Engine Programming Intern - Undergraduate

Insomniac Games

Applications Closed

Posted 7 months ago

Internship

Burbank, California

In Person

Smart Summary

Responsibilities

Design and develop game engine technology under the guidance of team leads. Implement low-level systems that support higher-level game pipelines and build tools for content creators.

Qualifications

Insomniac Games is looking for an Engine Programming Intern with proficiency in C++ and experience with game engines. The ideal candidate is currently enrolled in a Bachelor's program in Computer Science, Computer Graphics, or a related field, with graduation expected between May 2025 and Spring 2027. Strong problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills are also essential for this role.

Job Description

R-121971

About the Role

At Insomniac Games, Engine Programmers design, add, and modify the runtime and tools components of our proprietary engine technology. Working primarily in C++, this internship offers a hands-on opportunity to contribute to the systems that power our world-class games.

The specific focus of the internship is flexible—you can specialize based on your interests or expertise, such as tools development, animation, low-level engine architecture, or rendering.

What You’ll Do

  • Design and develop game engine technology under the guidance of team leads

  • Implement low-level systems that support higher-level game pipelines

  • Build and improve tools that help content creators develop game assets efficiently

  • Maintain and optimize existing systems for performance and functionality

  • Learn the hardware capabilities and limitations of current gaming platforms

  • Document implementation details and respond to bug reports or feature requests

  • Collaborate with production teams to analyze and resolve development challenges

What You’ll Learn

  • How real-time engine systems are developed, optimized, and maintained

  • Collaboration between engineering, art, and design teams in a AAA studio

  • Best practices for C++ programming, debugging, and engine performance tuning

  • Insights into game hardware architectures and technical pipelines

What We’re Looking For

  • Current enrollment in an accredited university Bachelor’s program in Computer Science, Computer Graphics, or related field, with graduation expected between May 2025 and Spring 2027

  • Proficiency in C++ programming

  • Experience with game engines or game development patterns

  • Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills

  • Strong communication and collaboration abilities

  • Passion for learning and staying current with game industry technologies

Eligibility

  • Students with expected graduation between May 2025 and Spring 2027 from an accredited university. Undergraduate

  • Able to work during one of the following periods: May 18th - August 7th or June 15th - September 4th. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates.

  • Must be available for the entire 12-week internship period.

At this time, SIE will only consider applicants who are authorized to work for any employer in the United States and who will not require work visa sponsorship from SIE now or in the future to maintain their authorization to work in the United States.

Our intern positions offer a fixed hourly pay rate. Please note that the pay rate is exclusive to the internship period and may not reflect what pay may look like following the completion of an internship.

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about how we process your personal information, and your data protection rights.

At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location. 

Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. 

Intern Pay Range$45.75—$45.75 USD

Insomniac Games

Insomniac Games has created and developed award-winning video game franchises across multiple platforms for 25 years, selling more than 70 million games along the way. We’re best known for developing the PlayStation®4 smash-hit, Marvel's Spider-Man (2018), and creating iconic PlayStation franchises such as Spyro the Dragon (1998), Ratchet & Clank (2002) and Resistance (2005). With studios in Burbank, Calif. and Durham, NC, Insomniac has earned 20 local, regional, state and national awards for our workplace culture. You can learn more about us at https://insomniac.games

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