Innovative Concepts in Entertainment Jobs: What ICE Is Hiring For and What the Work Really Involves in 2026

A search for innovative concepts in entertainment jobs can sound like a hunt for film production, event planning or creative-media work. In this case, however, the search points to a specific American company: Innovative Concepts in Entertainment, Inc., commonly known as ICE, based in Clarence, New York.

That distinction matters for anyone applying in 2026. ICE is not primarily a television studio or talent agency. It designs, manufactures, tests, sells and supports commercial arcade and amusement equipment. The company’s own history says it has manufactured coin-operated amusement, sports and skill-redemption games since 1982 and sells products into more than 55 countries.

The hiring picture is also active rather than purely historical. As of September 2026, a current listing for an Arcade Game Assembler in Clarence advertised full-time, onsite work at $18 per hour, depending on experience, with a stated expiration date of October 19, 2026.

BLUF: Innovative Concepts in Entertainment jobs are primarily jobs connected to arcade-game manufacturing and support. ICE’s operation includes assembly, electrical and mechanical engineering, software and hardware development, quality control, logistics, parts, technical service and sales. Current openings vary, so candidates should verify live vacancies before applying.

ICE Is an Arcade Manufacturer, Not a Conventional Media Company

Innovative Concepts in Entertainment was founded in 1982 by Ralph Coppola and Jack Willert, according to the company’s official history. One of its early successes was Chexx, a hockey-themed amusement game that helped establish the company’s position in the arcade sector.

ICE now operates from 10123 Main Street in Clarence, New York, in the Buffalo area. Its official website describes a production structure extending from initial game concepts through research and development, manufacturing, inspection, shipping, sales and after-sales support.

That structure explains why a search for ICE employment can surface jobs that look more like manufacturing or engineering careers than conventional entertainment positions.

ICE Employment Snapshot

• Company: Innovative Concepts in Entertainment, Inc.
• Common abbreviation: ICE
• Founded: 1982
• Headquarters: Clarence, New York
• Business: Coin-operated amusement, sports and skill-redemption games
• International reach: More than 55 countries, according to ICE
• Core functions: R&D, manufacturing, quality control, shipping, sales, parts and service
• Recruiting: ICE uses a Paylocity-hosted employment portal for opportunities.

LinkedIn categorizes the company under entertainment providers and also lists its Clarence headquarters and 1982 founding date.

A Live 2026 Opening Shows What Entry-Level ICE Work Can Look Like

The strongest current example of innovative concepts in entertainment jobs is the Arcade Game Assembler position advertised in September 2026.

The listing describes a full-time, onsite position in Clarence with typical working hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with overtime when required. The advertised wage is $18 per hour, depending on experience.

This is a hands-on manufacturing role.

Employees in the position are expected to assemble full-size arcade machines, work with other production employees, maintain an orderly workstation, follow safety procedures and solve routine assembly problems.

Applicants are expected to be comfortable using equipment such as:

• Cordless drills
• Ratchets
• Wrenches
• Small hand tools
• Pallet jacks
• Material carts

The listing also emphasizes attention to detail, organization, attendance and maintaining quality standards. A high-school diploma or equivalent is preferred, and the work can involve prolonged standing, walking and lifting loads of up to 50 pounds.

That makes the position considerably different from what someone might expect after seeing only the word “entertainment.”

It is essentially product manufacturing inside the amusement industry.

The Jobs Behind an ICE Arcade Machine Extend Far Beyond Assembly

A finished arcade cabinet combines mechanical design, electronics, software, physical fabrication, graphics, testing, logistics and customer support.

ICE’s own description of its production process makes that clear.

The company says its research-and-development operation includes electrical, mechanical, software and hardware engineers, with the group averaging about 15 years of amusement and redemption-game experience.

Its manufacturing operation uses advanced machinery and a skilled production workforce, while its quality-control process includes inspecting components and conducting hours of pre-shipment game testing. ICE also maintains shipping, parts, service and sales functions.

These departments indicate several career families associated with the company even when every category does not have an active vacancy.

