Accessibility Intern- Master's or PhD

Insomniac Games•Burbank, CA

About The Position

Join Insomniac Games as an Accessibility Intern and gain hands-on experience helping make video games more accessible and inclusive for players with disabilities. You will work alongside accessibility, design, and user research teams to support the development and improvement of accessibility features across game projects. The role contributes to accessibility design, documentation, inclusive research, and feature implementation while providing practical experience applying accessibility principles to game development. You will receive guidance from experienced team members and collaborate with cross-functional partners. The internship also offers opportunities to learn from players with disabilities, accessibility consultants, and industry experts while developing research, design, and communication skills. This is a 12-week internship for eligible students pursuing a master's or PhD, with availability for one of the specified internship periods. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States and must not require current or future work visa sponsorship from SIE. The fixed hourly pay range is $40.25–$46.75 USD. Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for new employees.

Requirements

Recently completed or currently pursuing a bachelor's degree or higher in accessibility, inclusive design, game design, interaction design, UX design, or a related field.
Interest in accessibility, inclusive design, user research, and creating better gaming experiences for players with disabilities.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to document observations, summarize information, and present findings to small internal groups with guidance.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to follow instructions, ask questions, and manage assigned tasks.
Foundational ability to work with percentages, rates, and basic descriptive data, including reading tables and charts.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.
Curiosity, problem-solving skills, and willingness to learn from feedback and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
Interest in learning about video game production processes and accessibility features in games.
Expected graduation between May 2026 and December 2029 from an accredited university.
Pursuing an advanced degree (master's or PhD).
Able to work for the entire 12-week internship period during either May 17–August 6 or June 14–September 3.
Authorized to work for any employer in the United States without requiring work visa sponsorship from SIE now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Coursework, portfolio projects, volunteer work, or professional experience demonstrating interest in accessible design, inclusive game experiences, accessibility standards, or designing for people with disabilities.
Experience using accessibility features in games.
Familiarity with survey tools such as Qualtrics or SurveyMonkey; training is provided as needed.
Interest in developing quantitative research skills.

Responsibilities

Participate in project discussions and review feature lists and development plans to identify opportunities to improve accessibility throughout game development.
Support accessibility design efforts by organizing and documenting features, including naming conventions, navigation patterns, and implementation workflows.
Collaborate with UI/UX and design partners to explore accessibility concepts, provide wireframe feedback, and contribute research insights to feature discussions.
Review gameplay to identify potential accessibility issues, document observations, and share findings with development teams.
Assist with planning and conducting inclusive research involving gamers who have disclosed accessibility needs, including consultants, employees, and external participants.
Observe and assist with moderating consultant sessions and, when appropriate, interviews with playtest participants.
Collect and analyze feedback from surveys, telemetry, interviews, observations, and video to identify recurring themes, player behaviors, and accessibility challenges.
Develop familiarity with accessibility guidelines and standards, including PlayStation Accessibility Standards (PAS), and learn from accessibility community perspectives, consultants, and industry experts.
Research relevant accessibility news, gaming articles, and community resources to support team discussions and ongoing learning.
Prepare accessibility updates, documentation, presentations, and supporting materials to communicate findings and recommendations to development teams.
Collaborate with SIE research partners and cross-functional teams on expert reviews, group studies, and accessibility initiatives.