Expert Level Designer

Summary

Join Firaxis Games as an Expert Level Designer and contribute to an exciting Unreal 5 project. Apply your design expertise and knowledge of design tools to enhance the tactical elements of our games. Collaborate with a cross-discipline team to develop engaging levels that expand the Firaxis portfolio. Create buildings, landmarks, and points of interest using modular kits, ensuring adherence to gameplay rules. Work closely with the Lead Level Designer to craft compelling map layouts with cohesive gameplay identities. Drive the vision of in-game locations from planning to completion, and collaborate with various teams to implement content and solve workflow issues. Mentor other team members and help set design standards.

Requirements

• 7+ years working in Level Design
• Experience using UE4 or UE5
• Direct involvement with prop placement, lighting, mood/atmosphere and design markup
• Experience working closely and communicating with artists
• Ability to improvise and creatively solve problems
• Experience with level event and combat scripting
• Knowledge of and interest in the type of game we are making

Responsibilities

• Create buildings, natural landmarks, and POIs using modular kits to design fun locations that follow gameplay rules
• Work closely with Lead Level Designer on the creation of compelling layouts in order to forge maps with cohesive gameplay identities
• Build compelling gameplay spaces
• Use content to tell stories, push the ambient storytelling in the world
• Use experience and tools to make the worlds come alive
• Drive the vision of in-game locations from planning all the way to ship
• Work creatively in a collaborative environment, provide input and regular feedback
• Work with engineering, animation and design teams to implement content, solve workflow issues, and develop content pipelines
• Own the tactical maps gameplay and associated markup
• Communicate the vision to the rest of the team and get all departments pumped to collaborate
• Collaborate with producers to plan out and prioritize the development schedule. Know what the most important parts of the design are and have plans to reduce scope if something takes longer than expected
• Use your experience to help set standards and mentor other members of the team

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of art packages such as Maya, Max, and the Adobe suite is a plus
• A cinematic eye. Conceptualize and pitch game systems and mechanics. Communicate clearly and visually to the Directors and the team
• Ownership of content. Once designs are approved, take ownership for these levels to ship
• Creativity. We don't want to micromanage. Nothing makes us happier than seeing prototype ideas we would have never conceptualized!
• Proactivity. Don’t wait to be assigned a task — pitch concepts that will make the game better and pitch them regularly
• Responsibility. Check in script and level content without review. Don't break the build

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401K retirement savings
• A wellbeing initiative with the opportunity to earn cash rewards
• An Employee Assistance Program
• Paid time off and paid holidays