Level Design Director (Splinter Cell)

Ubisoft Entertainment; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Level Design Director to lead the vision for a thrilling stealth game experience. This role involves shaping compelling gameplay encounters and mentoring a talented team, ensuring that every level meets the highest standards of design and creativity. You will collaborate closely with various disciplines to create a unified game experience, leveraging your extensive knowledge of level design and game development. If you have a passion for crafting unique gameplay experiences and a deep understanding of the intricacies of game design, this is the perfect opportunity for you to make a significant impact in the gaming world.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in the video game industry with leadership experience.
• Strong understanding of level design and video game development stages.

Responsibilities

• Shape and maintain the level design vision for the game.
• Provide mentorship and feedback to the level design team.
• Collaborate with core team members for cohesive game design.

Skills

Level Design

Communication Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Problem-Solving

Time Management

Creativity

Adaptability

Education

College Diploma in Game Design

Undergraduate Degree

Job description

As a Level Design Director on Splinter Cell at Ubisoft Toronto, you will cultivate a vision for the game’s unique stealth centric missions, breaking down the high-level direction of the game into compelling, tense and well realized gameplay experiences.

At the heart of a great Stealth mission lies a passion for crafting gameplay encounters that both challenge and surprise the player, within environments that fulfil the fantasy of being the ultimate covert field agent – Sam Fisher.

You are expected to be an empathetic mentor, breaking down your vision into actionable rules and provide regular feedback that enables your team to author bespoke, rich and layered stealth gameplay challenges.

What you’ll do

• Shape, communicate and maintain the level design vision for the game
• Collaborate with the other core team members to ensure that the level design vision works seamlessly with the other aspects of the game to create a cohesive, unified whole
• Craft and demonstrate examples of interesting and fun gameplay setups that feel uniquely Splinter Cell
• Understand and apply a deep knowledge for building amazing levels, including the application of narrative, lighting, pacing, scripting and puzzle design within them
• Help level designers work effectively and consistently within the constraints and opportunities provided by game metrics
• Act as the first sounding board for design proposals from the level designers and the rest of their colleagues on the greater mission team
• Understand the principles of rational level design, to ensure a captivating mastery ramp through the game
• Balance requirements from other disciplines (art, narrative, animation, audio, etc.) to ensure that the highest standard is reached not just in level design, but in every aspect of the game
• Provide mentorship and constructive feedback to your level design team to achieve quality, but also to help them grow in their careers and develop their skillsets
• Find solutions to the inevitable challenges we encounter along the way, always keeping in mind the overall vision of the game, and that strong level design bones is the foundation on which the series was built

QUALIFICATIONS

What you bring:

• A college diploma in Game Design or equivalent (undergraduate degree an asset)
• At least 8 years of experience in the video game industry or other relevant experience and 3 years of leadership experience
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills
• A solid understanding of level design and all stages of video game development
• Excellent time management, problem-solving, and organizational skills
• An innovative, creative, and collaborative spirit
• Ability to accept feedback and adapt to it – you have the flexibility to revaluate and adjust your level design direction when and as often as needed!
• Knowledge and passion for the Splinter Cell franchise

What to send our way

• Your CV highlighting your education, experience, skills, and details on games shipped