Leveling Up Your Design Journey: Applying for UX Design Internships at Riot Games
Are you a current student looking to take the next step to level up your UX design journey? Consider spending your summer with us at a Riot Games for a UX Design summer Internship. Our UX design internships are ideal for folks pursuing a career in interaction design, UX design, or product design. Feeling nervous or like your work or experience is not perfect yet to apply? Don’t let that hold you back. This is your chance to activate your power-ups, and embark on a journey that can help you grow as a job seeker at the start of your professional adventure.
In this post, we’ll explore:
- The “why” and “what” of Riot’s UX internships
- Crafting a standout application
- Navigating the interview process
- Your next step: applying!
2024 intern applications for Riot Games close on January 6th at 12:00 PM sharp — make sure you mark your calendars!
Unlocking Opportunities: Why Choose a Quest with Riot UX Design Internship?
Internships can be a great way to get your foot in the door at companies you are passionate about. The application and interview process can offer valuable networking opportunities and a chance to hone your interviewing skills, regardless of the outcome. At Riot, we’re not about asking interns to make coffee or run errands. Our UX design internships offer hands-on experience, immersing you in the role of a UX designer and providing you an understanding of what it means to work at Riot in UX Design. At Riot, we initiate our internship application process as soon as the previous year’s school starts. So in the fall, we are starting the hiring process for the upcoming summer internship.
Are internships offered outside the summer?
- The US Based program is only offered during the summer at this time. Please check our university programs website for more information
If I have graduated or am graduating this year, should I apply?
- The current US internship program is specifically focused for students who are in their junior year heading into senior, or in graduate programs. If you’ve already graduated or are graduating this year, please check out our jobs board for any open design roles at the company.
Do I have to be great at games?
- No. If you possess a passion for assisting players and are aligned with Riot Games’ mission, we encourage you to apply. We look for people who have a love for gaming in its diverse forms — be it video games, board games, role-playing, and beyond. You can acknowledge this in your cover letter, the ‘about me’ section of your portfolio, or even incorporate a game related project into your portfolio.
Crafting a Standout Application: Your Portfolio Matters
Your application is like your pass to the interview stage, and the key to making a splash is to have a carefully put together portfolio. While shipping a product or having extensive work experience is not expected, your portfolio should reflect your problem-solving approach, research methodology, and design process. Our interns jump right into real projects, so it’s not your typical apprenticeship program. We usually seek out folks who have completed enough coursework or projects to start putting their skills to use on the job, even if they still need some guidance. Portfolios are a great way for us to gauge those skills.
What really counts is the stuff you have in your portfolio, so don’t stress about having a flawless presentation. You can make a website using existing tools like Wix or Squarespace, a presentation in Google Slides, or just share a hosted PDF. Be sure to cover the basics,
- Share any passwords in your application.
- Have an easy way to get in contact if needed.
- Share a little bit about yourself and why you enjoy games.
Every project in your portfolio doesn’t have to be an extensive case study; you can mix it up with a variety of longer and shorter projects. Quality is more important than quantity, 1–2 of your best projects are better than showing many projects that you feel don’t represent your work as strongly. Highlight your strong execution of core design techniques (wireframes, user flows, user research, etc), your end to end process, demonstrate your problem-solving skills, and showcase your ability to work collaboratively within a team. Don’t be afraid to share the messy bits — UX designers love seeing the rough problem solving journey and want to get a better understanding of how you tackled and solved problems.
In particular, we’d like to learn more about:
- What problem were you solving and why is it important to your customers? How did it align with the project goals?
- Was it a solo or collaborative project? Who were the people you worked with and what was your role in the project?
- How did you approach the problem, what techniques or decisions did you make?
- Did you make any change based on feedback from your customers?
- Looking back on the project, is there anything you would have done differently knowing what you know now or if you had more time?
Navigating the Interview Process: Showcasing Your Potential
Congratulations on receiving an interview invitation — just an invite itself is an achievement to be celebrated! Prepare well, ensuring you have a quiet space with a stable internet connection. We suggest doing a quick connection test 5–10 mins early before the interview to catch any potential issues with your connection or hardware early on. It could also be a good idea to have a cell phone as a backup, just in case!
Interviews are not only about showcasing your work but also about how you communicate, reflect, and think critically. A big part of being a UX designer is not only the work you do, but how you talk about that work. We want to see how you communicate, your ability to reflect on your decisions and your problem solving skills. Definitely rehearse your presentation before the interview to get an idea of your timing and pacing. Be ready to present and discuss one or two projects that represent yourself as a designer. Additionally, expect behavioral interviews that delve into your alignment with Riot’s Values (Read more) and your personal values.
We recommend that you have a few questions prepped to ask the interviewers towards the end of the interview. In most cases, the interviewers should allocate some time for you to ask about Riot and the team. Remember that this is an opportunity for you to evaluate the company and the position to determine if the position aligns with your career goals. Thoughtful questions demonstrate that you have conducted research and are enthusiastic about the job you are applying for. It also offers you a valuable chance to gain further insight into Riot and assess its compatibility with your goals. For more deeper information about the interviewing process, please take a look at our Internship Study Guide — Tips and tricks for applying.
Embrace the Opportunity: Discover Your Potential at Riot Games
A Riot Games UX Design Internship is a chance to immerse yourself in a community that values gamers and their diverse interests. Don’t let uncertainty hold you back; take the leap and embrace the opportunity to learn, grow, and make a meaningful impact. Join us on this exciting journey, and let your passion for UX design shape the future of gaming experiences at Riot Games!
Keep in mind that applications do have a very strict deadline: 2024 intern applications will close at 12:00 PM PT on January 6, 2024. If you’re thinking about an internship for next year, odds are it’ll be a similar timeframe: each year, Riot opens up applications for internships on a rolling basis in September/October, and applications close in January for the following summer. You can follow Riot Games on LinkedIn to be one of the first to know when applications open.
For more applying and interviewing tips and what to expect during the process, explore our dedicated Riot Games.com University Programs page — or check out the specific 2024 UX Design Intern job listing to get your application journey started. Good luck and have fun!
