VR Programmer/Developer

Arizona State University•Tempe, AZ

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

ASU EdPlus is a unit of Arizona State University focused on designing and delivering scalable digital teaching and learning models to increase student success and reduce barriers to achievement. Dreamscape Learn, a collaboration between Dreamscape Immersive and Arizona State University, combines experiential pedagogy with cinematic storytelling to create effective, scalable, and emotionally engaging virtual reality and 2D learning experiences. The VR Programmer/Developer will join the Dreamscape Learn team to develop educational experiences using virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies. Working under the guidance of senior staff, the role contributes independently and collaboratively with artists, developers, project leads, and stakeholders. The work involves translating creative concepts into polished, story-driven VR applications through interaction design, technical art, immersive world-building, and AI-assisted workflows. This is an in-person, hybrid position based at Creativity Commons on ASU's Tempe campus. The employee must be able to reliably commute to Tempe, Arizona. Flexible work options, including alternate or remote-hybrid schedules, may be available subject to approval under ASU policy. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States; ASU EdPlus will not sponsor this position.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree and five years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment or field, or an equivalent combination of experience and/or training demonstrating comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Expert-level experience developing VR experiences and interactions with Unity 3D and game engine development, including extensive experience with Unity Timeline or similar cinematic sequencing tools.
Experience developing and integrating art, gameplay, and functionality directly in-engine, including assets, animation, audio, visual effects, and UI/UX.
Strong C# programming skills and understanding of object-oriented and/or data-oriented programming.
Experience working with virtual reality headsets and hardware.
Experience using version control systems such as Git, Perforce, Unity Version Control (Plastic), and/or Bitbucket.
Experience optimizing mobile VR, including 3D assets, textures, materials, shaders, and draw calls; reworking visual effects and particle systems; and implementing light-baking to improve rendering performance, maintain visual quality, and achieve stable frame rates on mobile and standalone VR devices.
Experience leveraging agentic coding tools and AI-assisted development workflows for rapid prototyping, debugging, automation, and implementation of interactive VR systems and pipelines.
Familiarity with project management and collaboration tools such as Notion, Jira, ShotGrid, or Trello.
Ability to adapt quickly to new technologies, workflows, and creative direction.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
Ability to work effectively independently, collaboratively, and across multidisciplinary teams.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to reliably commute to Tempe, Arizona, for this in-person, hybrid position.
Eligibility to work in the United States; ASU EdPlus will not sponsor this position.
Successful completion of required pre-employment screening, criminal background check, and fingerprint check.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, game development, or a related field.
Passion for building engaging, immersive, and accessible educational experiences.
Portfolio or links to relevant projects demonstrating programming, Unity 3D, VR/AR development, interaction design, or technical art skills; these may be required.

Responsibilities

Develop robust C# systems for VR mechanics and create intuitive, tactile, and responsive interactions.
Translate sketches, storyboards, and animatics into playable prototype levels and immersive experiences that demonstrate gameplay concepts and user experience.
Use Unity Timeline and sequencing tools to create narrative moments and shape the pacing, rhythm, and flow of immersive experiences.
Collaborate with artists, designers, and project leads to turn creative briefs and storyboards into polished, functional VR prototypes.
Work with cross-functional teams to develop creative solutions, identify production constraints, and provide technical feasibility recommendations.
Package, deploy, and maintain VR builds for internal reviews and stakeholder feedback, ensuring features are stable, playable, and presentation-ready.
Work with team leads to develop gameplay systems and internal development tools and resolve bugs in support of production.
Evaluate and integrate new SDKs, tools, and platform updates, and collaborate with the team to address technical challenges and improve project infrastructure.
Mentor and provide feedback and professional guidance to support continuous growth in a fast-paced production environment.
Assume or coordinate other duties or projects as assigned or directed.