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New Product Design Intern

PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play —it’s also the Best Place to Work. We’ve thrilled gamers since 1994, when we launched the original PlayStation. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in interactive and digital entertainment. The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation.

This internship is for Summer 2021.

New Product Design Intern

San Mateo, CA

About the Team:

At PlayStation, we consider user experience the entire user journey. In the Peripheral Product Development UXD group, we look at both the physical and non-physical interfaces holistically. The peripheral group products include both physical and UI/UX products such as: PlayStation headsets, the Headset Companion app on the PS4 which allows you to tune your headset and D45 controller back button attachment.

The New Product Design Intern will closely collaborate with a small product design team to build a method - or way of framing:

• Facilitates and reveals new products opportunities.
• Desired by users, leverages technology
• Generate revenue within 1-3 years.

Focus areas may include but not limited to: eSports, other sound related and gaming peripheral products. Specific focus areas will be determined 3-6 months before internship begins.

A successful intern project is one where the product landscape is reframed in a way that new products seem possible or existing products are seen in a new light that leads to better product experience. Through the collaboration with the UXD team, a successful project results in 1-2 new potential products or existing product improvements can be further explored by the UXD team.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct a minimum of 3- 5 user interviews and observational work. .
• Utilize 2-3 design methods such as user journeys, key insights, taxonomies, and other design thinking frameworks which help set the foundation for idea generation and concept exploration.
• Generate prototypes that capture the user experience in order to get user feedback and challenge declared assumptions. Could include Wizard of Oz prototy

Qualifications:

• You are open, curious, with no ego.
• Successful candidates have a willingness to learn, iterate, and embrace the challenging world of product development.
• When new ideas are considered, candidates are able to parking lot and strengthen ideas before making final opinion.
• Able to deftly balance research, framing and making.
• Able to see both the big picture and concrete business needs.
• We’re a small entrepreneurial team. Candidates must have a can-do attitude and a willingness to pitch in.

Requirements:

• Pursuing a graduate degree (Master's, PhD) in product design or product engineering (or related field) and/or within 1 year of their post-graduation date
• Able to practice and produce design thinking methods and outcomes.
• T-shaped design or product engineering skills.
• ID and UI/UX designers please include link to portfolio.
• Interest in headphones. accessibility, human factors, and manufacturing are a plus. Candidates that have an interest to ramp up and are able to provide a new perspective are valued and encouraged to apply.

To get the conversation going, please answer the following question(s) in 1 paragraph in your cover letter. This gives us a sense of your approach and how you think. If you are selected for interviews, it will give us a starting point to discuss.

• Describe a time when you learned something you hadn't expected in creating a new product or concept. What was the insight or approach that reframed what needed to be solved?
  
  
• Optional: Describe a product that could be improved if one thing was done differently. Can be a microinteraction.

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, legally protected physical or mental disability, covered veteran status, status in the U.S. uniformed services, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information or membership in any other legally protected category.

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.

We sincerely appreciate the time and effort you spent in contacting us and we thank you for your interest in PlayStation.