Senior Technical Narrative Designer - F/M/NB

Novaquark is seeking a Senior Technical Narrative Designer to bridge the gap between creative writing and game engine implementation. This role involves prototyping, scripting, and debugging narrative features, ensuring seamless integration of events, dialogue, and cutscenes. The designer will be a technical leader, supporting the narrative team, mentoring junior designers, and maintaining code health and quality for quest and dialogue logic. Collaboration with various design teams is crucial for impactful narrative moments.

Must Have

• Act as primary technical implementer for narrative events, dialogue, and cutscenes
• Ensure robust and seamless integration into the game engine
• Debug, cleanup, and maintain quest/dialogue logic
• Ensure clean data annotation and efficient scripting
• Collaborate with writers, level designers, and combat designers for integrated narrative moments
• Mentor junior designers on technical best practices
• 4+ years game design experience, minimum 1 shipped console/PC title
• Strong Unreal Engine (preferably UE5) Narrative Design and Quest Design implementation
• Deep understanding of combat encounter design, pacing, player agency, and environmental storytelling within the narrative context of third-person action games
• Proven experience with cutscene creation and implementation (e.g., Portfolio showcasing use of Sequencer or equivalent cinematic tools)
• Excellent cross-department collaboration and communication skills
• English fluency

Good to Have

• Experience in Souls-like or melee-focused gameplay
• Experience supporting and collaborating on narrative pipeline tools
• Background in design documentation and pipeline organization
• Proficiency with cutscene creation and implementation
• Previous experience in a mentoring, senior, or associate lead position

Perks & Benefits

• Competitive compensation packages
• Tailored benefits compliant with local labor laws (facilitated by Deel)
• Full remote work possible (Europe only)

The position

Job description

Why do we need an Senior Narrative Designer ?

We are looking for a Senior Technical Narrative Designer to act as the primary technical bridge between the creative writing team and the game engine. This individual will be crucial for prototyping, scripting, and debugging core narrative features, with a focus on ensuring the seamless implementation of narrative events, dialogue, and cutscenes. They will be a technical leader, supporting the needs of the wider narrative team and mentoring junior designers on technical best practices.

Core Mandate (4 main missions)

• Technical Implementation & Integration: Act as the primary technical implementer for all narrative events, dialogue, and cutscenes, ensuring robust and seamless integration into the game engine.

• Code Health & Quality: Own the debugging, cleanup, and maintenance of quest/dialogue logic, ensuring clean data annotation and efficient scripting that meets performance standards.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with writers, level designers, and combat designers to build integrated, impactful narrative moments focused on thematic pacing, player engagement, and clear delivery.

• Technical Mentorship & Pipeline Support: Mentor junior designers on technical best practices and collaborate with Engineering to support and improve the narrative pipeline tools.

Success Criteria (What are we expecting from you in the next months)

• Successfully prototype and implement major narrative event chains and features, including polished cutscene logic to standard.

• Perform daily bug fixes and trigger cleanups, significantly reducing narrative system defects

• Proactively identify and solve design or pipeline issues to improve iteration speed and collaboration across departments.

• Deliver weekly integration reports and documentation updates to ensure team alignment.

• Provide clear technical mentorship and hands-on training for junior designers with any new tools, features, or pipelines used by the team.

Key information

• Accepting permanent staff and freelance candidates

• Availability: ASAP (if available later, do not hesitate to apply!)

• Location: Full remote possible (Europe only)

• Compensation and Benefits:

We partner with Deel to facilitate hiring globally, ensuring compliance with local labor laws and providing tailored benefits for each country. This collaboration allows us to offer competitive packages and seamless onboarding for our international team members, enhancing their employment experience no matter where they are located.

• Few links about us

• We released the first trailer: https://tinyurl.com/yd9k7fa8

• Our website: https://tinyurl.com/2ae4hxuu

• A short article about us: https://tinyurl.com/mr23zkkb

• Good summary of our game: https://tinyurl.com/bdzxd9cc

Preferred experience

Hard skills

• Mandatory to start the hiring process:

• 4+ years game design experience, minimum 1 shipped console/PC title.

• Strong Unreal Engine (preferably UE5) Narrative Design and Quest Design implementation.

• Deep understanding of combat encounter design, pacing, player agency, and environmental storytelling within the narrative context of third-person action games.

• Proven experience with cutscene creation and implementation (e.g., Portfolio showcasing use of Sequencer or equivalent cinematic tools).

• Excellent cross-department collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to provide constructive, actionable feedback and mentor other designers.

• English fluency.

• Nice to have (not mandatory but it will be a plus!)

• Experience in Souls-like or melee-focused gameplay.

• Experience supporting and collaborating on narrative pipeline tools.

• Background in design documentation and pipeline organization.

• Proficiency with cutscene creation and implementation.

• Previous experience in a mentoring, senior, or associate lead position.

Recruitment process

1. First conversation (20 min) by video call with Arthur (Recruiter): To learn more about your experience, your expectations and Novaquark

2. Hiring Manager interview (1 hour) with Ruty (Lead Narrative Designer): To meet your futur manager and to go deeper in our current context

3. Technical interview (1 hour) via video call with Ruty (Lead Narrative Designer) and Francisc (Design Director): To assess your leadership skills and to go deeper regarding your experience

Throughout the entire recruitment process, Arthur will ensure follow-up and coordination. Do not hesitate to send your portfolio in addition to your CV to showcase your creations!