Principal Level Designer – Star Wars NaturalMotion

Austin, TX, United States

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 six years, NaturalMotion Studios have been named as one of the Best Places to Work in the UK games industry by gamesindustry.biz.

Job Purpose

We are looking for a Principal Level Designer to join us in creatingStar Wars™:Hunters, a competitive arena combat game for the Nintendo Switch system and mobile devices.Star Wars: Hunterswill bring players together to engage in thrilling, team-based, multiplayer battles featuring a diverse array of distinctive new Star Wars characters.

You will play a pivotal role in shaping the core gameplay experience of our game. You will join a team of level designers and work closely with the design, product, art, and engineering departments to create captivating environments that foster strategic, balanced, competitive gameplay. Your expertise will be essential in designing innovative arenas, ensuring a dynamic gameplay experience, and ensuring seamless integration with the game’s mechanics and narrative.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

Create amazing levels full of Star Wars narrative richness, set in jaw dropping locations, with unexpected twists and turns that support our hero-based combat and multiple game modes

Research, propose, and design block out levels following our maps production pipeline

Mentor a team of level designers by producing your own levels, and by providing guidance and feedback to elevate their performance

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define level design objectives that align with the game’s vision

Design and develop engaging and balanced arenas, considering player movement, tactical possibilities, and competitive elements

Create documents, sketches, and layouts for level designs, effectively communicating your vision to the team

Iteratively test and refine levels, analysing play test feedback, consumer testing results, and analytics to optimize gameplay

Maintain a strong understanding of player trends, market competitors, and emerging industry innovations to continuously enhance the game’s level design

Required Skills & Experience

Levels shipped in at least one competitive multiplayer action game during the last decade, preferably more

Proficiency in level design with Unreal Engine or equivalent game creation toolsets

Strong understanding of game mechanics, player psychology, and level flow optimization

Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire a team

Passion for gaming, with a solid knowledge of competitive gaming trends and best practices

Flexibility and adaptability in a fast-paced and collaborative development environment

What we offer you

Competitive salary and 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

Summer/Winter parties and weekly Happy Hour in the studio

26 days holiday + bank holidays, 2 paid personal days

6 months of fully paid maternity/adoption leave or 16 weeks of fully paid paternity leave (eligibility criteria apply)

Pension plan with a double matching employer contribution (capped at 8%)

Private medical insurance, dental insurance and healthcare cash plan

Life insurance, accident insurance and long-term disability insurance

Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) (eligibility criteria apply)

Fitness Reimbursement plan worth £600 per annum

Charitable Giving Platform to which the Company contributes a 2:1

Annual season ticket advance 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 [email protected] to request an accommodation associated with your application for an open position.

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