Senior Level Designer – Video Games

Job Description

This position may require some travel / on-site training

Onyx Studio is a top-tier co-development house known for cultivating deep, collaborative partnerships with our clients, along with an unwavering focus on best-in-class creative collaboration and execution. We are currently looking for a Senior Level Designer to join our talented team and help drive our AAA projects to success.

As a highly talented, proficient and experienced Senior Level Designer, your role is to design and develop engaging and innovative multiplayer FPS game environments that enrich the player experience. Collaborating closely with game designers, artists, programmers and other stakeholders, you will ensure that gameplay, aesthetics, and narrative elements work cohesively for the player experiencing the final product.

At Onyx Studio, our focus is on creating a collaborative and supportive atmosphere where teams’ contributions are valued and respected. We proactively prioritise our talent by continuously refining the way that we work, ensuring open and clear communication, and promoting opportunities for growth within our teams, while choosing to work with clients that share similar value systems and creative goals. In turn, we pride ourselves on exceptional service and delivery that has allowed us to establish long term relationships with some of the industry’s best creators.

If your qualifications and values align with this position and you are enthusiastic about contributing to our ever-evolving team, we invite you to apply. Please send your resume, cover letter and portfolio reference that indicates your interest and suitability for the role, and we will be in touch should there be a potential fit for our current needs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Autonomously design and implement immersive multiplayer game environments that meet gameplay objectives and player engagement goals from conception to the final stages of polish.
• Collaborate closely with other designers, artists, and writers to integrate mechanics, story elements, and visual assets into cohesive game levels.
• Develop prototypes and continuously iterate on level designs based on feedback from playtests and internal stakeholders.
• Display technical proficiency by utilising level design tools and proprietary game systems to blockout, test, and polish game levels effectively.
• Manage and refine layout, gameplay flow, difficulty curves, and pacing to enhance the player experience.
• Author and maintain up-to-date documentation of level design processes and specifications, along with all relevant asset requirements consistent with creative direction and the GDD.
• Collaborate with QA specialists to analyse and fix bugs, to continuously improve existing maps and layouts.
• Participate in daily stand-ups, providing visibility to Team Leads and other stakeholders regarding assigned tasks, methods of execution and resolving problems.
• Onboard and become adept at the client’s proprietary game engine, project-specific pipelines, workflows and tools.
• Participate in feedback reviews, problem-solve with peers and stakeholders and be willing to make required amendments.
• Work closely with Producers to estimate tasks, identify dependencies and/or blockers, and coordinate on deadlines and deliverables.
• Mentor and upskill junior game designers over time, and conduct regular sessions to transfer knowledge, provide feedback and highlight best practices.

Qualifications:

• College Diploma/Degree in game level design, game development or equivalent training, with a portfolio showcasing diverse and engaging levels.
• 3-5 years experience as a Level Designer, with 5-7 years experience in video game production and shipped at least 2 titles within the multiplayer FPS genre on either AAA and AA platforms.
• Expert knowledge of Unreal Engine, Unity3D and/or advanced proprietary engines.
• Experience designing immersive and detailed 3D worlds, relevant to AAA game production and development cycles.
• Familiarity with scripting languages or experience in gameplay programming.
• A deep passion for video games and a keen understanding of game design principles, specifically playing online multiplayer FPS games from a player perspective.
• Understanding of all components contributing to compelling and coherent player experiences including art, design, narrative, VFX, sound, cinematics, lighting etc.
• Appreciation of the technical constraints relating to real-time 3D art production, 3D engines, and level editors.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to delegate work to the level design team by translating direction into actionable execution.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to interpret direction.
• Highly organised, proactive and autonomous in handling tasks and meeting deadlines.
• Ability to collaborate and work as part of a cross-disciplinary team.
• Willingness to learn new software programs and tools, as needed by the client or project engagement.
• Keep up to date with the latest game design, art and cultural trends, along with advancements in technology and the games industry.