Combat Game Designer (Remote, Hybrid, or In-Office)

Pipeworks Studios; San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Pipeworks Studios is seeking a Combat Designer to shape the combat experience for a new AAA action-adventure project using Unreal Engine 5. This role emphasizes scripting and collaboration, allowing you to work alongside industry veterans while contributing to dynamic gameplay mechanics and engaging player experiences.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, and Vision

401K with employer match

Generous Paid Time Off

20 Paid Company Holidays

Employee Assistance Program

Fitness Club Discounts

Annual Company Events

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of combat mechanics and player traversal.
• Experience with visual scripting tools like Blueprints.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Block out gameplay spaces emphasizing combat and narrative flow.
• Script gameplay mechanics and events.
• Collaborate with Lead Level Designers to align combat systems.

Skills

Combat encounter design

Gameplay pacing

Scripting gameplay mechanics

Collaboration

Communication

Education

1-3 years of relevant professional game design experience

Tools

Unreal Engine 4 or 5

Blueprints

Perforce

Jira

Job description

Join Pipeworks Studios as a Combat Designer, focused on shaping the combat and gameplay experience for an exciting AAA action-adventure project developed in Unreal Engine 5. In this systems-driven role, you’ll collaborate with the Level Design team to bring dynamic combat encounters, traversal flow, and narrative beats to life.

The ideal Combat Designer is a passionate and adaptable contributor with a strong focus on combat mechanics, encounter flow, and player-driven gameplay systems. While level layout and blockout skills are appreciated, this position emphasizes scripting, tuning, and systems support over pure environment design.

Based in the vibrant tech hub of Eugene, Oregon, with the flexibility of full remote work, this is your opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and contribute directly to a major new IP.

Day to Day

Responsibilities

• Block out and iterate on gameplay spaces that emphasize combat, traversal, and narrative flow within Unreal Engine 5.
• Script gameplay mechanics and events, bringing core traversal and combat interactions to life.
• Own individual gameplay beats, ensuring they deliver satisfying pacing, player engagement, and responsiveness.
• Collaborate closely with Lead Level Designers and cross-disciplinary partners to align combat systems with overall level goals.
• Rapidly prototype and iterate based on team feedback and ongoing playtesting.
• Communicate effectively across disciplines to troubleshoot, refine, and polish gameplay systems.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Must Haves

• Strong understanding of combat encounter design, player traversal, and gameplay pacing.
• Experience scripting gameplay mechanics and interactions (Blueprints or similar visual scripting tools).
• Familiarity with action-adventure or combat-focused gameplay design principles.
• Excellent collaboration, communication, and iteration skills, with an adaptive mindset.
• Experience with Unreal Engine 4 or 5.
• Familiarity with source control tools (e.g., Perforce) and task management systems (e.g., Jira, Confluence).

Nice to Have Skills

• Experience designing AI behavior or basic enemy attack patterns.
• Familiarity with early milestone phases such as first playable or vertical slice.
• Passion for action-adventure, ARPG, or character-driven games.

Education and Experience Required

• 1-3 years of relevant professional game design experience or strong academic / project-based equivalent
• Experience contributing to at least one internal project milestone or commercial game preferred.

Almost all of our roles allow for your choice of work location. We're happy to support our team no matter how they prefer to work : remote, in office, or hybrid.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• 401K with employer match
• Employer Paid Life Insurance Policy
• Generous Paid Time Off
• 20 Paid Company Holidays
• Relocation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fitness Club Discounts
• Sports Team Sponsorship
• Annual Company Events
• Project Wrap Parties

A Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Pipeworks Studios recognizes the importance of creating an environment where all of our employees feel included and empowered to bring ideas to the the table. We value each employee's unique experiences and perspectives and recognize that it is both the smart and right thing to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization.

By diversifying our workforce, increasing equity, and ensuring that our individual differences are valued, we are better able to deliver an experience that reflects, inspires, and connects with our audience... because games are for everyone!

Pipeworks provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.

Go to Pipeworks.com to see some of our continued efforts and our latest Demographic Report.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications in a job description. Our top priority is finding the best candidate for the job and if you are interested in the position, we would encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of the qualifications.

While you may not know us, you certainly know our clients : Microsoft, Sony, Activision, Electronic Arts, and many more. Since 1999, Pipeworks has been helping define what’s next in real-world interactions by creating innovative, best-selling, cross-platform live games for top-tier publishers and properties.

We believe that games have the ability to transform the world outside the realm of traditional consumer games and that our people are the catalyst for making this vision a reality. In the center of our universe lies our people, players, and a deep-rooted passion for games that has created several multi-million dollar best-sellers, compelling original concepts, and a disruptive imagination that continues to explore how games can transform industries outside our own. We are seeking exceptionally talented and entrepreneurial game creators as we lead into the future of digital entertainment.

What products, ideas, dreams, and change will you help us create?