Keywords Studios is hiring a
Lead Technical Designer, Remote - United Kingdom

Summary

The job is for a Lead Technical Designer at d3t or Coconut Lizard studios. The role involves managing tech designers, creating tools, tuning variables, mentoring, documenting, communicating with clients, and participating in decision-making processes. The company offers benefits such as flexible working hours, private medical and dental insurance, employee share scheme, anti-crunch ethos, income protection & life assurance, annual bonus, free parking, game vouchers, tech and bike scheme, company socials, monthly studio lunches, project launch/wrap parties, annual d3t events, breakout areas with perks, and a flexible working policy.

Requirements

• 6+ years in a Senior or Lead Tech Designer role on at least two AAA titles
• A good understanding of the concepts which go into programming which are relevant to scripting languages and scripting editors
• Confident use in using an editor, such as Unreal 4/5 or Unity
• Experience of a proprietary engine
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to enable effective communication between Design and Engineering teams
• Experience with tools and visual scripting editors such as Blueprints
• Experience with high level languages such as python, Lua, or scripting languages embedded into engines
• Excellent ability to organize and structure your own work and that of the team (follow ups, control, schedule)
• Interpersonal skills to mentor and develop individuals within a team
• Client focus (internal and external)
• Strong analytical skills
• Reliable and responsible and thrives as part of a team
• Possess a passion for making games, alongside being hungry to learn and expand your areas of expertise
• Ability to adapt to changing situations with a flexible and professional attitude

Responsibilities

• Effectively carry out line-management duties for tech designers in your charge, including career progression, mentoring, reviews, discipline and others when necessary
• Review and feedback latest build to ensure that it conforms with the development requirements of the game
• Create, or facilitate the creation of tools for other designers to use
• Tune and expose variables that can be modified at either run-time or in data, to capture the ‘game feel’ element
• Use your experience to enact positive change within the tech design team, contributing to the game design and features to inspire and guide the other tech designers
• Mentor others, bring your experience to bear, and help steer the department’s direction
• Create and maintain accurate, succinct, and informative documentation to communicate concepts, objectives etc
• Communicate with clients to ensure all parties have full awareness of current and projected objectives, difficulties, and deadlines
• Take part in discussions with prospective clients regarding potential projects
• Liaise with the Production team to assess progress towards short- and long-term objectives
• Liaise with other discipline leads and seniors to maintain awareness of progress and impediments
• Actively participate in the decision-making process with management and oversee the necessary adjustments to ensure that the game meets expectations
• Promote and build a strong cooperative culture between disciplines
• Participate in the selection, on-boarding and mentoring of team members
• Create a work environment that is motivating for team members and which fosters development and creation
• Carry out all other related tasks for the department

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supervising a design team
• Experience using perforce, merging code – submitting / undoing work
• Knowledge of how to use Visual Studio or other development environments
• Understanding of object-orientated development, memory management

Benefits

• 25 days holiday (+ bank holidays + up to 5 days extra for length of service)
• Company Pension Scheme
• Flexible working hours
• Private Medical and Dental Insurance Scheme & Eye Care Scheme
• Employee Share Scheme
• Anti-crunch ethos - an amazingly professional, fun and supportive working environment!
• Income Protection & Life Assurance
• Annual bonus
• Free parking
• Game vouchers
• Tech and bike scheme
• Company socials, monthly studio lunches, project launch/wrap parties
• Breakout areas – filled with perks such as games, BBQ area, complimentary snacks to suit all dietary preferences etc