  We introduce the $q$-analogue of the type $A$ Dunkl operators, which are a
set of degree--lowering operators on the space of polynomials in $n$ variables.
This allows the construction of raising/lowering operators with a simple action
on non-symmetric Macdonald polynomials. A bilinear series of non-symmetric
Macdonald polynomials is introduced as a $q$-analogue of the type $A$ Dunkl
integral kernel ${\cal K}_A(x;y)$. The aforementioned operators are used to
show that the function satisfies $q$-analogues of the fundamental properties of
${\cal K}_A(x;y)$.
