Senior Game Designer

3 Months ago • 5-10 Years • Game Design

Job Summary

Job Description

Stardock seeks a Senior Game Designer to contribute to the design and development of an unannounced AAA strategy/simulation game. Responsibilities include translating product goals into engaging game mechanics, collaborating with other designers and the Creative Director, brainstorming and developing game worlds, authoring game design documents, scripting complex game events, maintaining gameplay balance, leveraging generative AI, mentoring junior designers, advocating for the design team, and gathering player feedback. The ideal candidate has shipped at least one AAA title and one strategy/simulation game, possesses strong writing and communication skills, and is proficient in game design principles and tools.
Must have:
  • AAA game experience
  • Strategy/simulation game experience
  • Strong design & communication skills
  • Experience with game design documents
  • Scripting & AI implementation
  • Gameplay balance and bug fixing
  • Mentoring junior designers
Good to have:
  • Unreal Engine experience
  • LUA or similar scripting languages
  • XML data handling
  • Familiarity with Stardock franchises
  • Generative AI tool experience
  • Experience with Unreal Engine Blueprints
Perks:
  • Relocation assistance

Job Details

Stardock is currently seeking a talented Senior Game Designer to join our team and play an important role in shaping and executing the vision for our upcoming unannounced game title. The ideal candidate has a deep passion for strategy and simulation games and is comfortable with all levels of ownership: from personally designing features to providing high-level feedback and mentorship to other members of the Design team. This is a salaried, full-time position at our Plymouth, Michigan office, with relocation assistance available 

 

Primary Responsibilities Include: 

  • Create and translate high-level product goals into engaging and innovative game mechanics and player stories in collaboration with the Production, Art, Engineering, and Design teams. 
  • Collaborate closely with other Senior Game Designers and the Creative Director to ensure cohesive and innovative game design across all project elements. 
  • Brainstorm, develop ideas, create worlds, and contribute to the design of a new AAA strategy/simulation game. 
  • Author, maintain, and interpret comprehensive Game Design Documents. 
  • Script complex events, AI behaviors, and intricate game mechanics utilizing in-house tools and editors and Unreal Engine. 
  • Oversee and maintain gameplay balance, swiftly addressing and resolving gameplay bugs. 
  • Leverage generative AI tools to enhance productivity and streamline design workflows, ensuring efficient development processes. 
  • Mentor and guide Associate Designers, fostering their growth and development. 
  • Advocate for the Design team, ensuring their needs and ideas are effectively communicated. 
  • Engage with our player base, evaluating and incorporating valuable feedback and suggestions. 
  • Stay abreast of trends and innovations in PC strategy games, integrating best practices into our designs. 

 

Education and/or Experience Desired: 

  • Bachelor's Degree in Game Design, Computer Science or relevant field or equivalent experience. 
  • Proven experience with at least one shipped AAA game title. 
  • Proven experience with at least one shipped strategy or simulation game. 
  • Passion for PC strategy and simulation games and an understanding of their mechanics. 
  • Broad familiarity and interest in history, anthropology, science fiction. 
  • Excellent creative writing and communication skills, both written and verbal. 
  • Demonstrated ability to champion design ideas and inspire enthusiasm in others. 
  • Experience managing multiple tasks simultaneously. 
  • Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new, often proprietary technology and tools. 
  • Sense of ownership and responsibility in project work. 
  • Experience with LUA or similar scripting languages. 
  • Experience reading, implementing, and maintaining data with XML or similar. 
  • Established understanding of existing Stardock franchises preferred (i.e. Sins of a Solar Empire, Galactic Civilizations, etc.). 

 

Bonuses: 

  • Experience working on a game created in Unreal Engine.  
  • Experience with/creating Unreal Engine Blueprints. 


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About The Company

HISTORY

Initially a developer for the OS/2 platform, Stardock was founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1993 as “Stardock Systems.” We grew to become a leader in development for Windows® customization software that lets you modify or extend your graphical user interface like Fences® , Start10™, Deskscapes™, among others. A long time lover of games, CEO Brad Wardell also devotes the company’s time to producing PC games in the 4X and RTS genre. Our most noted titles include Galactic Civilizations® (I, II, III), Sins of a Solar Empire® : Rebellion, Ashes of the Singularity™: Escalation, Sorcerer King™, and more.

Headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan, Stardock employees people worldwide and continues to specialize in consumer software development and publishing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit www.stardock.com and follow @Stardock

Plymouth, Michigan, United States (On-Site)

Plymouth, Michigan, United States (On-Site)

Plymouth, Michigan, United States (On-Site)

Plymouth, Michigan, United States (On-Site)

Plymouth, Michigan, United States (On-Site)

Plymouth, Michigan, United States (On-Site)

Plymouth, Michigan, United States (On-Site)

Plymouth, Michigan, United States (On-Site)

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