Combat Designer

Join Romero Games as we develop John Romero’s next First Person Shooter in partnership with a major publisher! This is an unprecedented opportunity to join a thriving independent development studio and work on a high-profile title that will be played by millions of gamers worldwide.

Romero Games is seeking a Combat Designer to join our growing team full-time. You will be responsible for mission and encounter design in this FPS, planning combat gameplay in our cohesive world design that supports the narrative and special features of the game design. You will work with the Game Director to craft exciting and interesting encounters for our maps, defining quality targets and working with the combat designers to ensure encounters are at their highest quality.

Ideally, you can relocate to join us in Galway, Ireland, but a remote role is also possible for the right candidate in a European timezone. In your cover letter or email, please note your preference (remote/hybrid/onsite in Galway).

The target start date for this position is October 2024.

What you will do:

• Design and implement dynamic, engaging combat encounters that align with the game's vision and mechanics

• Collaborate with level designers to integrate encounters seamlessly into the game world

• Balance difficulty and pacing of combat to ensure a challenging yet rewarding player experience

• Collaborate on enemy behaviors, AI patterns, and scripting to support diverse and unpredictable combat scenarios

• Monitor playtesting sessions to gather feedback and iterate on combat designs.

• Work closely with level designers and artists to ensure visual clarity and coherence of combat spaces

• Maintain documentation of combat designs, including flowcharts, diagrams, and written descriptions

• Stay current with industry trends and incorporate innovative combat design techniques

What you need to have:

• 3+ years of experience in combat or level design in FPS games

• Experience working in a combat and/or level designer position and a shipped AAA current gen console or PC title that you worked on from beginning to launch

• Extreme attention to detail

• Experience in prototyping and designing maps & gameplay mechanics/ingredients

• Proficiency with game development tools or Unreal Engine

• Strong understanding of FPS gameplay mechanics, player psychology, and combat dynamics

• Experience with AI scripting and behavior design

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills

• Ability to take constructive feedback and iterate on designs effectively

• Passion for gaming and a deep understanding of current FPS titles and trends

What is nice to have:

• Experience with multiplayer combat design

• Familiarity with level design principles and environment art

• Knowledge of sound design and its impact on gameplay

• Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., C#, Python, Lua)

Benefits:

• Ownership. Everyone in the company benefits from ownership in the company. Every full-time Romero Games employee is given a stake. (This benefit is not open to contractors.)

• Vacation: Time off for vacation. Five weeks vacation per year + 10 national holidays. Extra vacation days after 5 and 10 years of service.

• Hybrid Working. Flexible working hours, including work-from-home and remote work.

• Sabbaticals: At 5+ years, should you choose to take unpaid time for a personal project, we will cover 20% of your pay provided that it is in your area of interest.

• Premium Health. Premium health benefits, plus extended healthcare coverage.

• Fertility Leave: For employees undergoing IVF treatment, surrogacy or other forms of fertility treatment, two days per cycle for recovery or travel.

• Relocation assistance. Flexible start dates, relocation reimbursement and assistance in finding housing. 

• Life-Friendly Policies: We understand that work is one of the things that you do and that life happens. We have a long and consistent pattern of life-friendly management, whether taking your kids to creche, assisting your parents with an appointment, or taking your pet to the vet.

• Menopause: Up to five days off per year for appointments or recovery days.

• Clothing Assistance Program: A financial support for people going through a major life event such a pregnancy or gender affirming care.

• Compassionate Leave / Bereavement. We support employees by offering paid time off during bereavement for immediate family. This includes loss of pregnancy, including the loss of surrogate pregnancy.

• Parental Leave and Support. Family-focused benefits include fully paid maternity and paternity leave and flexible work hours. Most people here are parents. We get it.

• Professional Development: World-class workshops on accessibility, diversity, design and more, from internationally recognized experts.

• Social Events. Regular social events such as pub nights (including online pub nights), holiday parties, barbecues and conferences, with accommodation and travel covered by us. 

• Expert Speakers. Monthly insider expert seminars with renowned creators such as John Carmack, Rhianna Pratchett (Tomb Raider), Warren Spector (Deus Ex), David Brevik (Diablo), Harvey Smith (Dishonored), Josh Sawyer (Pillars of Eternity), and more.

• Bike to Work Programme: Within Ireland, using the Bike-to-Work government initiative, employees obtain a brand new bike and safety equipment worth up to €1,250 for a regular bike, and up to €1,500 for an electric bike. The scheme covers your new bike and gear, saving 52% of the retail price of bike and equipment.