Lecturer in Narrative Design in Bristol

Do you want to empower students to become the creators of worlds? Do you have research and teaching expertise in narrative design and the ability to communicate this to a range of audiences? Do you want to be a core part of a global first programme, the MA Games Design (Narrative) at the University of Bristol?

For narrative designers, everything in a game has narrative potential. To realise this potential, however, requires understanding how stories are told across media, and how they can be told in games. The Lecturer in Narrative Design role is central to the vision of the MA Games Design (Narrative). You will lead the game writers' room, a core feature of the applied creative units on the programme, supporting student teams to rapidly ideate game ideas, refine storyboards and cinematics, craft dialogue, define characters and mechanics, and build worlds.

You will join a dynamic team of leading games researchers and practitioners at the Bristol Digital Game Lab, based at the Bristol Digital Futures Institute. Acting as a connective infrastructure bridging academia, industry, and the public sector, the Game Lab’s mission is to unlock the power of play for cultural, educational, and civic transformation. We believe video games are no longer just entertainment. They are tools for change. From public health to cultural heritage and policy, games are shaping how we learn, connect and solve complex challenges. The Game Lab asks not just what games are, but what they can do for society, for our future.

The role would suit a researcher practitioner looking to utilize their expertise in narrative design to champion innovative teaching and research with storytelling at its heart. You will inspire the next generation of narrative designers to build better games and help drive forward Game Lab’s mission of games for public service.

We value the diversity of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences that fuel our culture of curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. We especially encourage applicants from groups traditionally underrepresented in games design to apply. All appointments will be evaluated solely on merit.

What will you be doing?

• Take creative direction of the core creative units on the MA Games Design (Narrative), delivering in-class teaching, arranging guest lectures and masterclasses, and assessing student projects.
• Steer the game writers’ room, fostering creative approaches to telling stories in games and an inclusive culture of peer feedback and iterative game design.
• Deliver learning focused on the four key skills identified by the programme: teamwork, storytelling, technical implementation, and critical thinking.
• Support students to use industry-standard tools and game engines.
• Collaborate on Bristol Digital Game Lab research projects and initiatives.
• Network with stakeholders across academia, the games industry, and third sector partners.
• Keep up to date with developments in the games industry, including around the skills pipeline.
• Develop curriculum opportunities, adapting to trends and shifts within the field of narrative design.

You should apply if

• You have expertise in games teaching and research and are driven by a curiosity for the way that games tell stories and the impact they can have in society.
• You are excited by the prospect of joining a vibrant team teaching and researching across games, immersive experiences, and creative technology at the new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus.
• You are confident communicating information to a variety of stakeholders.
• You are organised, have a good attention to detail, and are unphased by managing several projects simultaneously.
• You enjoy working in a supportive, team-based and collaborative environment.
• You advocate for inclusivity and diversity through conscientious design.

Additional information

• Contract type: Fixed term for two years (01/08/26 - 31/07/28)
• Work pattern: 1 FTE
• Grade: J
• School/Unit: School of Humanities

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Tuesday 9th June.