Gameplay Engineer Intern

Electronic Arts•Los Angeles, CA

15h•$24 - $38•Hybrid

About The Position

We are looking for an enthusiastic Gameplay Engineering Intern to join our team in building and supporting high-quality, player-facing gameplay features for a live-service multiplayer game. In this role, you will work under the mentorship of experienced engineers and partner with designers, animators, and cross-disciplinary developers to prototype, implement, and polish mechanics that shape moment-to-moment gameplay. This internship is an immersive opportunity to write production-grade code, learn modern live-service game architecture, and see your contributions directly impact the player experience.

Requirements

Currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s program in Computer Science, Game Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related field.
Solid understanding of core computer science fundamentals (data structures, algorithms, object-oriented design, memory management, and debugging).
Good working knowledge of modern C++ or C, demonstrated through academic coursework, personal projects, game jams, or open-source contributions.
Hands-on experience developing games (via personal projects, game jams, school capstones, or custom engine/modding work).
A proactive attitude, curiosity to learn, and the ability to articulate technical ideas clearly in a team environment.
Genuine excitement for multiplayer, competitive, or live-service games.
Must be available for a full-time paid internship in the summer of 2027.
Undergrad students who will be enrolled in an accredited degree program in the summer of 2027, slated to graduate no earlier than December 2027.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis during the 12-week internship.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with multiplayer networking concepts (client-server architectures, prediction, replication, or lag compensation).
Experience with 3D game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity, or proprietary/custom engines).
Familiarity with scripting languages commonly used in gameplay logic (e.g., Python, Lua, Squirrel, or C#).
Experience with source control systems (e.g., Perforce, Git).
Experience profiling, benchmarking, or optimizing real-time systems.

Responsibilities

Partner with designers and senior engineers to prototype, build, and polish player-facing gameplay mechanics (e.g., character abilities, weapon feel, locomotion, or game modes).
Assist in maintaining existing gameplay systems with a focus on code readability, performance, and stability in a multiplayer environment.
Investigate, reproduce, and resolve gameplay bugs, edge cases, and regressions across a large-scale game codebase.
Work alongside artists, animators, designers, and QA to bring features from initial concept to release-ready state.
Actively participate in technical design discussions, engineering stand-ups, and code reviews, incorporating constructive feedback into your daily workflow.
Help document new systems and contribute to internal gameplay workflows and developer quality-of-life tools.