Sr. Competitive Systems Designer (Apex Legends)

Respawn Entertainment; British Columbia; On-site; CAD 114,000 - 156,000; Full time

Job summary

Respawn Entertainment is seeking a Senior Systems Designer to shape how players compete in Apex Legends. You will own major competitive systems, define rules and progression, and work with MM, Analytics, Anti-Cheat, and Esports to ensure high-quality matches and a fair, engaging experience.

You will prototype, tune, and support features across development and live service, collaborating with UX, Engineering, and Production to align goals and drive player interest in competitive play.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional game design owning progression, scoring, competitive structures, or live-service features.
• Experience designing Ranked modes, rating systems, ladders, tournaments, and other competitive systems.
• Familiarity with MMR, skill-rating systems, matchmaking constraints, and competitive matchmaking concepts.
• Proven track record of taking features from concept through implementation, scripting, technical prototyping, tuning, launch, and live iteration.
• Strong implementation skills including text scripting and ability to create prototypes using in-house tools and platform
• Deep understanding of complex multiplayer systems, live-service needs, and player motivations, with the ability to reason about skill, progression, incentives, fairness, and player perception.
• Strong analytical skills and comfort using data to evaluate design problems and outcomes.
• Strong communication and cross-disciplinary collaboration skills across Engineering, Analytics, UX, Product, and Production.

Responsibilities

• Design and own major competitive systems for Apex Legends, including Ranked progression, matchmaking-related features, scoring, and competitive rewards for both seasonal, annual and lifetime career cycles.
• Develop new competitive formats, limited-time modes, and structured competition beyond Ranked play.
• Define competitive goals, rules, progression, eligibility, and recognition to motivate players across all skill levels.
• Partner with Matchmaking, Analytics, Anti-Cheat, and Esports to ensure match quality, integrate integrity systems to deter abuse, and connect in-game competitive structures to ALGS and professional pathways.
• Balance competitive accuracy with queue times, accessibility, social play, and long-term engagement.
• Use telemetry, feedback, and live-service learnings to define metrics, evaluate outcomes, and iterate on features.
• Collaborate across UX, Matchmaking, Analytics, Anti-Cheat, Engineering, Esports, and Community teams to align on design intent, ensure competitive integrity, evaluate player outcomes, and support cross-functional goals.
• Prototype, implement, tune, and support features throughout development and live service operations.

Skills

5+ years design

Ranked modes design

MMR concepts

Prototyping & scripting

Data-driven design

Cross-functional collaboration

Strong communication

Job description

Description & Requirements

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

Senior Systems Designer – Competitive Systems

Founded in 2010 by the original creators of the Call of Duty Franchise, Respawn was created with the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom, they'll make extraordinary games that achieve the unexpected. From our roots as an indie studio to joining the expansive roster of studios at Electronic Arts, this remains our guiding principle. We truly love what we do and want to share our passion with players worldwide. Our shipped titles include critically acclaimed multi-platform games Apex Legends, Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. Join us for the opportunity to create groundbreaking games with some of the best developer talent in the industry.

Why This Role Matters

Respawn is looking for a Senior Systems Designer – Competitive Systems to help shape how players compete in Apex Legends.

Responsibilities

• Design and own major competitive systems for Apex Legends, including Ranked progression, matchmaking-related features, scoring, and competitive rewards for both seasonal, annual and lifetime career cycles.
• Develop new competitive formats, limited-time modes, and structured competition beyond Ranked play.
• Define competitive goals, rules, progression, eligibility, and recognition to motivate players across all skill levels.
• Partner with Matchmaking, Analytics, Anti-Cheat, and Esports to ensure match quality, integrate integrity systems to deter abuse, and connect in-game competitive structures to ALGS and professional pathways.
• Balance competitive accuracy with queue times, accessibility, social play, and long-term engagement.
• Use telemetry, feedback, and live-service learnings to define metrics, evaluate outcomes, and iterate on features.
• Collaborate across UX, Matchmaking, Analytics, Anti-Cheat, Engineering, Esports, and Community teams to align on design intent, ensure competitive integrity, evaluate player outcomes, and support cross-functional goals.
• Prototype, implement, tune, and support features throughout development and live service operations.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional game design experience owning progression, scoring, competitive structures, or live-service features.
• Experience designing Ranked modes, rating systems, ladders, tournaments, and other competitive systems.
• Familiarity with MMR, skill-rating systems, matchmaking constraints, and competitive matchmaking concepts.
• Proven track record of taking features from concept through implementation, scripting, technical prototyping, tuning, launch, and live iteration.
• Strong implementation skills including text scripting and ability to create prototypes using in-house tools and platform
• Deep understanding of complex multiplayer systems, live-service needs, and player motivations, with the ability to reason about skill, progression, incentives, fairness, and player perception.
• Strong analytical skills and comfort using data to evaluate design problems and outcomes.
• Strong communication and cross-disciplinary collaboration skills across Engineering, Analytics, UX, Product, and Production.

Nice to Have

• Experience with seasonal resets, placement systems, rank decay, promotion systems, or competitive reward structures.
• Experience with anti-smurfing, boosting prevention, competitive integrity, or alternate competitive formats.
• Familiarity with esports ecosystems and connecting professional competition with broader player systems.
• Deep familiarity with Apex Legends, its Ranked ecosystem, or large-scale battle royale games.

Pay Transparency - North America

Compensation And Benefits

The ranges listed below are what EA in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in these locations at the time of this posting. If you reside in a different location, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay offered will be determined based on a number of relevant business and candidate factors (e.g. education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, or business needs).

PAY RANGES

• British Columbia (depending on location e.g. Vancouver vs. Victoria) *$114,300 - $156,200 CAD
• California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. San Francisco) *$127,700 - $190,600 USD

Pay is just one part of the overall compensation at EA.

In the US, we offer a package of benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year to start), 80 hours per year of sick time, 16 paid company holidays per year, 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs.

For Canada, we offer a package of benefits including vacation (3 weeks per year to start), 10 days per year of sick time, paid top-up to EI/QPIP benefits up to 100% of base salary when you welcome a new child (12 weeks for maternity, and 4 weeks for parental/adoption leave), extended health/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and other incentive programs.

About Electronic Arts

We’re proud to have an extensive portfolio of games and experiences, locations around the world, and opportunities across EA. We value adaptability, resilience, creativity, and curiosity. From leadership that brings out your potential, to creating space for learning and experimenting, we empower you to do great work and pursue opportunities for growth.

We adopt a holistic approach to our benefits programs, emphasizing physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support a balanced life. Our packages are tailored to meet local needs and may include healthcare coverage, mental well-being support, retirement savings, paid time off, family leaves, complimentary games, and more. We nurture environments where our teams can always bring their best to what they do.

Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.