Lead Combat Designer — Design & Lead Core Combat Systems

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

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.