Senior Gameplay Designer

Lightspeed Studios; Italia; On-site; EUR 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Protection: Medical, life, and disability insurance

Retirement Support: Participation in company’s pension plans

Leave & Time Off: Annual and sick leave

Wellbeing & Lifestyle: Support for physical and mental health

Job summary

Lightspeed Studios is seeking an experienced gameplay designer to establish core gameplay for a third person AAA open-world action game. The role involves working closely with the Design Director and the creative team to create engaging gameplay experiences.

The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of experience and a strong background in Unreal Engine. The position offers an exciting opportunity to shape the gameplay vision and potentially lead teams as they grow.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years of proven experience as a third person gameplay designer.
• Shipped at least one AAA game as a gameplay designer from inception to finish.
• Fluent Unreal engine experience, including blueprints and animation montages.

Responsibilities

• Design and create gameplay features, systems, and mechanics for a AAA open world game.
• Prototype and iterate within all areas of character, controls, and camera.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to create engaging gameplay.

Skills

Gameplay design

Unreal Engine

Critical thinking

Team collaboration

Tools

Confluence

Jira

Scripting languages (Lua, Verse)

Job description

Overview

We are looking for an experienced and technically skilled gameplay designer to help establish and implement the core gameplay experience of a third person AAA open world action game. Combining both single and multiplayer, this is a hands‑on role that utilizes a combination of Unreal 5 and proprietary technology. Working closely with the Design Director and creative team, you will be the principal gameplay point of contact through pre‑production. As the team size grows, there will be leadership opportunities if desired.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and create gameplay features, systems, and mechanics for a AAA open world game.
• Prototype and iterate within all areas of character, controls, and camera, including melee and ranged combat.
• Implement, fine‑tune, and refine deep game systems that are rewarding, easy to understand, and easy to use.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to create memorable and engaging gameplay that aligns with the creative and holistic direction of the game.
• Design, develop, and playtest gameplay tools and processes alongside the technical and animation team.
• Work alongside and efficiently communicate with external co‑development teams.

Who We Look For

• Minimum 5+ years of proven experience as a third person gameplay designer.
• Shipped at least one AAA game as a gameplay designer from inception to finish.
• Fluent Unreal engine experience, including blueprints and animation montages.
• Take a holistic approach to design rules and experiences with input and consideration from a multi‑faceted team of contributors, including Tech, Design, UX, Art, etc.
• The ability and desire to work in an extremely creative and collaborative environment.
• Adapt to technical and production constraints and be willing to iterate on your designs as often as needed throughout production.
• Critical thinking, open‑mindedness, resourcefulness, and flexibility.
• Combine passion, skill, and expertise to continually raise the design bar.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of scripting languages (Lua, Verse).
• Experience designing and tuning both single and multiplayer gameplay.
• Experience using Confluence and Jira.
• Analytical skills for evaluating systems and interpreting player behavior.
• Possess an extensive knowledge of competing products and a deep understanding of the complex interdependencies of open world game systems.

Location: Italy

The expected base pay range for this position in the location(s) listed above is € to € per year. Actual pay may vary depending on job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. Employees hired for this position may be eligible for a sign‑on payment, relocation package, variable payment, and restricted stock units, which will be evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis.

Benefits

• Health & Protection: Medical, life, and disability insurance coverage, subject to local eligibility and plan availability, to support employees and their families against health‑related risks.
• Retirement Support: Participation in the company’s pension plans, where applicable, as part of long‑term financial planning.
• Leave & Time Off: Leave entitlements are provided in accordance with local legislation and company policy. This includes annual leave, sick leave, and parental leave (maternity, paternity, and related leave), volunteer leave or long‑service leave, etc. In some locations, employees may also be eligible for additional company‑provided leave or leave‑related benefits, depending on local practice and eligibility rules which may be subject to applicable local laws at all times.
• Wellbeing & Lifestyle: Support for physical and mental health, which may include gym support, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), commuting and working meal benefits, and tax‑efficient programs (such as bike leasing) based on local practices. Specific benefit offerings may vary depending on work location, employment status, position level, and length of service with the company, and are subject to local policies and eligibility criteria which may be amended at the absolute discretion of the company at all times.

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