This job might no longer be available.
Associate Design Director
1 year ago
People make games great. And at Survios, we know we can’t grow from an acclaimed VR studio to the world’s premier game developer and publisher without them. That’s why our most valuable investments aren’t in the next-generation technology we use to make our games or the swanky new HQ we’re building in Marina Del Rey, but in creating a hybrid workplace that seeks out talent across the globe, nurtures its people, and encourages fun. A workplace where every team member knows they’re respected and cared for. If you want to join a passionate team of developers driving toward the future of immersive gaming, we’d love to hear from you! Survios currently has an opening for a talented Associate Design Director to lead our amazing Design Team!
Responsibilities:
- Help the Studio Design Director in being responsible for the quality level for all feature development in all aspects in their field of design; quality vs scope and timeline.
- Understand consumer needs and ensure that features and elements developed by their design team (Combat, Player Systems, etc) contribute to player satisfaction and enjoyment.
- Have a 'holistic' view and understanding of game design as it relates to the product; understand the value of each feature and how it fits into the whole of the game.
- Work collaboratively with all designers and ask insightful, constructive questions about their work.
- Work collaboratively with the Production Team and help to resolve issues with the design and design team.
- Review Documented design work in a timely way. Make sure documentation is kept updated.
- Communicate with the Lead Designers (Game, Level) related to team morale, project deliverables and design team work quality.
- Communicate with the Studio Design Director related to project direction, and as it relates to game design.
- Review design documents provided by the design team and sign off on them; focusing on quality in the context of scope and timelines.
- Carry out performance reviews, follow ups and assessments for their Design Leads.
- Work with Game Design Leads to resolve conflicts within the design team.
- Create a work environment that is motivating for team members and which fosters development and creation.
Requirements:
- 5+ years of game design experience required, 8+ years preferred.
- Must have proven success as a Lead Game Designer.
- Proven ability managing small to large teams (3+ Designers).
- Possesses a mastery of game design principles such as design theory and methodologies, directing player experience, player behavior, choice and motivation, game progression and pacing, etc.
- Advanced at deconstructing compelling and innovative game design elements and understanding the correlation with player experience and satisfaction. Distills and shares insights within the team, and maintains exceptionally deep knowledge of competitive products and trends.
- Possesses a comprehensive understanding of how areas of ownership manifest in game design and the overall production pipeline.
- Possesses a highly advanced understanding of all game development disciplines and their inputs into the content pipeline.
- Exceptional ability to communicate design concepts effectively, verbally, in written format, and visually to other disciplines.
- Holds and helps translate vision for broad areas of ownership consistent with the overall vision for the game.
- Oversees the development and establishment of proposals and design goals.
- Ensures and reviews ongoing and iterative design documentation that keeps pace with the project’s progress.
- Exhibits mastery with mocking up design features using appropriate tools, such as MS Office, Photoshop, Maya/Max, Confluence, internal wikis, etc.
- Must have a portfolio demonstrating breadth of experience and range of skills.
Pluses:
- Previous experience working with VR.
- Understanding of Unreal Engine and blueprints.
- Degree in related discipline a plus.
About Us:
Survios is an award-winning game studio that takes a holistic approach to development, merging our hardware, software, and games expertise to create unbelievable immersive game experiences. As we expand our focus from VR-Only to create games across all PC and Console platforms, we’re dedicated to leveraging our passion, expertise, and creativity to develop and publish the next generation of groundbreaking and immersive video games.
Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings.