Seismic Squirrel
Seismic Squirrel
11 – 50 Employees
Gaming
Seismic Squirrel is a gaming company developing a narrative-driven role-playing game set in a retro-futuristic version of New York City in 1939. Its world is reshaped by Aether, a transformative substance with anti-gravitational applications, while players follow Gia, a smuggler entangled in rival gangs, secret societies, and political corruption. The game combines turn-based tactical combat with crew recruitment, vehicle customization, smuggling operations, and consequential storytelling.

Senior Video Game Designer – Remote in Washington

Senior Video Game Designer responsible for gameplay systems, mechanics, levels, and UX across narrative-driven RPGs at Seismic Squirrel. Works remotely with engineering, art, writing, testing, and development teams.

Description

  • Create gameplay, systems, mechanics, maps, and levels for narrative-driven RPGs
  • Lead the design of gameplay systems and mechanics, including unit balance and the in-game economy
  • Design and implement levels and missions, including objectives and layouts
  • Assist with integrating art and narrative assets in Unity
  • Lead design meetings and maintain documentation covering game designs and requirements
  • Work closely with development, engineering, writing, art, testing, and management teams
  • Translate required mechanics into clear direction for Engineering
  • Protect UX quality and advocate for intuitive onboarding experiences
  • Take part in internal playtesting and provide feedback
  • Report progress and challenges, define deliverables, and help establish project timelines and expectations
  • Find and address user experience problems
  • Identify opportunities for analytics instrumentation and use analytics data to improve UX
  • Work core hours from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM Pacific and attend applicable team meetings
  • Coordinate with international partners during occasional late-evening, overnight, or early-morning hours
  • Travel occasionally as needed

Requirements

  • At least 10 years of professional video game design experience
  • Must have shipped at least one video game successfully as a Senior Designer
  • Experience with the complete game development lifecycle, from concept, design, and prototyping through production, content creation, testing, polish, launch, and support
  • Strong knowledge of combat and travel systems, mechanics, and level design best practices
  • Expert-level proficiency with Unity
  • Experience integrating and implementing narrative within gameplay
  • Experience using professional narrative authoring tools such as Articy, Arcweave, or Pixel Crushers
  • Understanding of PC and console game development
  • Strong written, visual, and verbal English communication and presentation abilities
  • Experience applying UML in design work
  • Proficiency with Atlassian Jira and Confluence
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Visio
  • Ability to work remotely with collaboration tools
  • A secure, ergonomic workspace separate from personal activities and roommates during work hours
  • Must live within the UTC-4 to UTC-8 time zones
  • Must be authorized to work in the United States or Canada
  • H-1B transfers and sponsorship are unavailable
  • Bonus: proficiency with Adobe, Blender, 3ds Max, Adobe XD, or Figma

Benefits

  • Remote work arrangement
  • Choice of contract-to-hire or full-time employment
  • Occasional travel opportunities
  • Collaboration with international teams
  • Opportunity for professional growth in the video game industry

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