UX/UI Design Intern

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX/UI Design Intern

Company: Arkadium

Location: Lisbon, Portugal

Job Type: Internship

Category: UX/UI Design, Gaming Industry Operations

Date Posted: March 02, 2026

Experience Level: Entry-Level / Internship (0-2 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office minimum)

🚀 Role Summary

• This is a 6-month immersive internship program focused on providing hands-on experience in UX/UI design within the casual gaming sector.

• The role offers exposure to end-to-end design processes, from discovery and research to developer handoff, integrating design with product, engineering, and business strategy.

• Interns will contribute to live projects, gaining practical skills in UX research, UI design, animation, and design systems.

• The position is designed as a talent pipeline, with potential for full-time conversion for exceptional interns.

• This role requires a hybrid work model, with a minimum of 3 days per week expected in the Lisbon office.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the original listing is for a UX/UI Design Intern, this enhancement focuses on the operational aspects of design within a company, particularly in the gaming industry. This includes process integration, cross-functional collaboration, tool utilization for workflow management, and the strategic impact of design on product development and player engagement, aligning it with operations-centric roles.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Support UX research initiatives, including competitive analysis, user flow mapping, and usability testing to gather player behavior insights.

• Assist in UI design tasks, translating research findings and product requirements into intuitive and engaging user interfaces.

• Develop animated prototypes and micro-interactions (e.g., loading states, transitions, button states) to enhance user experience and visual appeal.

• Explore and test the application of AI tools within UI, UX, or motion design workflows to identify efficiency gains and innovative solutions.

• Maintain design files in Figma and documentation in Confluence, ensuring organized, accessible, and up-to-date project assets for design operations.

• Contribute to the evolution of the design system by updating components and expanding the component library, ensuring design consistency and scalability.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure design alignment with project goals and technical feasibility.

• Participate in design reviews, providing and receiving constructive feedback to foster continuous improvement in design quality and process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities have been expanded to highlight the operational aspects of design, such as documentation, system maintenance, and cross-functional collaboration, which are critical for efficient GTM operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Actively pursuing a degree is acceptable.

Experience: 0-2 years of experience in UX/UI design, internships, or relevant academic projects.

Required Skills:

• Figma Proficiency: Basic to intermediate skills in UI design, component creation, auto-layout, and prototyping.

• Visual Design Fundamentals: Solid understanding of typography, color theory, visual hierarchy, spacing, and accessibility principles.

• Research Mindset: Demonstrated curiosity about user behavior and the ability to synthesize research findings into actionable design insights.

• Communication Skills: Ability to articulate design rationale clearly, document work effectively, and present design concepts to various stakeholders.

• Systems Thinking: Understanding of how design decisions impact the broader product ecosystem and user journey.

• Collaboration: A proactive and cooperative approach to working with cross-functional teams, including product, engineering, and marketing.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with animation tools such as After Effects, Rive, or Lottie for creating dynamic user interfaces.

• Basic experience in formal UX research methodologies.

• Knowledge of responsive web design principles and practices.

• Familiarity with design systems or component-based UI frameworks.

• A genuine interest in casual gaming and understanding of player motivations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The skills section is tailored to emphasize both core design competencies and the operational skills required for effective design execution within a product development lifecycle, such as documentation and cross-functional communication.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least 2-3 projects demonstrating end-to-end design processes, from initial concept and research to final UI implementation.

• Include case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, and the final solution, with a focus on user-centered design principles.

• Highlight examples of UI design, including wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes, showcasing your ability to translate ideas into visual designs.

• Demonstrate your understanding of design systems by including examples of component usage, custom component creation, or contributions to a design system.

Process Documentation:

• For each project, provide clear documentation of the design process, including research methodologies, decision-making rationale, and iteration stages.

• Detail the workflow from ideation to handoff to development, illustrating how design assets and specifications were communicated.

• Include examples of how you organized and maintained design files (e.g., Figma) and related documentation (e.g., Confluence), demonstrating attention to detail and workflow efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section emphasizes the need for a portfolio that not only displays design work but also the underlying process, documentation, and system thinking, which are crucial for operations roles.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is an internship position, compensation is typically provided as a stipend or hourly wage. Based on industry standards for internships in Lisbon, Portugal, a range of €600 to €900 per month is common, depending on the duration, specific responsibilities, and subsidy provided.

Benefits:

• Partial Internship subsidy.

• Meal allowance through Coverflex.

• Coverage by work accident insurance.

• Transportation expenses, specifically the cost of the monthly Navegante pass.

• Summer Fridays: Enjoy a day off on the last Friday of June, July, and August.

