Senior Technical Designer

Who We Are:

Founded by an MMO legend who has led AAA teams for over 20 years, our new studio Fantastic Pixel Castle (FPC) is building an original fantasy IP from scratch. Players will be regularly engaged in our development process from early stages as part of our open and transparent studio culture, and we aim to craft an IP that will be worthy of their passion and dedication for decades to come.

We are committed to being a fully remote and global studio, so that we can hire world-class people and have them live their best lives. We think top-heavy bureaucracy stifles creativity, so we aim to stay small as we focus on delivering a game and a world that you will love. We are fully-funded, and the team will share in all of our studio's successes.

About the Role:

We are looking for a Senior Technical Designer to join our creative and passionate video game development team. Technical Designers bridge the gap between design and programming, empowering the design team by implementing, troubleshooting, and refining gameplay and related systems for our AAA MMORPG. This is a senior-level position where you will have a significant impact on the creative process and contribute to shaping the gameplay experience of our next-generation title.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate closely with game designers, artists, and programmers to understand and implement the design vision of the game.
• Prototype, develop, and refine gameplay features and systems using the Unreal engine.
• Translate game design concepts into functional systems and mechanics.
• Assist in debugging and fixing code related to gameplay systems.
• Develop technical design documentation, including diagrams and flowcharts.
• Optimize gameplay systems for performance and memory usage.
• Validate functionality, usability, and performance across multiple platforms and input models.
• Collaborate with quality assurance teams to identify and fix bugs.
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior team members.
• Stay updated with the latest game development technologies and trends.
  
  

Requirements:

• 7+ years of experience in video game development, with a strong focus on AAA games.
• Proven experience as a Technical Designer or a similar role.
• Proficient in programming languages such as C++, C#, or Python.
• Familiarity with version control systems like Git or Perforce.
• Passion for video games and understanding of current industry trends
• Proven experience implementing designer-facing systems for complex gameplay mechanics and content workflows in AAA game development.
• Deep understanding of game development principles, including gameplay mechanics, physics, AI, and user interfaces.
• Experience with the Unreal Engine and proficiency in prototyping and the development of subsequent production systems using this engine.
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement high-quality prototypes that showcase innovative and engaging gameplay experiences.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to translate abstract design concepts into functional prototypes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively work with multidisciplinary teams and influence decision-making processes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in the MMO field (including non-traditional modern MMOs).
• Medium to strong proficiency in C++ including knowledge of optimization techniques and performance profiling tools for identifying and addressing performance issues.
• Familiarity with multiplayer systems and online gameplay considerations.
• Experience mentoring and providing technical guidance to junior designers or technical designers in a prototyping context.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating successful commercial game projects or personal game development initiatives
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Game Design, or a related field.
  
  

We are an equal opportunity employer that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other protected status as required by law.

US Salary Band: $140,000 - 180,000 USD