Lead Game Designer

Are you an experienced Game Designer with strong systems design skills and a passion for creating engaging, player‑focused gameplay?

This role offers the opportunity to work on current and future game projects, designing new gameplay systems and systemic content from concept through iteration. You’ll collaborate closely with creative, technical and art teams to build meaningful mechanics, balanced economies and compelling progression systems that deliver a high‑quality player experience.

About the role

You will contribute to the design and evolution of core gameplay systems, focusing on clarity, balance and long‑term engagement. This position suits a designer who combines creative thinking with analytical rigour and enjoys working within technical constraints while continuously iterating based on feedback and playtesting.

What you’ll do

• Design, document and iterate on core gameplay systems including gameplay loops, progression and economies
• Identify gameplay, content and workflow challenges and propose player‑focused solutions
• Balance units, items, resources and systems to support a clear and enjoyable player experience
• Create and maintain clear game design documentation in collaboration with creative leadership
• Communicate design intent effectively with developers and artists
• Use iterative design methods incorporating player feedback and playtest data
• Test and validate gameplay to ensure systems are implemented correctly and balanced appropriately
• Maintain high quality standards while respecting technical and design constraints

What we’re looking for

Experience

• 3+ years of professional experience as a game designer on at least one shipped title
• Proven experience in systems design and content creation
• Hands‑on involvement in gameplay balancing and iteration

Skills

• Strong analytical and structured thinking
• Ability to design meaningful, interconnected gameplay systems
• Clear communication and documentation skills
• Team‑oriented mindset with a proactive attitude
• Understanding of how usability and functionality support player experience

Nice to have

• Strong analytical mindset with experience using Excel or Google Sheets for modelling systems
• Experience working autonomously in mid‑sized studio environments
• Familiarity with scripting
• Experience with Early Access development and community feedback management

Working style / behaviours

• Curious, methodical and player‑focused
• Comfortable iterating quickly based on feedback and data
• Collaborative and communicative across disciplines
• Able to balance creative ambition with practical constraints

Why join

• Open and collaborative working environment with flexible organisation
• Supportive studio culture with opportunities for team activities and knowledge sharing
• Comprehensive benefits package including health coverage and meal support
• Annual bonuses and long‑term incentive opportunities
• Relocation support for suitable candidates

If you’re a systems‑driven game designer who thrives in a collaborative, creative environment, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now, or email Joe McKernan - jm@skillsearch.com

Years of experience and salary levels are shown purely as a guide. We will only consider applications from candidates that can demonstrate the skills or experience required for the role.

Please be aware that while we would love to respond to every application we receive, due to high numbers we cannot guarantee this. We do however appreciate any time you invest into the application and will make sure to get in touch should anything in future more closely fit your skillset.