Generalist Designer-Expression of Interest

Rippling, Inc.; Auckland; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Blind Squirrel Games in Auckland, New Zealand, seeks a Generalist Designer to help shape engaging player experiences across ports, co-development, and full game development. You will work within a collaborative, multidisciplinary team on gameplay mechanics, level design, UI/UX, combat, and narrative design, adapting to project needs.

Reporting to the Lead Designer, you translate ideas into practical designs, prototype, implement, and refine through playtesting.

Qualifications

• Three+ years in game design or related field.
• Portfolio showing design work in interactive media.
• Ability to prototype and iterate on design concepts within a collaborative production environment.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Experience guiding other designers is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Participate in feature planning meetings and contribute to design discussions.
• Design, prototype, and implement gameplay mechanics, levels, UI/UX elements, combat systems, and narrative components.
• Collaborate with artists, engineers, and other designers to create a cohesive and engaging player experience.
• Develop design solutions that account for project goals, technical constraints, and production timelines.
• Gather and evaluate feedback from playtesting and other sources to inform design decisions.
• Iterate on designs to improve usability, pacing, balance, and player engagement.
• Design and balance gameplay systems to support a fun and fair player experience.
• Create and maintain comprehensive design documentation, including specifications, flowcharts, diagrams, and storyboards.
• Communicate design ideas and rationale clearly to stakeholders.
• Take ownership of assigned work and communicate progress, dependencies, and risks to the Lead Designer.
• Help resolve design and implementation challenges across disciplines.
• Contribute to feature direction, provide constructive feedback, and share knowledge as appropriate to your experience.
• Stay informed about industry trends and incorporate relevant best practices.

Skills

Gameplay design

Level design

UI/UX design

Narrative design

Prototyping

Unreal Engine

Unity

Collaboration

Tools

Unreal Engine

Unity

C#

Python

Lua

Job description

Generalist Designer-Expression of Interest

At Blind Squirrel Games (BSG), creating exceptional games is just the start. As a proud, independent studio, we collaborate with developers and publishers who value innovation and excellence, serving as a trusted partner in bringing high-quality games to life. Our work includes ports, co-development, and full game development, each with its own creative and technical demands.

With studios in Irvine, California; Austin, Texas; Auckland, New Zealand; and Manizales, Colombia, we bring together global talent to build outstanding games. Guided by the Blind Squirrel Way, the standard for how we work, our teams operate with ownership, accountability, and collaboration.

People are central to our success. We prioritize an inquisitive, proactive, and collaborative environment where individuals can make meaningful contributions. We value skills and experience while recognizing that talent develops through hard work, resilience, and a commitment to growth. We welcome diverse perspectives and believe inclusion strengthens our teams, our ideas, and our work.

About the Opportunity

Generalist Designers play a vital role in shaping engaging player experiences and bringing ambitious games to life. Our work spans ports, co-development, and full game development, each with their own challenges. If your experience aligns with this work, we welcome your interest in potential upcoming opportunities.

Supported by the Lead Designer and other talented developers, you will work within a collaborative, multidisciplinary team to deliver comprehensive design solutions. Your work may span gameplay mechanics, level design, UI/UX, combat, and narrative design, depending on project needs and your expertise.

The scope of feature ownership, design decision-making, and team guidance will reflect your experience and demonstrated capabilities. These opportunities are for full-time positions based in Auckland, New Zealand, with a fully onsite requirement at our studio.

You understand the design pipeline and bring a versatile skillset developed through hands-on game development. You consider how mechanics, systems, environments, and content work together to create a cohesive and engaging player experience.

You can translate ideas into practical designs, communicate their purpose, and refine them through prototyping, implementation, and playtesting. You balance creative ambition with technical constraints and production priorities.

You are collaborative, open-minded, and receptive to direction and feedback. You ask thoughtful questions, work autonomously when appropriate, and take ownership of your contributions. As your experience allows, you also guide design decisions, support colleagues, and help resolve broader design challenges.

Responsibilities

• Participate in feature planning meetings and contribute to design discussions.
• Design, prototype, and implement gameplay mechanics, levels, UI/UX elements, combat systems, and narrative components.
• Collaborate with artists, engineers, and other designers to create a cohesive and engaging player experience.
• Develop design solutions that account for project goals, technical constraints, and production timelines.
• Gather and evaluate feedback from playtesting and other sources to inform design decisions.
• Iterate on designs to improve usability, pacing, balance, and player engagement.
• Design and balance gameplay systems to support a fun and fair player experience.
• Create and maintain comprehensive design documentation, including specifications, flowcharts, diagrams, and storyboards.
• Communicate design ideas and rationale clearly to stakeholders.
• Take ownership of assigned work and communicate progress, dependencies, and risks to the Lead Designer.
• Help resolve design and implementation challenges across disciplines.
• Contribute to feature direction, provide constructive feedback, and share knowledge as appropriate to your experience.
• Stay informed about industry trends and incorporate relevant best practices.
• Perform other relevant duties and responsibilities that support company, department, and project objectives.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• A minimum of three years of experience in the game industry or a related area; five or more years is expected for candidates considered for more senior-level responsibilities.
• A portfolio demonstrating strong design experience in interactive media, with the depth and complexity of work reflecting your experience.
• Ability to develop, document, prototype, implement, and iterate on design concepts within a collaborative production environment.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Greater ownership of complex features, independent design judgment, and the ability to guide and support other designers are expected for more senior-level responsibilities.

Preferred Skills

• Strong understanding of how different design disciplines contribute to the overall player experience.
• Prototyping experience using Unreal Engine, Unity, or similar tools.
• Experience designing and balancing gameplay systems.
• Familiarity with scripting or programming languages such as C#, Python, or Lua.
• Ability to deliver clear, detailed, and practical design documentation.
• Proficiency with relevant design tools and software.
• Experience using player feedback and data to evaluate and improve designs.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver polished, cohesive designs across multiple disciplines.
• Experience developing content for triple AAA titles

Blind Squirrel Entertainment, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Eligibility for benefits and perks may vary based on position, employment status, and location.

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