Senior Encounter Designer

Arcanaut Studios; Edmonton; Hybrid; CAD 97,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Retirement plan

Flex Benefit

Vacation: 3 weeks

Job summary

Arcanaut Studios is seeking a Senior Encounter Designer to define end-to-end player encounters, from enemy AI behavior to narrative triggers, using UE5 and internal tools. You will shape multi-stage boss battles and tactical combat that tells a story and challenges players.

You will collaborate with level and gameplay designers to balance pacing, exploration, and puzzles, while balancing enemy archetypes and readable telegraphing. Remote-friendly, with hybrid work options across Canada.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in game design, specifically focused on combat or encounter design on at least one shipped AAA action adventure or RPG title.
• Strong hands-on experience scripting complex game logic using scripting tools and Unreal Engine 5
• A deep understanding of RPG mechanics, including character attributes, itemization, cooldown economies, crowd-control states and progression scaling
• Excellent spatial awareness with the ability to conceptualize how 3D environment layouts affect sightlines, flanking opportunities, and play movement choices
• Strong verbal and written documentation skills to clearly communicate complex mechanical ideas and to establish best practices

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and script combat spaces and enemy placements using internal tools and UE5, implementing logical triggers for enemy waves, and tactical AI behaviors
• Design and balance creatures with distinct combat identities, using readable silhouettes, clear attack telegraphs, and behaviors that reward player mastery of core mechanics
• Work hand in hand with level designers and gameplay designers to ensure environmental layouts offer strategic positioning and with AI/Combat systems to refine enemy archetypes, abilities and readable telegraphing
• Establish the macro-pacing of missions and hubs, balancing high intensity combat with exploration, quiet narrative moments and puzzles
• Create layered combat scenarios that reward diverse playstyles
• Build gray-box encounter spaces to rapid test combat recipes and enemy group synergies, proving out fun factors

Skills

Game design

Encounter design

Unreal Engine 5

Scripting

Tools

Unreal Engine

Job description

ARCANAUT STUDIOS – Senior Encounter Designer – FULL-TIME | BC OR ALBERTA (REMOTE FRIENDLY)

Arcanaut Studios is a team of seasoned developers founded on the axiom that creative freedom and independence lead to better, more innovative games. We believe in the power of small, agile teams. We are decision makers with consistent collaboration across disciplines that drive the project vision and create a seamless player experience.

Arcanaut Studios is a Canadian company with offices in Edmonton, AB and Kelowna, BC. We offer a flexible work environment combining from-home, in-office, and remote work as well as competitive industry compensation and benefits. By joining us, you will be welcomed into a diverse team of talented developers creating an immersive universe of story, character, and discovery.

YOUR ARC

As a Senior Encounter Designer, you will initiate and help define the end-to-end player experience for combat and narrative driven scenarios. You will orchestrate the intersection of enemy AI behavior, level geometry, player progression and narrative triggers to build high-stake, deeply tactical encounters. From isolated skirmishes to multi-stage epic boss battles, you ensure every fight tells a story and pushes the player to master the game’s mechanics.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and script combat spaces and enemy placements using internal tools and UE5, implementing logical triggers for enemy waves, and tactical AI behaviors
• Design and balance creatures with distinct combat identities, using readable silhouettes, clear attack telegraphs, and behaviors that reward player mastery of core mechanics.
• Work hand in hand with level designers and gameplay designers to ensure environmental layouts offer strategic positioning and with AI/Combat systems to refine enemy archetypes, abilities and readable telegraphing
• Establish the macro-pacing of missions and hubs, balancing high intensity combat with exploration, quiet narrative moments and puzzles
• Create layered combat scenarios that reward diverse playstyles
• Build gray-box encounter spaces to rapid test combat recipes and enemy group synergies, proving out fun factors

Qualifications and Experience

• 5+ years of experience in game design, specifically focused on combat or encounter design on at least one shipped AAA action adventure or RPG title
• Strong hands-on experience scripting complex game logic using scripting tools and Unreal Engine 5
• A deep understanding of RPG mechanics, including character attributes, itemization, cooldown economies, crowd-control states and progression scaling
• Excellent spatial awareness with the ability to conceptualize how 3D environment layouts affect sightlines, flanking opportunities, and play movement choices
• Strong verbal and written documentation skills to clearly communicate complex mechanical ideas and to establish best practices

BENEFITS

• We offer a rewards package to help you live your best life while doing your best work, including medical and dental coverage, retirement savings contributions and a Flex Benefit program that has a wide array of coverage to best fit your personal situation.
• We offer 3 weeks of vacation per year in addition to summer and winter studio breaks that are each two weeks long.
• The hiring range for this position is $96,890 – $173,975 in addition to a bi-yearly performance-based bonus. The base pay may vary depending on the candidate’s region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.