Remote Senior Systems Designer (12-month contract)

Blackbird Interactive Inc.; Dartmouth; Remote; CAD 104,000 - 114,000; Full time

Job summary

Blackbird Interactive Inc. is seeking a Senior Systems Designer to shape core gameplay systems, economy and progression in a sci‑fi Unreal 5 title. You will bridge design, art and code, architect features and dev tools, and mentor teammates to deliver emergent, engaging play.

You’ll plan roadmaps, test new tooling, and ensure content follows best practices in a highly technical environment. Remote-first, Canada-wide eligibility applies.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in technical or systems design.
• Two shipped titles.
• Experience with Unreal 5 and Blueprints.
• Self-directed in a highly technical environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype and implement complex gameplay systems and tools, in collaboration with designers, artists and programmers.
• Provide team-facing documentation to guide downstream groups.
• Provide creative and technical feedback on the work of other designers.
• Interpret and execute on creative direction aligned with project goals.
• Act as a technical expert on key features and participate in data debugging.
• Guide the technical work of others and ensure content creation follows best practices.
• Help test new tools / features before distribution to the team.
• Participate in roadmapping and planning for systems you own.
• Mentor designers and promote good design principles.

Skills

Unreal Engine 5

Blueprints

Systems design

Self-direction

Technical mindset

Version control

Tools

Version control

Other game engines

Job description

Blackbird Interactive is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent game studio where the best talent in the industry can find long-term careers to help grow their abilities while working on a wide range of projects, which encompass world-class IPs as well as our own creations across multiple genres.

Our studio operates as a remote-first workplace, offering flexible work arrangements.

PLEASE NOTE: At this time, we are only able to hire candidates who are legally eligible to work in Canada and reside within Canada.

Blackbird Interactive is looking for a Senior Systems Designer to join on a sci‑fi, first‑person action game built in Unreal 5. The game is heavily systems‑driven, and uses a blend of hand‑authored and procedural content, with deep immersion, emergent gameplay, and an emphasis on narrative.

As a Senior Systems Designer, you are responsible for the design, tuning and maintenance of many important, complex systems, from core gameplay to economy and progression systems, with the goal of delivering a more dynamic player experience. You are a key bridge between Design and the Art and Code disciplines. You are also responsible for designing both features and dev‑facing tools for use in Unreal. You care about shaping an engaging player experience and bringing together a blend of creative and technical skills and experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype and implement complex gameplay systems and tools, in collaboration with the other Designers, Artists and Programmers

• Provide team‑facing documentation to inform and guide the work of downstream groups

• Provide creative and technical feedback on the work of other Designers

• Understand, interpret and execute on creative direction, in alignment with project goals

• Act as a technical expert on key features and participate in data debugging

• Guide the technical work of others and ensure that content creation follows documented best practices

• Help test new tools / features before distribution to the rest of the team

• Participate in planning a roadmap to completion for the systems for which you’re responsible

• Mentor designers and promote good design principles across the team

Requirements

• Minimum 6 years in technical design or systems design

• Demonstrate fundamental knowledge of game design processes and skills investigating in‑game issues

• At least two shipped titles

• Experience with Unreal 5 and Blueprints

• Self‑direction and a proven ability to thrive in a highly technical environment

Pluses

• Experience with other areas of design (level design, UX/UI, encounter scripting, etc.)

• Experience playing modern first person games, including genres like Immersive Sim or Action‑RPG

• Experience or knowledge of 2D / 3D software

• Experience with a variety of game engines

• Experience with version control software

$104,000 – $114,000 a year