathway: understanding the need, shaping the concept, designing the interaction, creating original assets, building the prototype, conducting structured playtesting, revising the experience, preparing responsible release materials, and preserving continuity.
The role is designed for a student whose studies or emerging practice involve game design, game development, interactive media, animation, digital art, experience design, serious games, educational technology, human computer interaction, or a related field. The work welcomes a strong visual builder who is learning code as well as a code capable builder who values accessible visual production.
Projects may support experiences such as Convergence Q45, Small Keys, Team Garden, Brown Virtual Lab, book and learning communities, virtual fitness and wellness programming, intern education, research translation, patient and caregiver education, professional role exploration, or new mission aligned concepts approved by program leadership.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
One builder process, carried from question to playable experience.
Experience research and concept development
Study the intended audience, learning goal, program setting, accessibility needs, comparable experiences, and responsible design considerations. Translate each finding into a concise game concept, player promise, interaction loop, and success measure.
Low code game production
Build browser based educational games and interactive experiences in GDevelop using scenes, objects, events, variables, behaviors, extensions, reusable components, and visual logic. Add JavaScript only when a clearly documented need supports the experience.
Avatar and character systems
Develop original avatar concepts, expressions, poses, dialogue states, customization options, and accessible visual identities. Preserve source records, permissions, iteration history, and a consistent character guide.
Interactive storytelling
Create branching dialogue, reflective choices, quests, progress systems, feedback moments, and narrative pathways that support education, professional development, wellness, research communication, or community engagement.
Prototyping and playtesting
Move from paper flow to playable prototype, structured internal review, small playtest, revision, and release candidate. Prepare test scripts, observation notes, issue logs, accessibility checks, and evidence based recommendations.
Responsible health and research communication
Maintain educational scope, careful source attribution, privacy, dignity, cultural responsiveness, and clear boundaries. Route participant facing clinical, mental health, safety, or research language through the required professional and organizational review pathway.
Documentation and continuity
Maintain a design brief, asset register, scene map, variable dictionary, event logic notes, build log, decision log, test record, version history, release notes, and a continuation guide for later interns and program leaders.
Portfolio and dissemination
Prepare an approved playable build, walkthrough, poster, case study, presentation, or appropriately redacted portfolio artifact that explains the need, design decisions, development process, testing, learning, and next steps.
FREE FIRST PRODUCTION TOOLKIT
What the intern would use to build.
The organization can establish the work with a no purchase entry path. Current third party terms, quotas, export limits, licenses, privacy practices, and organizational approval remain part of every tool decision.
Free desktop and web editor; open source core; browser, desktop, and mobile export pathways subject to the platform terms and current plan limits.
Free creation and editing of original sprite sheets and frame based animations.
Free options for concept art, textures, interface assets, and production graphics.
Free and open source creation of icons, interface elements, diagrams, and scalable artwork.
Free and open source modeling, animation, rendering, and asset preparation when a project benefits from three dimensional work.
Free editing for original narration and sound, together with carefully verified public domain or appropriately licensed assets.
Free collaboration options for source files and documentation, used through organization approved accounts and access controls.
EXAMPLE DELIVERABLES
A portfolio of playable work and careful stewardship.
- 01One complete game or interactive experience concept brief
- 02One playable browser based prototype created in GDevelop
- 03An original avatar or character system with a documented visual guide
- 04A scene map, event logic map, and reusable component library
- 05A structured playtest plan, findings report, and prioritized revision log
- 06Accessibility, privacy, source, asset permission, and responsible content review records
- 07A release package with build notes, user instructions, and continuation documentation
- 08A final capstone presentation and approved portfolio case study
LEARNING OUTCOMES
What the intern can learn through the full production lifecycle.
Design
Translate audience needs and learning goals into player journeys, game loops, feedback systems, narratives, levels, interfaces, and accessible interaction patterns.
Build
Use GDevelop scenes, objects, events, variables, behaviors, extensions, reusable components, responsive layouts, and optional JavaScript to produce a playable experience.
Test
Develop playtest protocols, observe interaction, distinguish isolated preference from recurring usability evidence, prioritize revisions, and document quality decisions.
Steward
Manage original and licensed assets, version records, permissions, privacy boundaries, source attribution, professional review, release documentation, and a responsible handoff.
EXAMPLE MAJORS
Game Design, Game Development, Video Game Creation, Interactive Media, Computer Science, Creative Technology, Animation, Digital Art, Graphic Design, User Experience Design, Human Computer Interaction, Educational Technology, Instructional Design, Simulation, Emerging Media, Digital Storytelling, and related fields.
EXAMPLE CAREERS
Game Designer, Gameplay Designer, Level Designer, Technical Designer, Serious Games Developer, Educational Game Developer, Interactive Experience Designer, Narrative Designer, GDevelop Developer, Game Producer, User Experience Designer, Simulation Developer, Digital Learning Designer, Character or Avatar Designer, Quality Assurance Tester, and Creative Technologist.
PREFERRED QUALITIES
Curiosity, reliable asynchronous work, visual and systems thinking, thoughtful documentation, comfort with feedback, interest in health or education, responsible technology practice, patience with iteration, accessibility awareness, and the ability to turn a broad idea into a small playable first version.
SCOPE, REVIEW, AND RESPONSIBLE RELEASE
Creative freedom grows inside clear stewardship.
Every project will follow the applicable organizational, scientific, privacy, accessibility, intellectual property, brand, research, and professional review pathway. Participant facing health or mental health content receives qualified review before external use. Research involving people, applicant or intern records, surveys, interviews, focus groups, identifiable private information, or prospective evaluation proceeds only through the required determination or approved protocol. The intern uses organization approved accounts, systems, storage, assets, and communication channels.
Original assets, third party assets, artificial intelligence assisted materials, code, data, and sources must remain distinguishable in the project record. The intern will preserve licenses, permissions, prompts when required, source links, review notes, decisions, versions, and release status. Portfolio use follows written approval and appropriate redaction or simulation.
APPLICATION PATHWAY
Bring your curiosity, your process, and one idea you would love to make playable.
Applicants complete the official detailed application and the protected asynchronous interview. Candidates for this role receive focused questions about their game concept, visual work, low code experience, accessibility, playtesting, tool choices, and responsible use of assets and artificial intelligence.
The intern selects a sustainable weekly schedule, typically 10 hours and up to 20 hours, and an internship period that may span part of a summer or semester, one complete semester, multiple semesters, or up to one year. Academic credit support documents are available when desired.
TODAY