Working Hours: The internship is expected to be a full-time commitment, aligning with standard business hours, approximately 40 hours per week. Specific daily schedules may be flexible, but consistent in-office presence on designated hybrid days is required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on typical internship compensation in Lisbon, Portugal, considering the cost of living and industry benchmarks. Benefits are directly extracted and presented in a clear, bulleted format.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Gaming, specifically browser-native casual games. This industry is characterized by rapid iteration, a strong focus on user engagement and retention, and a data-driven approach to game development and player experience.

Company Size: Arkadium is a mid-sized company with offices in New York City and Lisbon. This size often translates to a dynamic environment where individuals can have a significant impact, with established processes but still retaining agility.

Founded: Founded in 2001, Arkadium has a long-standing presence in the gaming industry, indicating stability, experience, and a mature understanding of market dynamics and player trends.

Team Structure:

• The Design Team is likely composed of specialized roles such as UX/UI designers, animators, and potentially UX researchers, working collaboratively.

• Interns will report to a Design Lead or Manager, with direct mentorship provided by experienced designers.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Arkadium leverages player data and analytics to inform design decisions, optimize gameplay, and enhance user engagement.

• Agile Development: The company likely employs agile methodologies, enabling iterative design, rapid prototyping, and continuous feedback loops.

• User-Centric Design: A strong emphasis is placed on understanding player needs and behaviors to create enjoyable and accessible gaming experiences.

Company Website: https://www.arkadium.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context is enriched with details relevant to operations, such as industry dynamics, company size implications for workflow, and the company's history as an indicator of operational maturity.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is an entry-level internship designed for individuals early in their design career. It serves as a foundational experience, offering exposure to professional design workflows, industry tools, and team collaboration. The scope is focused on supporting senior designers and contributing to defined tasks within larger projects.

Reporting Structure: Interns will report to a Design Manager or Lead, receiving direct guidance and mentorship. They will collaborate closely with peers within the design team and cross-functionally with product and engineering teams on specific project deliverables.

Operations Impact: While primarily a learning role, the intern's contributions to UX research, UI design, and animation will directly impact player experience, engagement metrics, and the overall quality of Arkadium's games. Even at an intern level, understanding how design choices influence user retention and satisfaction is key.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development: Deepen expertise in Figma, UX research methodologies, UI design principles, and animation techniques. Exposure to AI tools in design offers a cutting-edge learning opportunity.

• Industry Exposure: Gain firsthand experience in the fast-paced gaming industry, understanding game development lifecycles, player psychology, and market trends.

• Career Pathway: The program is a direct pipeline for future talent, with a strong possibility of transitioning to a full-time junior designer role upon successful completion of the internship.

• Networking: Build professional relationships with experienced designers, product managers, and engineers, fostering a valuable professional network.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis frames the internship within a broader operations and career development context, highlighting how foundational design skills contribute to business objectives and offering a clear view of potential growth trajectories.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Arkadium operates a hybrid work model, with an office presence required for a portion of the week. This suggests a blend of focused individual work and collaborative team sessions. The Lisbon office environment is likely designed to foster creativity and teamwork.

Office Location(s): Lisbon, Portugal. This location offers a vibrant city environment with a growing tech and gaming scene, providing a good base for professional development and networking.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model facilitates in-person collaboration, team brainstorming, and direct mentorship sessions with senior designers and managers.

• Tools & Technology: Interns will have access to industry-standard design tools within the Arkadium ecosystem, including Figma and Confluence, likely supported by robust IT infrastructure.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with design, product, and engineering teams ensure a holistic understanding of the game development process and foster a sense of shared purpose.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is typical, the hybrid model may offer some flexibility in daily scheduling, balanced with the requirement for in-office days. The "Summer Fridays" benefit indicates a company culture that values work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description is enhanced to reflect the operational implications of a hybrid model, emphasizing collaboration, tool accessibility, and schedule management.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, focusing on your resume, portfolio, and alignment with the internship requirements.

• Portfolio Review & Interview: A more in-depth discussion where you will present your portfolio, explain your design process, and discuss your motivations. This stage will assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit.

• Skills Assessment: Potentially a small design exercise or technical challenge to evaluate specific skills like Figma proficiency, UI layout, or basic animation.

• Final Interview: A meeting with the hiring manager or a senior team member to discuss your fit with the team and company culture, and to answer any remaining questions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Process: Clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your design thinking, the iterations you went through, and why you made specific design decisions. Use case study format.

• Highlight Figma Skills: Demonstrate your proficiency with Figma features like components, auto-layout, and prototyping. Show how you organize your files for efficiency.

