Student TA – DES-397-A Encounter Design (Morrison), S27

Digipen; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 24,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

DigiPen Institute of Technology is seeking a diligent Teaching Assistant (TA) for the Encounter Design course on the Redmond campus. You will support the instructor in labs, assist with grading, and help students during scheduled lab and office hours.

Responsibilities include weekly grading, timely feedback, and coordinating with the instructor. Must be a current DigiPen student, with prerequisites DES-214/240 or DES-340 completed, and be available for Tue/Thu lab times.

Qualifications

• Must be able to commit to weekly grading of student work
• Assisting students in labs and during published office hours
• Meeting students online, if required
• Grading weekly assignments and projects using the provided guidelines
• Providing constructive feedback in the grading to the students
• Timely delivery of graded reports/assignments and maintaining consistency and clarity in grading
• Accountable for tracking and reporting the amount of time worked

Responsibilities

• Must be available to work during the lab times listed above with no other class conflict or overlap
• Must be able to work in-person on Redmond campus
• Unreal and UEFN, Portal 2, DOOM, Halo Forge editor experience highly sought
• Must have high proficiency with Unreal blueprints, gameplay prototyping, pacing, and flow.
• Strong technical skills and familiarity with AGLS gameplay, scripting, and core systems are a big plus.
• Must have strong overall technical skills to assist students with editor / blueprint / scripting questions
• Strong command of overall spatial design, guidance, pacing, and level design techniques.
• Must have taken and passed DES-214 or DES-240 and/or DES-340 previously
• Have proven proficiency with the course material
• Possess a positive attitude toward learning and a willingness to help others excel
• Be comfortable interacting with other students on an instructional level as a mentor
• Arrive on time and be prepared to attend with complete focus during work hours
• Be available to create “office hours” outside of listed class time to answer student questions and assist the professor with assignment grading or prep

Skills

Unreal blueprints

Gameplay prototyping

Scripting

Level design

Spatial design guidance

Education

DES-214 or DES-240 or DES-340

Tools

Unreal Engine

UEFN

Portal 2 Editor

DOOM Editor

Halo Forge Editor

Job description

Applicants MUST be current students at DigiPen Institute of Technology to qualify for this position.

• Student Employment at DigiPen is open to all currently matriculated students if they meet the qualifications for the job.
• Students may not work during any time when they have a class scheduled , a class is canceled , or a class ends early .
• Student workers must reside within the State of Washington. Remote work outside of Washington will not be permitted.

Job Title: Student TA – DES-397-A Encounter Design (Morrison), S27

Reports to: Bill Morrison

Class Times:

Tuesdays & Thursdays – 9:00 - 10:50 a.m.

Essential Functions

A Teaching Assistant (TA) is expected to assist the instructor in the classroom as requested by the instructor. Responsibilities may include equipment setup and/or operation (e.g., running slide decks during lectures), facilitating student presentations, answering student questions during labs, pre-grading assessments, submitting attendance sheets, etc. TAs are expected to assist with grading outside the classroom, meet regularly with the instructor, and may be required to meet with students outside class to answer questions as needed. Other duties as assigned by the instructor.

TAs will meet weekly with the instructor for performance feedback and duty modification and will receive a full evaluation once per semester.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Must be able to make a commitment to weekly grading of student work
• Assisting students in labs and during published office hours
• Meeting students online, if required
• Grading weekly assignments and projects using the provided guidelines
• Providing constructive feedback in the grading to the students
• Timely delivery of graded reports/assignments and maintaining consistency and clarity in grading
• Accountable for tracking and reporting the amount of time worked

Qualifications/Competencies

• Must be available to work during the lab times listed above with no other class conflict or overlap
• Must be able to work in-person on Redmond campus
• Unreal and UEFN, Portal 2, DOOM, Halo Forge editor experience highly sought
• Must have high proficiency with Unreal blueprints, gameplay prototyping, pacing, and flow.
• Strong technical skills and familiarity with AGLS gameplay, scripting, and core systems are a big plus.
• Must have strong overall technical skills to assist students with editor / blueprint / scripting questions
• Strong command of overall spatial design, guidance, pacing, and level design techniques.
• Must have taken and passed DES-214 or DES-240 and/or DES-340 previously
• Have proven proficiency with the course material
• Possess a positive attitude toward learning and a willingness to help others excel
• Be comfortable interacting with other students on an instructional level as a mentor
• Arrive on time and be prepared to attend with complete focus during work hours
• Be available to create “office hours” outside of listed class time to answer student questions and assist the professor with assignment grading or prep

Expected dates of employment: January 4 – April 23, 2027

Expected number of hours per week: 5 - 10

*** Once again, students are not permitted to work during any time when they are scheduled for a class. ***

Wage Range:

$17.73 - $18.75 per hour, depending on number of terms worked at DigiPen

DigiPen Student Employee Academic Requirements:

• Are currently a Matriculated student at DigiPen Institute of Technology
• Good Academic Standing – not on Academic Warning as defined in DigiPen Course Catalog
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
• Have taken and passed DES-240 (or DES-214) and/or DES-340 with a B or better

Equal opportunity is a priority of DigiPen Institute of Technology, as the institution is committed to fostering a positive learning environment for all. The Institute's intent is to hire the most qualified individuals for faculty and staff, attracting candidates from diverse backgrounds of race and ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, veteran status, nationality, culture, religion, and physical abilities. We are committed to broadening our candidate pool to include more diverse individuals and ensuring fairness in hiring by avoiding bias and determining criteria to judge all candidates prior to posting each new position.