Principal Designer (Gamedev)

TL;DR

Principal Designer (Gamedev): Defining the moment-to-moment player experience and establishing gameplay standards for AAA titles with an accent on systemic rules, implementation metrics, and cohesive high-fidelity feel. Focus on bridging creative direction with engineering execution to maintain consistency across traversal, combat, and camera behavior.

Location: Hybrid in Los Angeles, California, United States

Salary: $150,400 – $222,580 per year

Company

Global video game company publishing world-class AAA titles across multiple genres, including sports, shooters, and strategy.

What you will do

• Define the "Golden Rules" for systems and world-building to ensure mechanical consistency across the game.
• Serve as the final authority on how the design team utilizes tools and engine features in partnership with Gameplay Engineering.
• Iterate directly in-engine on mechanics, traversal, level design, and gameplay scripting.
• Establish technical implementation and exact metrics for Character, Camera, and Controls (CCC).
• Maintain a high-fidelity "Game of the Year" quality bar for all shipped features.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in AAA Game Design for 3rd or 1st person blockbusters across multiple shipped titles.
• Deep mastery of Unreal Engine, specifically blueprints, data-driven architecture, and level streaming.
• Strong systemic thinking focused on building scalable frameworks rather than one-off features.
• Ability to partner with art, animation, and engineering teams to synthesize feedback and iterate rapidly.
• Must be based in or able to work from the Los Angeles area

Culture & Benefits

• Inclusive work environment that encourages employees to "Come as You Are".
• Comprehensive package including medical, financial, and other corporate benefits.
• Eligibility for performance-based bonuses and equity awards.
• Opportunity to work on global powerhouse brands such as NBA hirify.global, BioShock, and Civilization.