This job might no longer be available.

Lead UX Designer - Racing

At NaturalMotion, we make games that wow people. We innovate to create experiences that previously were impossible and that would not exist without us. We take pride in making titles that reach a large audience and in creating communities that last. For the past four years NaturalMotion Studios have been named as one of the Best Places to Work in the UK games industry by gamesindustry.biz.

Our Racing Studio - responsible for the CSR Racing franchise and the #1 Racing Game on Mobile CSR2 - is one of the most ambitious, successful, and creatively inclusive studios in the UK. Based across three locations – London, Birmingham and Bangalore - the team loves welcoming diverse, humble, straightforward and ambitious talent, aspiring for award-winning excellence. People who want to find a place where they will be supported and encouraged to do the best work of their career.

Hiring Update: The safety of our candidates and team members is our top priority. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our workforce transitioned to working from home, with all interviewing and onboarding being conducted virtually until further notice.

Job Purpose

We are seeking a Lead UX Designer to work in the Racing team. You will ensure that features on our next racing title are implemented to AAA standards, whilst also breaking new UX ground as we implement cross-platform play in our next game.

You will advise and mentor other UX Designers and collaborate with UI Artists to ensure our players have a high-quality experience across a wide range of different devices.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

• As a Lead UX Designer, your role will report into our UX Lead in our London Studio. Your role will be to ensure all UX Design is implemented to the highest standards, and will take point on the implementation of cross-platform UX design for our next game.
• Breaking new ground: We are a rare example of a game which will allow cross-platform play, and you will
• Leading The User Experience: You will be responsible for working with multiple feature teams as well as the cross-platform team and ensuring that UX is implemented to a consistent high standard across each.
• Close Collaboration with the UI team: Working in unison with the UI team to deliver a peerless user experience with beautifully crafted visuals free of friction. Defining what is ‘best in class’ for a user experience in a cross-platform, mobile-first game.
• Maintaining Interaction & Visual Consistency: Following existing interaction methods you will become a champion for maintaining consistency across all areas of the game.
• Representing The Players’ Needs: You will be responsible for developing the user experience of game content and features that will be enjoyed by many millions of players and a truly international audience.

Required Experience & Skills

• Knowledge about, and experience with, contemporary UX design in digital platforms which can be applied to mobile and console games making.
• A good knowledge of the racing titles, with particular regards to the CSR world.
• An understanding and interest in emerging trends in digital platform UX
• Experience with user research and hypothesis-led user testing
• Real passion for gaming, especially mobile. You can reference the best and worst user experiences and apply the lessons to your work.
• Familiarity with a range of software you are comfortable with rapid prototyping and iteration of ideas, listening to feedback and exploring options to make the game stronger.
• An innate ability to develop prototypes that work across multiple aspect ratios and platforms.
• A passion for investigating new and emerging trends that push user experiences forwards.
• Comfortable with presenting and discussing the ergonomics of screen layout you can rationalise the interaction of every element and propose simple solutions to complex problems.
• You can demonstrate experience of designing for multiple platforms with scalability in mind

Desirable Experience & Skills

• Experience creating UX in Console and/or Mobile Games
• A background in Psychology, Human Computer Interaction, Interaction Design or related areas
• Experience with Sketch or similar rapid-prototyping tools
• Unity engine experience

What we offer you:

• Competitive salary, discretionary annual bonus scheme
• Create next-gen games that will be played and loved by millions of players
• around the world
• Work in a family-oriented, collaborative team that invests in your development and growth on-the-job
• A diverse team of friendly, fun and supportive co-workers
• Flexible working hours & crunch-free working culture
• Communal music and laid-back atmosphere
• Summer/Christmas parties and Happy Hour in the studio each Friday
• 25 days holiday, plus Christmas shutdown
• Private medical care and healthcare cash plan
• Life insurance and critical illness insurance
• Cycle to work scheme
• 6 months fully paid maternity leave or 3 months fully paid paternity leave
• Annual season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme

We are an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to building a diverse and talented workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, colour, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, disability, or any other class or characteristic protected by applicable law. We welcome job-seekers, players, employees, and partners from all backgrounds to join us!

We will consider all qualified job-seekers with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with physical or mental disabilities in order to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at accommodationRequest@zynga.com to request an accommodation associated with your application for an open position.