Lead Level Designer (Gamedev)

TL;DR

Lead Level Designer (Unreal Engine): Defining spaces, pacing, and player experience for a hit indie horror franchise with an accent on manipulating tension and environmental storytelling. Focus on creating immersive gameplay moments, mentoring designers, and establishing scalable level-building pipelines.

Location: United States

Salary: $77,000 - $153,000

Company

Startup multimedia studio best known for the hit indie horror game "Poppy Playtime".

What you will do

• Own the level design vision and philosophy throughout pre-production.
• Lead the creation of blockouts, playable spaces, and prototype levels in Unreal Engine to validate core gameplay.
• Design engaging levels focused on suspense, player psychology, and environmental storytelling to heighten fear.
• Mentor a small team of level designers and establish documentation and workflow standards.
• Collaborate with Art, Narrative, Audio, and Engineering to integrate story beats and optimize performance.
• Implement gameplay scripting using Blueprints or comparable visual scripting tools.

Requirements

• 7+ years of professional level design experience.
• Experience leading level design on at least one shipped AAA or AA title.
• Strong proficiency with Unreal Engine and Blueprint scripting.
• Deep understanding of player flow, pacing, encounter design, and navigation.
• Must be based in the United States.

Nice to have

• Experience shipping horror, survival horror, or immersive sim titles.
• Strong understanding of first-person level design principles.
• Experience building vertical slices and prototype environments.
• Knowledge of AI navigation, encounter tuning, and gameplay balancing.
• Passion for horror across games, film, and television.

Culture & Benefits

• Profit sharing for eligible employees.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) matching.
• FSA/HSA, paid time off, sick time, and parental leave.
• Commitment to an equal opportunity workplace.