Game Design Lecturer (Cape Town)

AIE, Academic Institute of Excellence; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

The Academic Institute of Excellence (AIE) in Cape Town seeks a Game Design Lecturer to join the School of Art and Design. The role involves teaching game design, prototyping, testing and refining interactive experiences, and connecting creative design with technical implementation to develop playable projects.

Responsibilities include delivering structured lectures, assessments, curriculum development, academic administration and coordination with other disciplines, while supporting student

Qualifications

• Undergraduate teaching requires a relevant undergraduate degree and an Honours degree; Master’s preferred.
• Portfolio of playable projects demonstrating design and iteration.
• Experience with Unity or similar game engines; coding in C# when Unity is used.
• Ability to teach and assess at the assigned academic level; teaching qualification advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and deliver lectures, demonstrations, studio sessions and tutorials aligned with module outcomes.
• Prepare briefs and marking rubrics; set and mark assessments; invigilate as scheduled.
• Monitor attendance and progress; provide academic support and refer concerns through channels.
• Develop learning resources and curricula; integrate research, integrity and responsible use of digital resources.
• Maintain records using institutional systems and participate in programme meetings and community engagement.
• Coordinate collaborative projects with art and animation disciplines; supervise student work.

Skills

Game design

Teaching

Curriculum development

Assessment

Student mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Game Design

Honours degree in Game Design or related

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Unity

Job description

Location: Cape Town

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

The Academic Institute of Excellence (AIE) has a job opening for a Game Design Lecturer within the School of Art and Design. Develop students ability to conceive, prototype, test and refine games and interactive experiences. Connect creative design, visual communication and technical implementation so students can develop playable projects and explain their design decisions.

The role includes teaching, assessment, invigilation, academic administration and curriculum development across Higher Certificate and undergraduate degree programmes up to third-year level, according to teaching allocation and qualifications.

Position Duties & Responsibilities:

• Prepare and deliver structured lectures, demonstrations, studio sessions and tutorials aligned with module outcomes and academic level. Provide accessible foundation teaching and progressively independent undergraduate projects.
• Prepare briefs and marking rubrics before projects begin, stating outcomes, submission requirements, criteria and resources. Set and mark assessments, provide constructive feedback, participate in moderation and invigilate as scheduled.
• Monitor attendance and progress, identify students at risk, provide appropriate academic support and refer concerns through institutional channels. Maintain a fair, approachable and inclusive learning environment.
• Develop and review learning resources and curricula with colleagues. Integrate contextual studies, research, critical reflection, academic integrity and responsible use of creative and digital resources.
• Maintain accurate attendance, assessment and moderation records using institutional systems and the learning management system. Meet academic deadlines and contribute to programme meetings, interdisciplinary work and community engagement.
• Game design foundations: Game analysis, player experience, mechanics, rules, systems, progression, challenge, balance and ethical design.
• Interactive storytelling and worlds: Narrative, characters, world building, level design, interaction design, user interfaces and accessibility.
• Prototyping and implementation: Paper and digital prototypes, game engines, interactive systems, basic scripting, implementation of mechanics and iterative development.
• Game art and production: Characters, environments, props, 2D and 3D assets, asset integration, production planning, playtesting, optimisation and final builds.
• Guide students from a game concept and design documentation to playable prototypes, structured playtesting and refined outcomes.
• Teach implementation in an appropriate game engine, including introductory scripting or visual scripting; teach deeper programming where supported by the assigned curriculum and expertise.
• Coordinate collaborative projects with art and animation disciplines, helping students manage assets, versions, scope and individual contributions.
• Maintain current discipline knowledge through relevant research, creative practice and professional development; support student portfolios and final presentations.

Application Requirements:

• For undergraduate degree teaching: a relevant undergraduate degree and an Honours degree in Game Design, Digital Arts, Game Development, Interactive Media or a closely related discipline. A relevant Master's degree is preferred.
• For appointments limited to Higher Certificate teaching: a Bachelor's degree in Game Design, Digital Arts, Game Development, Interactive Media or a closely related discipline. An Honours degree is advantageous.
• A portfolio of playable projects, prototypes or game design work demonstrating design reasoning, implemented mechanics, playtesting and iteration; identify individual contributions to team projects.
• Practical competence in a game engine such as Unity or an equivalent environment, with scripting or visual scripting skills. C# is relevant where Unity forms part of the assigned curriculum. Working knowledge of digital asset and 3D production workflows is required.
• Ability to teach and assess at the assigned academic level. Higher education teaching, mentoring or facilitation experience and a teaching qualification or assessor and moderator training are advantageous.
• Professional game design or development experience; knowledge of game art pipelines, level design, UI and UX, accessibility and collaborative production. Technical qualifications in Game Development, Computer Science or Software Development may be considered where supported by relevant design and teaching evidence.
• Ability to use learning management systems and institutional office applications, maintain accurate records and meet assessment and moderation deadlines.
• Relevant research or creative outputs and research supervision experience are advantageous where supervision is assigned. Availability must align with the agreed timetable and delivery mode.

The following attributes are linked to the Code of Conduct:

• Must be able to work under pressure.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Be innovative and efficient in solving problems.
• Comfortable interacting with external development teams and stakeholders at multiple levels.
• Excellent communication and people skills.
• People Centricity – Respectful and helpful nature when dealing with clients, peers, and colleagues.
• Urgency – The position requires decisiveness, quick responses, and fast action.
• Self-Control – The ability to govern one’s emotions and reactions is a key part of customer service.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to assess a situation to determine the severity of a problem and escape when required.
• Able to prioritise tasks and deliver clear and concise feedback.

At AIE, we’re not just adapting to the future, we’re building it. If you're passionate about continuous growth, inspired by new technology, and want your ideas to be heard (and actually implemented), you might have just found your place.

We stay agile through adaptability, lead with empathy, honour respect, and spark everything with curiosity. If this sounds like your kind of environment, where flexibility, innovation, and human-centered design guide the way, then we’d love to hear from you.

Let’s create something meaningful together.