Lead Technical Game Designer

at  peoplecanfly

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

People Can Fly is one of the leading independent AAA games development studios with an international team of hundreds of talented individuals working from offices located in Poland, UK, US, and Canada, and from all over the world thanks to our remote work programs.
Founded in 2002, we made our mark on the shooter genre with titles such as Painkiller, Bulletstorm, Gears of War: Judgment, and Outriders. We are one of the most experienced Unreal Engine studios in the industry and we are expanding it with in-house solutions called PCF Framework.
Our creative teams are currently working on several exciting titles: Gemini is our new project being developed with Square Enix; Bifrost, Victoria and Dagger are projects we’re growing in the self-publishing model. We also have one project in the concept phase – Red; as well as two projects in VR technology – Green Hell VR and Thunder - a new project based on one of the IPs from the Group’s portfolio.
With over 20 years of experience, PCF sets out to explore new horizons. We aim to combine our expertise with creativity of the best and most forward-thinking talents in the industry to work together on the new generation of action games for the global gaming community.
If you decide to accompany us on this journey, you’ll have a chance to perfect your craft and expand your knowledge, working alongside leaders in the industry on bringing a brand-new unique experience to the players worldwide.
Project Red is a yet unannounced AAA game. The game development involves primarily our Europe based teams.

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Assigns, delegates, and supports individuals in their tasks, monitoring and reviewing the progress of their work.
• Provides constructive feedback and clear communications to enhance behavior and performance, ensuring a continuous improvement approach. Takes responsibility for evaluating their direct reports during periodic performance reviews, providing valuable insights and assessments toward their career development.
• Fosters an engaging atmosphere within their team, as well as ensuring a healthy work-life balance by setting clear expectations and scope of work, empowering individuals to propose solutions, and express their opinions. Utilizes data such as pulse checks and satisfaction scores.
• Collaborates and communicates effectively with other Leads, Directors, departments and project stakeholders on a continuous basis in order to notably build trust and work toward the project’s objectives and ambitions.
• Follows the Director’s guidance/vision and implements it. Cntributes to the Director’s direction by providing important data, raising issues, seeking advice and relays them to relevant project leaders
• Provide mentorship, direction and best in class Technical Game Design principles to ensure quality results and efficient working practices.
• Work very closely with the Creative Director and other leads to understand and establish the vision and evangelize this to the Technical Game Design team.
• Provide day-to-day feedback and creatively solve problems.
• Work with production team on tasks assignment and a team schedule.
• Create and develop Game Mechanics to ensure that the Creative Director’s vision is reflected as playable and fun experience.
• Owning, prototyping, iterating on, and implementing and balancing game systems.
• Full ownership of the produced function - from conceptual and paper design, through the prototyping phase, scripting, iteration, debugging, optimization - until delivery of the game.
• To establish and maintain standards of game design documentation.
• To drive and follow-up on prototyping with other game designers and/or programmers.
• Conduct playtest sessions for involved developers (level designers, artists, animators and programmers) to discuss and improve implemented prototypes.
• Remain current on industry trends, including new game genres, new game design methods and techniques, and trending audio visual excellence.
• Conduct consistent performance reviews of staff members.
• Conduct recruitment projects with HR collaboration.
• Conduct onboarding to new hires.
• 80% of time spent in Engine.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Typically 7+ years including prior experience in any leadership capacity
• Typically at least 2 shipped titles in a senior role, with a history of successful features.
• Excellent knowledge of Unreal Engine 5.
• Strong Leadership and mentoring skills.
• Good presentation skills.
• Strong problem solving and trouble-shooting skills.
• Excellent theoretical & practical knowledge of game design practices.
• Deep understanding of systems design, player psychology, and emerging industry trends.
• Excellent creativity to generate innovative concepts, mechanics and ideas.
• Expert understanding and experience with the modern Game Design techniques used in AAA games.
• Experience working with a variety of established game toolsets.
• Solid experience in owning, prototyping, iterating on, and implementing and balancing player progression systems on RPG titles.
• Experience with visual scripting systems.
• Proficiency with Atlassian software (JIRA, Confluence).
• Self-motivation.
• Knowledge of RPG genre games.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.

Please refer the Job description for details