Game Design Lead, UGC

Kluge Interactive is an immersive game studio building the future of human connection through interactive experiences. We’re best known for Synth Riders, one of the most popular rhythm games in AR/VR. We are also an experienced UGC game studio, having worked in Horizon Worlds since 2021.

We are hiring a Lead Game Designer (UGC Division) to lead design across multiple concurrent projects, starting with Horizon Worlds and Roblox, with an eye towards Fortnite (UEFN) and other UGC platforms.

This is a leadership position managing a team of six game designers (most of them senior). You’ll report to the UGC Game Design Director, bounce between projects at different life cycles, uphold high design standards, and mentor/guide other design leads while partnering closely with Kluge executives, production, engineering, art, and external stakeholders.

Minimum Requirements

• 5+ years of professional game design experience with shipped titles
• Proven leadership and people management experience; capable of managing six designers (mostly senior) and guiding other design leads
• Hands-on experience designing for UGC/social platforms (e.g., Horizon Worlds, Roblox), or equivalent multiplayer/social experiences
• Strength in systems design (progression, rewards/economies, challenges, onboarding) and data-informed iteration
• Strong prototyping ability and comfort working directly in-editor (visual scripting or equivalent) to validate ideas quickly
• Excellent communication and documentation skills; thrives in cross-disciplinary, remote collaboration
• High ownership and autonomy; proven ability to context switch across multiple live and in-development projects without losing quality or velocity

Desired Requirements

• Experience with Roblox, Horizon Worlds, and openness to additional UGC ecosystem
• Familiarity with game engines, plus platform-specific visual scripting tools; Roblox/Lua is a plus
• Background with live-ops/GaaS (telemetry, KPIs, A/B tests, seasonal/limited-time events)
• Experience designing for mobile as well as VR; awareness of performance budgets and accessibility/comfort best practices
• Experience setting team standards, mentoring senior ICs, and conducting effective design reviews

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of six game designers; mentor growth, set standards, run reviews, and ensure quality/consistency across projects
• Own end-to-end design for UGC experiences: pillars, systems, specs, and balancing tailored to Horizon Worlds, Roblox, and future platforms
• Switch context efficiently across multiple titles at different life cycles; coordinate priorities and unblock teams while maintaining momentum
• Guide and support other design leads, aligning on vision, scope, and delivery while reinforcing best practices and documentation quality
• Prototype and iterate quickly within platform tools to validate mechanics, loops, and onboarding; drive data-informed improvements
• Collaborate cross-functionally with production, engineering, art, audio, and client stakeholders to scope, build, and ship on schedule
• Champion accessibility & comfort across VR/mobile; ensure designs are approachable and performant
• Partner with leadership and BD/clients as needed to align on goals, constraints, milestones, and resource planning for the UGC portfolio

Benefits

• Full-time role with competitive compensation based on experience
• Fully remote with flexible hours and strong autonomy
• A creative, supportive environment with a diverse, highly experienced team
• Clear growth path to scale and evolve the UGC design organization across multiple platforms