Lead Combat Designer

Epic Games (Portuguese); Cary (NC); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium medical/dental/vision

401(k) with match

Mental health program

Unlimited PTO

Sabbatical after 7 years

Paid company breaks

Job summary

Epic Games in Cary, North Carolina, seeks a Lead Combat Designer to oversee combat systems and mechanics, collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams to design, develop, and implement engaging combat experiences.

You will mentor a small design team, prototype and tune mechanics through playtesting and data analysis, and communicate goals and progress to stakeholders while delivering a strong foundation for moment-to-moment gameplay.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional game design experience with a focus on combat systems and gameplay mechanics (melee and ranged).
• 3+ years in a senior or lead design role with team leadership and mentorship.
• Experience shipping a game where combat design was a core pillar.
• Deep understanding of combat design fundamentals: responsiveness, readability, balance, enemy design, cooperative play, and player feedback.

Responsibilities

• Lead the vision, design, and implementation of core combat systems, including player abilities, weapons, enemies, encounters, and combat pacing.
• Manage and mentor a small team of combat and systems designers, providing clear direction and feedback.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Art, Animation, Audio, UX, Narrative, and Production to ensure cohesive combat systems.
• Create and maintain clear design documentation for combat rules, systems, and tuning.
• Prototype, iterate, and refine combat mechanics through playtesting and data analysis.

Skills

Combat design

Leadership

Unreal Engine

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Gameplay tuning

Playtesting & data analysis

Tools

Unreal Engine

Job description

What You'll Do

Epic is looking for a Lead Combat Designer to oversee the development of combat systems and mechanics in collaboration with internal stakeholders. In this role, you will work with multidisciplinary teams to design, develop, and implement combat mechanics while leading a small design team, delivering a strong foundation for moment-to-moment gameplay and contributing across various aspects of game design for our collaboration with Disney.

In this role, you will

• Lead the vision, design, and implementation of core combat systems, including player abilities, weapons, enemies, encounters, and combat pacing
• Manage and mentor a small team of combat and systems designers, providing clear direction, feedback, and support
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Art, Animation, Audio, UX, Narrative, and Production to ensure combat systems are cohesive, expressive, and polished
• Create and maintain clear, concise design documentation that communicates combat rules, systems, and tuning to cross‑disciplinary teams
• Prototype, iterate, and refine combat mechanics through playtesting, data analysis, and player feedback
• Identify and solve complex combat design problems, balancing creativity, technical constraints, and production realities
• Communicate combat goals, progress, and trade‑offs effectively to project leadership and stakeholders

What We're Looking For

• 7+ years of professional game design experience, with a strong focus on combat systems and gameplay mechanics (including melee and ranged combat)
• 3+ years of experience in a senior or lead design role, with demonstrated team leadership and mentorship
• Experience shipping at least one game where combat design was a core gameplay pillar
• Deep understanding of combat design fundamentals such as responsiveness, readability, balance, enemy design, cooperative play, and player feedback
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with experience working across multiple disciplines
• Ability to think strategically at a high level while remaining hands‑on with systems design and tuning
• Experience working with Unreal Engine or similar modern game engines

EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE

Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance, and a 401(k) with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well‑being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees and dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company‑wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer.