Games Designer

The current opportunity is available for current Manchester Met students, to apply you must be based in the UK for the duration of the role. The School of Computing and Mathematics, in partnership with the National Football Museum, is seeking a creative and enthusiastic Junior Game Designer to contribute to an exciting educational game project. In this role, you will help design a top-down 2D game that explores the importance of rules in modern football. The project aims to help players from all backgrounds better understand how rules shape gameplay, enjoyment, and fairness, while encouraging a greater appreciation for football officiating. The completed game will form part of the National Football Museum's "Rules are for Losers" exhibition, scheduled to launch in early 2027. In this role you will:

• Design engaging player mechanics and gameplay systems for a playable game demo.
• Create and refine level designs that support the project's learning objectives and player experience.
• Work to a defined project specification while contributing your own creative ideas and solutions.
• Iteratively improve gameplay and player experience based on feedback, testing, and stakeholder input.
• Collaborate with game developers, artists, academic staff, and museum stakeholders throughout the project.
• Attend regular project meetings and provide updates on progress.
• Visit the National Football Museum to inform design decisions and ensure the game aligns with the exhibition's objectives.
You will be supervised by Dr John Henry and Jimmy Mullin, with regular opportunities to engage directly with stakeholders from the National Football Museum. This is an excellent opportunity to:
• Build a professional portfolio through a real-world game development project.
• Gain practical experience in gameplay, systems, and level design.
• Work alongside industry and cultural sector partners.
• Develop skills in user-centred design, playtesting, stakeholder engagement, and project delivery.
• Contribute to a museum exhibition that will be experienced by a wide public audience.
Dates: 30 November 2026 - 12 March 2027 Hours: 5 hours per week Successful applicants will be expected to attend a project briefing at the National Football Museum, Manchester. The provisional date and time is Friday 4 December 2026 at 11:00am., Manchester Metropolitan University is committed to supporting the rights, responsibilities, dignity, health and wellbeing of staff and students through our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

You should be studying a games design-related subject or be able to demonstrate equivalent game design skills through a portfolio and practical assessment. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:
• The ability to work effectively to project deadlines.
• Strong self-management skills and the ability to work independently.
• Experience designing and implementing 2D games in Unity using C#.
• Competency in C# scripting and gameplay implementation.
• A strong game design portfolio showcasing multiple projects, prototypes, or playable demos.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• An understanding of player experience, gameplay mechanics, and level design principles.
• Creativity and problem-solving skills, with the ability to develop ideas while working within a project specification.
This opportunity would particularly suit a student looking to gain practical experience in game design, contribute to a real-world development project, and strengthen their portfolio while working alongside academic and industry stakeholders.