Senior Systems Designer

About the Company:
AGBO is an artist-led, Academy Award-winning independent studio focused on developing and producing innovative story universes across film, television, and digital platforms. Founded in 2017 by visionary directors Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO’s mission is to inspire and advance the next generation of storytelling to entertain and influence audiences worldwide. AGBO’s productions include Everything Everywhere All At Once, Extraction, The Electric State, and the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.

In 2023, AGBO welcomed Donald Mustard—former Chief Creative Officer at Epic Games and co-creator of Fortnite—as a partner. Mustard brings a bold creative vision to AGBO: to expand what storytelling can be through immersive, interconnected worlds that span across media. We’re building the future of storytelling—and we’re looking for bold, creative minds to help shape it. If you’re ready to help define what comes next, we’d love to meet you.

Position Summary:
As Senior Systems Designer, you’ll take the lead on designing and implementing the core gameplay systems that bring depth, progression, and long-term engagement to our titles. From player abilities to economy systems to metagame structure, your work will drive how the game evolves over time and how players interact with it at scale. This is a hands-on role for someone fluent in Unreal Engine 5, with strong command of Blueprints and the Gameplay Ability System (GAS). You’ll collaborate closely with programmers and other designers to ensure our systems are not just technically sound, but genuinely enjoyable to play. This is a high-impact role on an ambitious team creating something special and exciting.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and implement core gameplay systems that support long-term engagement, progression, and player expression.
• Leverage UE5 Blueprints and the Gameplay Ability System to prototype and build scalable, modular systems.
• Collaborate with gameplay and combat designers to ensure systemic mechanics align with the game’s tone and core loop.
• Tune and balance combat encounters to hit pacing, challenge, and “feel” goals.
• Own systems like combat balance, upgrades, player growth, resource management, and progression – depending on the project’s needs.
• Participate in playtests, gather feedback, and iterate with a focus on balance, clarity, and fun.

Qualifications & Skills:

• 5+ years of experience in systems design with at least one shipped title that featured deep progression or systemic gameplay, bonus if you helped grow and maintain a live service game.
• Expert-level knowledge of Unreal Engine 5, particularly Blueprints and Gameplay Ability System.
• Expert-level knowledge of Spreadsheeting Software such as Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets.
• A systems thinker who can balance flexibility, scalability, and player experience.
• A passion for building gameplay that rewards investment, experimentation, and long-term play.
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Experience designing or tuning RPG-like systems, loot, builds, or ability trees.
• Familiarity with economy balancing, metagame systems, or live game design.
• Bonus: Previous experience at a startup or on early-phase projects.
• Bonus: An interest in film, cross-medium storytelling, or experimental gameplay.
  

The typical base salary for this position ranges from $145,000-$175,000 annually. Actual offers will be determined based on experience. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires in CA, NY, NC, and UT. Actual offers will be determined using local market data for the identified candidate’s geographic area and may vary from the stated range.

AGBO Films, LLC is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We aim to recruit the right people for the jobs we have to offer, and to assess applications on the basis of relevant skills, education and experience.

AGBO participates in E-Verify - English | Spanish

The job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent to this position. This position offers full remote flexibility.