Lead UX Designer

Turtle Rock Studios; Lake Forest (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Retirement match

Career development

Flexible work

Time off

Events

Kitchen + food trucks

Job summary

Turtle Rock Studios in Orange County, CA, is seeking a hands-on Lead UX Designer to shape the player experience for our PC and console title. Working with the UI/UX Director, you will mentor the UX team, prototype in Unreal Engine 5 using UMG and Blueprints, and drive UX from concept through launch with a focus on accessibility and player-friendly interactions.

Strong collaboration and leadership are essential.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in UX design for AAA games, with 2+ years in a lead role.
• Hands-on UE5 production experience prototyping in-engine with UMG/Blueprints.
• Deep PC/console UX understanding incl. accessibility.
• Proficient with Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar.
• Portfolio with shipped UX and interactive prototyping.
• Strong collaboration and leadership across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Define UX vision with UI/UX Director and maintain coherence across features.
• Prototype in-engine using UE5, UMG, and Blueprints to validate interactions.
• Develop wireframes, user flows, and prototypes aligning with game mechanics.
• Lead UX efforts across HUDs, menus, control schemes, gameplay flows.
• Collaborate with designers, engineers, artists, and producers to integrate UX.
• Set accessibility/usability standards; run tests and iterate from feedback.
• Scope and estimate UX work, balance fidelity with functionality.
• Mentor and prioritize for the UX team.

Skills

UX leadership

UE5 prototyping

UI/UX design

Figma proficiency

Communication

Collaboration

Accessibility design

Tools

Unreal Engine 5

UMG

Blueprints

Figma

Adobe Creative Suite

Data binding

Input mapping

Job description

At Turtle Rock, we make the games we want to play. We're dedicated to providing a collaborative environment where our team members feel empowered with the creative freedom to contribute and grow. While we are based in Orange County, CA, we support flexible work arrangements ranging from in-studio, hybrid, to fully remote throughout North America. Join our award-winning game development team and help create our next hit title.

We're looking for a hands-on Lead UX Designer to help define the player experience for our upcoming PC and console game. Working with the UI/UX Director, you'll shape the vision for HUD, menus, and in-game navigation. You’ll lead and mentor the UX team, while staying actively involved in design and prototyping directly in Unreal Engine 5. You’ll turn complex gameplay challenges into clear, compelling experiences, rapidly validate ideas in-engine and help deliver high quality UX from concept through launch.

Responsibilities

• UX vision and direction: Help shape and carry out the UX vision set with the UI/UX Director and keep the experience coherent across features.
• In-engine implementation: Create functional interactive prototypes directly in UE5 using UMG and Blueprints to validate interactions and iterate quickly.
• Design and prototyping: Develop wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes that align with game mechanics and player needs.
• Interaction and design system: Lead UX design efforts across HUDs, menus, control schemes, and gameplay flows from concept to implementation. Contribute to creating a scalable design system.
• Collaboration: Partner with game designers, engineers, UI artists, UI tech art and producers to integrate UX into features and systems, translate validated designs into production ready experiences, and represent UX in planning discussions.
• Accessibility and research: Set the standard for accessible design, usability, readability and controller interactions, run user testing, and perform competitive analysis, turning player feedback into clear priorities. Playtest with both the studio and design team to review and iterate on UX in-game.
• Production awareness: Scope and estimate UX work and break experiences down to ship value incrementally, making smart trade-offs between fidelity and functionality.
• Team leadership: Mentor and support UX designers and guide day-to-day priorities.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in UX design for AAA games, ideally shooter titles, with at least 2 years in a lead role guiding other designers.
• Hands-on UE5 experience in a professional production environment, with the proven ability to prototype and iterate independently in-engine using UMG and Blueprints. Working knowledge of Common UI, data binding, and input mapping.
• Deep understanding of PC and console UX, controller navigation, mouse/keyboard interactions and accessibility.
• Proficient in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar prototyping tools.
• A portfolio showcasing outstanding UX solutions, shipped game interfaces and examples of hands-on interactive prototyping.
• Exceptional UX design skills, including interaction design, information architecture, visual hierarchy, usability and player centered design.
• Experience leading designers, with the ability to drive UX decisions in your area and align with the UI/UX Director on direction.
• Ability to scope, estimate, prototype and iterate efficiently within a fast paced production environment.
• Solid communication and collaboration skills across disciplines in a fast-paced, iterative environment, with a passion for games and awareness of emerging UX trends.

Benefits

Some of the benefits and perks our employees get to enjoy, include:

• 100% Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage for you and your family
• Retirement Savings Plan Matching
• Career Improvement Plan
• Flexible Work Arrangements - In-House, Hybrid, and Remote
• Generous Time Off Policy
• Company Events - In-Person + Virtual Events
• Fully Stocked Kitchen + Sponsored Food Trucks

The estimated base pay range for this role is: $140,000-$195,000 USD

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.