Haven Interactive Studios - English

Technical Designer - Intern at Haven Interactive Studios - English (Canada Montreal, Canada)

Haven Interactive Studios - English· Canada Montreal, Canada·

Role details

Level
Internship

Job description

In May 2021, we embarked on a journey to start Haven Studios with a small team and big ambitions. Our goal was to build a studio where we could make the kind of games we’ve always wanted to create – and games we’ve longed to play.

We established a culture at Haven grounded in kindness, adaptability and courage that unlocks creativity. Our first new IP for PlayStation is on track to deliver a AAA multiplayer experience with a vision to build a systemic and evolving world focused on freedom, thrill, and playfulness that will keep players entertained and engaged for years.

Haven joined the PlayStation Studios family in 2022, and we are on track to build an exclusive new IP for Playstation and grow the first Sony game development team in Canada.

Position - Technical Design Intern

We are looking for a Technical Design Intern to join the Haven Interactive Studios project team. The Technical Designer works as a bridge  between game design, level design, and programming. Part of the features and systems validation process, you will anticipate and support the game modes team.  You will work with the Technical Level Design Director in order to establish clear guidelines and rational level design rules for best usage of our features and systems in game. You will also coordinate, create and maintain effective in-game tools and debug tools for designers.

Reporting

The Technical Designer will report to a producer.

Responsibilities and Duties

  • Develop and maintain in-game tools and debug tools for designers.
  • Work closely with the programming team to enhance existing tools and create new ones.
  • In parallel with the features and systems development, build a solid rational level design checklist and communicate technical requirements to the level design team to ensure the best in-game experience.
  • Act as a bridge between the design team and the engineering team to ensure the tools and engine developments support the game design needs.
  • Implement data validation strategies (reports, automated testing, etc.)
  • Optimization for systems and features.
  • Clean up outdated data and error logs

Experience and skills required

  • Currently enrolled in University/College with  programming, game design  or technical design focus
  • Scripting or programming experience
  • Relevant internship experience is an advantage.

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to ourCandidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

Why work at Haven Interactive Studios - English

  • Culture: "Kindness, adaptability, and courage make space for creative excellence" — a clear anti-crunch, pro-creativity philosophy.
  • Compensation & Benefits: Rated 4.8/5.0 for Compensation and 5.0/5.0 for Work-Life Balance on employee reviews. Industry-leading salaries and benefits are explicitly mentioned in their hiring page.
  • Environment: Described as a "fearless" and "collaborative" space where diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental values. The interview process is designed to be straightforward ("no endless back-and-forth with dozens of exhausting day-long panels").
  • Work Policy: Based in Montreal (with a small US office presence). The studio operates primarily from Montreal, Canada.
  • Engineering Culture: Rated 4.9/5.0 overall (15 reviews). Strong emphasis on technical art, AI programming, and full-stack observability. Tech stack includes Unreal Engine, Python, TypeScript, Kubernetes, Docker, React, and MySQL.
  • Notable Perks: High employee retention from top studios, access to PlayStation's IP and technology, and the chance to work on a high-visibility AAA title from day one.

Application questions