Senior Level Designer

About Us

Afterburner Studios was formed in the summer of 2018 by three veteran game devs who were feeling burned out in more traditional development. Our debut title, Dreamscaper, an action roguelike with a lucid dreaming twist, launched in 2021. Since then it has gone on to reach over 600,000 players with an 89% positive rating on Steam.

Our next project is a larger, more ambitious title in the AA space – a science fantasy 3D action / adventure blending classic elements with new twists. We’re looking to expand our team with motivated individuals that are excited to work in a small, fast-paced indie studio, in order to make a big impact on our next game.

The Job

We’re looking for a skilled single player level designer to join our team. This is a key role, as you will be responsible for large sections of the world and how the player experiences it. You will collaborate closely with our design director and artists to formulate player experience, tell in-world story and create memorable levels. The ideal candidate has strong level design fundamentals and the ability to prototype ideas quickly in order to get team buy-in.

While this is a fully remote position, applicants will need to be available for core hours from 10am to 2pm ET in order to collaborate with coworkers.

Responsibilities

• Work with key disciplines (art, design and engineering) to determine constraints and requirements for levels.
• Design dense and interconnected single player levels that give a feeling of wonder and satisfaction from exploration.
• Create strong storytelling moments through gameplay that help illustrate our character’s journey.
• Whitebox levels in-engine, quickly prototyping events, interactions or mechanics to iterate quickly.
• Work with the design director to set up combat encounters that keep players engaged.
• Present your levels to stakeholders at key milestones along the way in order to get team buy-in and collect feedback.
• Continuously iterate and improve levels based on player feedback and testing results.
• Work closely with other members of the team to ensure that your design intention carries through to the finished and shipped level.
• Identify tooling or support that could enhance your workflow and improve production.

Requirements

• A strong portfolio showcasing a variety of level design, ideally through commercial projects.
• Proven experience designing single player levels.
• Unreal Engine experience and the ability to whitebox and prototype with blueprints.
• Strong understanding of user experience principles and an ability to design through a player-centric lens.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively within a small, multidisciplinary team.
• An openness to both giving and receiving feedback, in order to iterate quickly on solutions, identify problems, and ultimately achieve the best possible results.
• Creative problem-solving skills and adaptability to changing requirements.
• Highly self-motivated and proactive, you thrive while working without supervision.

Bonuses

• Experience with encounter design, specifically for combat-heavy titles.
• Experience with Metroidvanias.
• Experience on Science Fiction / Science Fantasy projects.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume (or linkedin) and a link to your portfolio to team@theafterburnerstudios.com with the title of the job you are applying for in the subject line.

We look forward to connecting with you!