Career areaWhat the work can involveCurrent evidence
Arcade assembly	Building full-size machines with tools and components	Current 2026 assembler vacancy
Mechanical engineering	Cabinet mechanisms, moving assemblies and physical systems	ICE identifies mechanical engineering within R&D
Electrical engineering	Wiring, sensors, controls and electrical systems	ICE identifies electrical engineering within R&D
Software/hardware	Game electronics and integrated control systems	ICE identifies software and hardware engineering
Quality control	Inspection and pre-shipment testing	Described by ICE’s manufacturing process
Shipping/logistics	Preparing machines and coordinating freight/container layouts	Official ICE shipping function
Parts and technical service	Replacement components, manuals and troubleshooting	Dedicated ICE support operation
Sales	Arcade equipment sales and project assistance	Established ICE sales team

The important qualification is that these are documented ICE business functions, not a claim that every function has an open vacancy on September 21, 2026.

The Product Line Explains Why ICE Needs Both Skilled Trades and Technical Talent

ICE’s current catalog helps reveal the complexity behind the jobs.

The company markets products including ICEBall FX, NBA Hoops Matrix, Air FX, Neon Bowling, Down the Clown, Bean Bag Toss, Hoops FX and Monopoly Roll-N-Go, among other amusement machines.

These are not simply wooden cabinets containing a screen.

Modern arcade systems can involve lighting, displays, sensors, motors, circuit boards, mechanical assemblies, scoring systems, custom enclosures and networked or multiplayer components.

ICE describes ICEBall FX, for example, as a redesign incorporating synchronized LED lighting, updated electronics and more than 50 improvements. NBA Hoops Matrix supports multiple linked units for multiplayer use.

The company’s parts operation further demonstrates the technical variety involved. Its catalog includes motors, electronic boards, displays, LEDs, structural pieces and hundreds of replacement components for individual games.

For applicants, this means relevant skills may come from several backgrounds:

• Electronics assembly
• Mechanical fabrication
• Wiring and harness work
• CNC or machine operation
• Engineering
• Troubleshooting
• Product inspection
• Warehouse operations
• Manufacturing
• Technical customer service

A candidate does not necessarily need a traditional entertainment résumé. For many ICE positions, manufacturing or technical experience may be more relevant.

Pay Data Needs to Be Read Role by Role

Compensation information for Innovative Concepts in Entertainment varies considerably across employment sites, so broad company-level salary averages should not be treated as the salary for a particular vacancy.

The clearest current figure is the employer-provided rate attached to the September 2026 Arcade Game Assembler opening: $18 per hour, depending on experience.

Indeed separately reports estimated pay from previous employees, users and advertisements. Its company profile lists examples including approximately $22.67 per hour for billing clerks and $25.29 per hour for accounts-receivable clerks. Those figures are estimates based on platform data and are not confirmation of current ICE openings or guaranteed compensation.

Glassdoor also displays user-submitted ranges for positions such as electronics assembler, engineering intern and wire-harness assembler, but its sample sizes for some titles are extremely small. Those numbers therefore require caution.

For applicants, the job-specific employer-posted range should carry more weight than a generalized salary estimate.

Employee Reviews Provide Context, but They Are Not Company Records

Indeed’s ICE profile showed an overall rating of 2.9 out of 5 based on 32 reviews when recently crawled. Its category ratings included 3.0 for work-life balance, 2.6 for compensation and benefits, and 2.4 for both management and advancement.

Reviews are mixed.

Some former workers describe enjoying the product-building side of the work, while other reviews criticize communication, compensation, advancement or management. Indeed itself notes that this content is user-generated and that its accuracy is not guaranteed by the employer.

That distinction is essential.

Employee-review sites can help applicants develop interview questions, but individual reviews should not automatically be treated as verified descriptions of every department or every employee’s experience.

A sensible applicant might use those reviews to ask directly about:

• Training
• Overtime expectations
• Advancement paths
• Performance reviews
• Raises
• Benefits
• Department structure
• Production targets

The interview is where those questions can be answered for the specific job.

