About the role
Role Summary
Join Insomniac Games and gain hands-on experience conducting research that helps improve game development workflows and player experiences. As a User Research Intern, you'll collaborate with the User Research and Development Management teams to understand how individual contributors and leads use development tools such as Jira, Miro, and Confluence. You'll explore how these tools support daily workflows, identify challenges, and help uncover opportunities to improve how teams work together.
You'll also support player research on game projects, gaining practical experience with surveys, interviews, usability testing, observation, and data analysis. This internship offers the opportunity to apply research methods to both internal development processes and player experiences while learning from experienced researchers and cross-functional partners.
Key Responsibilities
- Collaborate with User Research and Development Management partners to develop research questions about tool use, workflow challenges, user needs, and workarounds across the studio.
- Design and conduct surveys with individual contributors and leads to understand their experiences using Jira, Miro, Confluence, and related systems.
- Assist with recruiting research participants and conducting interviews or observed workflow sessions, including remote sessions, while following participant consent and studio practices for recording.
- Organize and analyze survey responses, interview notes, and observations to identify recurring themes, differences across roles, and opportunities for improvement.
- Prepare reports and presentations that communicate research findings to tool owners and development partners, helping inform practical improvements and future research.
- Support the planning and execution of usability studies and playtests for game projects, including participant logistics, session preparation, observation, and note-taking.
- Analyze player feedback and contribute to research reports and presentations that help game development teams understand player experiences.
- Apply research methods and insights from games research to internal development tool workflows, with guidance from the User Research team.
Qualifications
- Currently pursuing or have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Cognitive Science, or a related field; or equivalent relevant experience gained through work, research projects, community work, or independent study.
- Experience contributing to a game project or a demonstrated passion for games and player experience.
- Familiarity with research methods such as surveys, interviews, usability testing, or observation through coursework, projects, or practical experience.
- Curiosity about how people work, with an empathetic listening style and the ability to ask clear, neutral follow-up questions.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to organize research findings and share insights clearly.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail when working with research participants, study materials, and data.
- Willingness to learn unfamiliar tools and collaborate with researchers, tool owners, and game development teams.
- Familiarity with Jira, Miro, Confluence, survey platforms, or similar tools is a plus. Prior experience with specific studio tools is not required.
Eligibility Requirements
- Students with expected graduation between May 2026 and December 2029 from an accredited university. Advanced degree: Master's.
- Able to work during one of the following periods: May 17th - August 6th or June 14th - September 3rd.
- Must be available for the entire 12-week internship period.
- Authorized to work for any employer in the United States without requiring work visa sponsorship from SIE now or in the future.
Compensation and Logistics
- Pay Rate: $40.25 per hour (Fixed hourly rate).
- Relocation: Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates.
- Working Conditions: Hybrid working policy applies; base pay is determined by job-related factors including knowledge, skills, experience, and location.
- Background Checks: Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees, which may include criminal background checks.