Principal UX Designer

Firesprite is a visionary game development studio based in the heart of Liverpool.

Proud to be an integral part of the PlayStation Studios family, we create showcase games that take players on thrilling journeys, with memorable characters, captivating narratives, and shared moments of excitement. Our commitment to the core values of Inclusivity, Bravery, Responsiveness, and Entrepreneurialism is a key driving force behind our work culture.

Role Overview:

We’re seeking a passionate and creative UX designer to work on creating and evolving a AAA user experience for a story-driven 'Narrative Adventure' with genre defining goals.

This is an ambitious, AAA project with a heavy focus on atmosphere, storytelling, player agency and immersion into ground-breaking territory on next-generation hardware technologies.

Our ideal candidate will be instrumental in crafting intuitive, engaging and accessible user experiences across all aspects of the title and will work closely with our game design, UI art, code and accessibility teams to ensure our game is engaging, fun and simple to navigate and interact with.

As a Principal, you will be the key knowledge repository for this area and will be expected to represent the UX systems across all gameplay, cinematic and narrative areas.

Ideally, we would love individuals to be based in the studio for 1-3 days per week, but we may consider those who have a preference for remote working in the UK.

What you'll be doing:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (game design, art, engineering) to define and implement innovative UX solutions.
• Build wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and interaction design for in-game UI systems (menus, HUDs, codices, tutorials, etc.).
• Assist closely with user research, accessibility and usability testing to gather feedback and refine the user research and ensure results are integrated into design decisions.
• Analyse data and player behaviour to identify friction points and opportunities for improvement.
• Document and communicate design solutions clearly across teams.
• Stay current with UX trends in games and related fields to push creative boundaries.

What we're looking for:

• An experienced Principal UX Designer or a Senior looking to take that next step.
• A designer with a solid understanding of player psychology and user-centred design principles.
• A great working knowledge of Unreal engine or equivalent engine experience.
• Someone who is keen to put the user experience first.
• A willingness to blend cinematography and good user experience into one core value set.
• An outstanding team collaborator and someone who can take the initiative in problem solving for the team.
• Excellent communication, organisational and interpersonal skills.

Desirable Skills:

• Experience of Unreal 5 blueprints and other Unreal tools.
• Proficiency with design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, Axure.)
• Curious about accessibility design and inclusive UX practices.
• Experience in crafting narrative experiences through cinematic and gameplay blending.

Benefits:

• Discretionary bonus opportunity
• Hybrid Working (within Flexmodes)
• Private Medical Insurance
• Dental Scheme
• 25 days holiday per year
• Access to cycle garage and showers

Firesprite is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, with a commitment to a culture of inclusion and mutual respect for all employees from every walk of life, reflecting the community we make games for. We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable applicants regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.