Working Student (Research & Development)

About Atari

Atari is an interactive entertainment company and an iconic gaming industry brand recognized worldwide for its multi-platform games and licensed products. Atari owns and/or manages a portfolio of more than 400 games and franchises, including globally recognized brands such as Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Pong®, and RollerCoaster Tycoon®.

The Atari family of brands includes Digital Eclipse, Nightdive Studios, Infogrames, AtariAge, MobyGames, as well as Coatsink, Early Morning Studios, and Stormteller Games—spanning game development, publishing, and community experiences worldwide.

Atari operates internationally with offices in New York, Paris, Germany, and India.

Overview

As an R&D Intern on the Strategic Projects team, you’ll investigate emerging technologies, build rapid prototypes, and help Atari leadership decide where to place strategic bets.

This is not a “make slides about trends” role. You will be expected to build things: prototypes, teardowns, working demos, and decision-ready writeups.

You should be comfortable with ambiguity, limited structure, and fast-changing priorities. Startup or scale-up experience is a bonus.

What You’ll Do

• Evaluate emerging tech relevant to Atari’s portfolio, including AI/ML in games, new engines, distribution platforms, emulation tech, modding ecosystems, and retro-tech revivals, and write sharp teardowns with a recommendation.
• Build quick proofs-of-concept with working code, not mockups, to stress-test whether strategic ideas are feasible and worth pursuing before we commit serious resources.
• Track the indie, experimental, and retro gaming landscape for tools, trends, and IP opportunities worth Atari’s attention.
• Synthesize findings into briefings that an executive can act on in 10 minutes — no fluff, no jargon padding.
• Run small experiments end-to-end: define the hypothesis, build the test, report the result, and recommend the next step.
• Translate prototype results into clear recommendations: pursue, park, test further, or stop.
• Use AI coding tools and workflow automation tools to move faster, while still understanding what you are building.
• Work with non-technical stakeholders and explain technical findings clearly.
• Push back on bad ideas when the data says so.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Currently enrolled student in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• Demonstrated ability to learn unfamiliar tools fast and ship working code — show us with a portfolio, GitHub, side projects, or shipped work.
• Hands-on coding experience with Python, TypeScript, Node.js, and/or Java or similar programming languages
• Confident working with GitHub and other development workflows.
• Experience with AI coding tools and workflow automations.
• Able to quickly learn unfamiliar frameworks, APIs, SDKs, or technical environments.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.
• Strong communication skills, including in-person communication and the ability to explain technical ideas to non-technical stakeholders.
• Self-directed: you’ll be given problems, not solutions, and expected to figure out the approach.
• Comfortable working with ambiguity, limited structure, and changing priorities.
• Comfortable pushing back, challenging assumptions, and rethinking ideas when evidence points elsewhere.
• Ability to be onsite in Münster on a hybrid schedule.
• Must be eligible to work in Germany.
• Based in Münster or the surrounding area.

Preferred / Nice-to-Have

• Prior internship, hackathon record, or shipped side projects involving rapid prototyping.
• Startup or scale-up experience.
• Passion for video games, especially retro games.
• Interest in games, interactive media, or emerging entertainment technologies.
• Deep games industry knowledge is not required, but curiosity and willingness to learn are important.

Salary range: €16–18 per hour

To Apply

Please submit your resume, cover letter, and a link to your GitHub, portfolio, or relevant side projects in the form below.

EEO Statement

Atari is an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination.  We are committed to equal employment regardless of race, religion or lack thereof, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, medical condition, veteran status, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information, political affiliation, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.