The Senior Game Designer position is a player-centric developer that is always thinking about the player's experience. They will sit within the gameplay team and will be directly responsible for the development of gameplay mechanics and systems. They will also collaborate with the rest of the design team to build highly re-playable experiences. They need to have excellent instincts for what makes fantastic and engaging gameplay and the ability to tune for 'feel', as well as good judgement and decision-making skills. They should be excellent collaborators and be highly skilled at communicating what they need from other teams to improve and balance gameplay.

Principle Duties / Responsibilities:

• Own and design game features from conceptualization to implementation.
• Perform maintenance on existing gameplay systems such as: combat, gameplay cameras, player navigation, scoring, etc.
• Create clear and concise written documentation, visual design materials, and verbal presentations that describe layout, content, mechanics, systems, and features.
• Collaborate across disciplines to get work done and clear dependencies.
• Work directly with artists, programmers, animators and other game designers to contribute to the vision of the game.
• Gameplay scripting using text-based scripting tools.
• Balance gameplay for the best possible feel.
• Provide constructive feedback on all aspects of the product; find opportunities to increase the quality of the product and advise on how that information may be implemented or held for future products.
• Help create consistent implementation of gameplay by working to define best working practices, processes, standards and conventions, for the design team.
• Be a mentor for the design team and assist with their professional growth.
• Additional responsibilities will be assigned as needed.

Required Knowledge / Skills:

• PEOPLE: Proactive self-starter, but also a team player. Strong interpersonal, facilitation, oral and written communication, and project management skills a must. Ability to listen and understand various viewpoints and help guide diverse global workgroups to common solutions. Strong cultural sensitivity and sensibility a must.
• PROCESS: Process knowledge, attention to detail, timely follow-up and strong organizational skills.
• TECHNICAL: Understanding of the technical aspects of product and game development. Ability to identify other business units with necessary technical knowledge and cultivate relationships.
• PLANNING / IMPLEMENTATION: Implementing projects in partnership with co-workers, global development teams, RHQ business units and global Sony divisions. Strong capability to multitask and prioritize. Ability to proactively handle shifting priorities and requirements.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent direct work experience) and a minimum of 10 years of product development or related industry experience.
• Must have strong analytical and critical thinking skills. Ability to apply creative solutions within business constraints.
• Must be able to prioritize and perform multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, with the ability to adapt to changing priorities efficiently and effectively.
• Must have excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills in handling complex situations with the ability to negotiate and recommend solutions.
• Experience with Microsoft Outlook or equivalent E-mail client, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Internet Explorer or equivalent Web Browser required. Familiarity with Microsoft Project, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft PowerPoint or Microsoft Visio a plus.
• Project management or product development experience in entertainment or videogame industry required.
• You must be a passionate gamer with a deep understanding of core game mechanics and the impact and influence of design decisions. strong opinions on overall quality of execution and a deep understanding for what it takes to execute at a AAA quality level is a must.
• Candidates must be proactive and willing to take direction.
• Creativity and 'out of the box' thinking is strongly encouraged.

Required Experience / Education:

• 10+ years of game design and product development or equivalent / related industry experience
• 5+ years of systems and content design experience in either single or multiplayer 3D action games.
• A published AAA title in a game design capacity
• Experience working with teams through all aspects of the product life cycle, including prototyping, pre-production, production, beta, and release.
• Significant experience with C++, C#, Lisp / Racket, Lua, or other scripting language.
• Experience designing Coop gameplay (local and/or online), Combat, and well-balanced AI enemies.
• Experience in working with Unreal Engine 5
• Bachelor's Degree (4-year college) or equivalent direct work experience

Preferred Experience / Education:

• Same as above

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