• Visual Design Quality: Ensure your visual designs are clean, well-executed, and demonstrate an understanding of core design principles. Pay attention to detail in typography, spacing, and color.

• UX Rationale: For any UX research or analysis included, clearly explain your methodology and how findings informed your design solutions.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to walk through your portfolio efficiently, focusing on the most impactful projects relevant to the role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Figma Proficiency: Practice common Figma tasks, including creating components, using auto-layout, and building interactive prototypes.

• Design Principles: Review fundamental UX/UI principles, visual design best practices, and accessibility standards.

• Problem-Solving: Be ready to discuss how you approach design challenges and iterate on solutions based on feedback or new information.

• Company Research: Understand Arkadium's mission, values, and the types of games they create. Think about how your design philosophy aligns with theirs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice for interview and portfolio preparation, focusing on how candidates can demonstrate their operational design capabilities and fit within Arkadium's context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaborative design work. Proficiency with its advanced features like components, auto-layout, and design systems is expected.

• Confluence: Used for documentation, project management, and knowledge sharing. Interns will need to maintain design documentation here.

Animation & Prototyping:

• After Effects, Rive, Lottie: Preferred tools for creating animated prototypes and micro-interactions, enhancing the user experience with dynamic elements. Experience with at least one is a plus.

Design Systems:

Collaboration & Workflow:

• Familiarity with collaborative platforms and project management tools that facilitate communication and task tracking within a hybrid work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section details the specific technology stack, emphasizing the operational tools critical for design workflow management and collaboration.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Fierce Drive: A commitment to excellence in design, striving for high-quality outputs and continuous improvement in skills and processes.

• Positive Energy: Contributing to a collaborative and supportive team environment, fostering open communication and mutual respect among design, product, and engineering teams.

• Living Full Lives: Arkadium encourages a healthy work-life balance, which translates to efficient work practices during work hours to allow for personal fulfillment.

• Curiosity & Learning: An eagerness to explore new tools, styles, and workflows, particularly the application of AI in design, demonstrating a proactive approach to professional development.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: A strong emphasis on working closely with product, engineering, and marketing teams to ensure design solutions are aligned with business objectives and user needs.

• Feedback Exchange: An open culture for giving and receiving constructive feedback, essential for iterative design processes and team growth.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights, best practices, and learnings across the team to elevate the collective design capability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture and values are interpreted through an operations lens, highlighting how these principles translate into daily work practices, collaboration, and professional conduct within the design and product development lifecycle.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Freedom with Business Objectives: Learning to create innovative designs that also meet strict product requirements, player engagement goals, and brand guidelines.

• Iterative Design Cycles: Adapting to the rapid iteration common in the gaming industry, where designs may undergo frequent changes based on testing and feedback.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Effectively communicating design rationale and navigating feedback from diverse stakeholders (product, engineering, marketing) to achieve consensus.

• Tool Proficiency Expansion: Mastering new design and animation tools, including exploring the potential of AI in design workflows.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Hands-on Project Experience: Directly contributing to live game features and projects, providing invaluable real-world experience.

• Mentorship: Receiving guidance from experienced design professionals who can share insights into industry best practices and career development.

• Skill Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas such as UX research, UI animation, or design systems.

• Industry Immersion: Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the casual gaming market, player psychology, and the operational aspects of game development.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges and growth opportunities are framed within the context of operational demands and skill development relevant to a design intern role in a tech/gaming company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance user needs with technical constraints. How did you approach it?" (Assesses problem-solving and compromise skills.)

• "Walk me through a project from your portfolio where you had to iterate on a design based on feedback. What was your process?" (Evaluates adaptability and response to critique.)

• "How do you approach organizing your design files and documentation to ensure clarity for collaborators?" (Tests organizational and communication skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do Arkadium's core values (Fierce Drive, Positive Energy, Living Full Lives) resonate with your work style and aspirations?" (Assesses cultural fit.)

• "Describe your ideal collaborative environment with product managers and engineers." (Evaluates teamwork and communication preferences.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each project as a narrative: the problem, your role, the journey, the solution, and the outcome.

• Focus on Process: Clearly explain your design thinking, research methods, and decision-making. Don't just show final screens; show how you got there.

• Highlight Figma Skills: Be prepared to demonstrate specific Figma features you used, such as component libraries, auto-layout, or interactive prototyping.

• Quantify Impact (if possible): If any of your projects had measurable results (e.g., improved usability in testing), highlight them.

• Conciseness: Practice presenting your portfolio within a set time limit, focusing on the most relevant and impactful projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation advice is structured around common operations and design interview themes, encouraging candidates to demonstrate process, collaboration, and strategic thinking.