How to Apply Without Confusing Old Listings With Current Openings

ICE has an employer-specific recruiting page hosted through Paylocity. The recruitment system provides a “View All Jobs” route and also allows candidates to connect with the company regarding future opportunities.

Because job aggregators can keep pages indexed after circumstances change, candidates should verify a vacancy through the employer’s recruiting system before assuming it remains available.

For the September 2026 assembler opening, the current third-party listing states that applications continue to an external application destination and gives an expiration date of October 19, 2026.

A strong application should also match the actual position.

For assembly work, useful résumé evidence could include experience with hand tools, electronics, production lines, quality inspection or mechanical assembly.

For engineering work, applicants would be better served by demonstrating the relevant electrical, mechanical, software or hardware expertise.

For service or support positions, troubleshooting experience and familiarity with technical documentation can matter more than simply saying that arcade games are a personal interest.

The central employment lesson is straightforward: ICE operates in entertainment, but many of its jobs are built around engineering and manufacturing disciplines. The strongest application connects a candidate’s practical skill directly to the way physical amusement games are designed, built, tested or supported.

Why These Jobs Are More Hands-On Than the Keyword Suggests

The search phrase innovative concepts in entertainment jobs can easily create the wrong expectation.

ICE certainly operates in entertainment, but its entertainment is manufactured.

Behind an arcade machine are people assembling cabinets, wiring electronics, engineering mechanisms, writing or integrating software, checking components, testing completed games, moving equipment, supplying replacement parts and helping customers keep machines operating.

The current 2026 Arcade Game Assembler opening provides the clearest example. It is not an abstract creative-industry vacancy; it is full-time production work involving tools, physical arcade machines and defined quality standards.

For job seekers, that makes the path clearer. Start with the specific skill you can contribute—assembly, electronics, engineering, manufacturing, logistics, technical support or sales—and then verify whether ICE currently has a role that needs it.

FAQs

What is Innovative Concepts in Entertainment?

Innovative Concepts in Entertainment is an American arcade and amusement-game manufacturer commonly known as ICE. Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Clarence, New York, the company develops and manufactures coin-operated amusement, sports and skill-redemption games and says it sells products into more than 55 countries.

Is Innovative Concepts in Entertainment hiring in 2026?

Innovative Concepts in Entertainment has had an active Arcade Game Assembler opening in September 2026. The listing describes a full-time, onsite Clarence, New York position paying $18 per hour depending on experience and shows an October 19, 2026 expiration date. Job availability can change and should be rechecked before applying.

What kinds of jobs are available at ICE?

ICE jobs can span manufacturing, assembly, engineering, electronics, quality control, shipping, technical service, parts and sales. ICE specifically documents electrical, mechanical, software and hardware engineers within its R&D process, alongside manufacturing, inspection, logistics and customer-support operations. Not every department necessarily has an active opening at the same time.

Do you need arcade-industry experience to work at Innovative Concepts in Entertainment?

Arcade-industry experience is not necessarily required for every ICE role. The current assembler advertisement focuses on tool use, organization, attention to detail, attendance and the physical ability to perform manufacturing work. Transferable experience from assembly, electronics, manufacturing or mechanical work can therefore be directly relevant.

Where is Innovative Concepts in Entertainment located?

Innovative Concepts in Entertainment is headquartered at 10123 Main Street in Clarence, New York, near Buffalo. The company’s official website identifies the same location for its manufacturing and business operations.

How much do Innovative Concepts in Entertainment jobs pay?

Innovative Concepts in Entertainment pay depends on the position. A current September 2026 Arcade Game Assembler vacancy advertises $18 per hour depending on experience, while employment platforms publish different estimates for accounting, engineering and manufacturing positions. Applicants should rely primarily on the compensation stated in the specific current vacancy.

Editorial Disclaimer

Job openings, wages, schedules, benefits and hiring requirements can change without notice. Current-vacancy information in this article reflects publicly accessible information checked in September 2026. Third-party salary estimates and employee reviews are not treated as verified company records. Applicants should confirm current terms through the employer’s official recruiting process before making employment decisions.

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