That's No Moon is an independent studio of storytellers and game-makers who believe in the power of narrative-driven experiences. With a diverse team of talented developers, our shared vision is to create the future of AAA experiences with a culture of creativity, collaboration, and responsible production practices. Our passionate team of developers helps shape our studio, our projects, and our future.
We are looking for a Lead Game Designer with a passion for leading a small team of industry experts to deliver the narrative moment and action set-pieces using a combination of cinematics, scripted events, visual language, pacing & dialogue. This person is adept at interpreting the vision of the Game Director and working within a larger team to execute that vision at the highest quality level, both aesthetically and technically.
As a part of a multi-functional team, this person will help to bridge the gap between disciplines by working with directors and other discipline leads to ensure a consistent, cohesive player experience. As a leader they will be an experienced generalist who is intimately familiar with what it takes to craft narrative content at the highest levels of quality.
Responsibilities:
- Lead a small team of Designers - including management, training & fostering a collaborative environment.
- Support the creation and integration of AAA quality narrative moments and action set-pieces that reflect the game design goals and mechanics.
- Lead reviews and ensure the quality and consistency of work for the team.
- Collaborate with leads & directors in other disciplines to create a multi-functional pipeline that is flexible, reliable, and provides the framework to reach the highest levels of polish.
- Effectively connect multiple disciplines to bridge the gaps between technology, art, and player experience.
Requirements & Skills:
- Experience shipping narrative-driven singleplayer shooters.
- Experience shipping games in Unreal Engine.
- Passion for leading teams and mentoring junior developers in a highly iterative environment.
- Clear understanding of narrative & tech development across multiple phases of production.
- Comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of Unreal Engine Blueprints, state machines, blend spaces, Montages, Anim Graphs, and Event Graphs.
- Deep understanding of narrative presentation in all its forms, including cinematics, scripted moments, interactions, & dialogue.
- Working knowledge of deeper game system scripting or C++ a bonus.
- Strong technical problem-solving and interpersonal skills.
- A passion for making games with the enthusiasm & skill to polish to the highest level of quality.
Qualities:
- Comfortable balancing priorities in a highly iterative environment.
- Working knowledge of disciplines adjacent to design & an appreciation of their craft.
- Approachable & enthusiastic about narrative and the technical underpinnings that bring it to life.
- Leads by example & inspires the very best in a team both technically and aesthetically.
- Actively engages with feedback at every level & is aware of the overlap between design & other disciplines.
TNM considers a number of factors when determining each role's base pay range, including industry benchmarks, location, experience, and other job specific skills. In addition to base pay, this role may be eligible for other incentive compensation including equity and profit share. The estimated base pay range for this role is U.S. only and not applicable for locations outside of the U.S.
The estimated base pay range for this role is: $155,000 - $190,000
Please note that we are only considering candidates in North America at this time.
TNM offers competitive and comprehensive benefits that include medical, dental, vision, 401(k) match, flexible PTO, supplemental life and disability, and more. Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary based on country of residence and/or part-time or temporary employment status.
That's No Moon is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ancestry, color, citizenship, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, legally protected physical or mental disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
To those interested in submitting for roles at That's No Moon, we have a few reminders to ensure a safe application process.
1. If one of our recruiters reaches out to you, it will be with a "@thatsnomoon.com" email address. We do not email via personal email addresses either.
2. We do not conduct interviews via Discord or WhatsApp.
3. We will not ask you to provide sensitive personal information.
4. We will never request that you buy equipment specifically for your interview/test.
We are saddened that people are being taken advantage of and ask that, if you ever have any doubts about whether you are speaking to an official member of the That's No Moon team, to reach out to our official social handles directly.
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