Open-World Level Designer — Remote/Hybrid (UE5)

Pipeworks, Inc.; Eugene (OR); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision

401K with employer match

Employer Paid Life Insurance Policy

Generous Paid Time Off

18-20 Paid Company Holidays

Relocation

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Assistance Program

Fitness Club Discounts

Sports Team Sponsorship

Annual Company Events

Project Wrap Parties

Job summary

Pipeworks Studios is seeking a Level Designer I or II, commensurate with experience, to develop open-world content for a high-profile AAA title. You will design, build, and iterate on locations and points of interest that combine exploration, traversal, encounters, puzzles, and environmental storytelling.

This full-time temporary role offers potential extension or conversion to regular full-time; remote, hybrid, or on-site work in Eugene, OR is possible.

Qualifications

• Design and implement gameplay spaces in Unreal Engine 5 or a comparable engine.
• Prototype with Blueprint to implement level gameplay.
• Understand level design fundamentals: space, navigation, pacing, readability, guidance.
• Create encounters, puzzles, activities in open-world spaces.
• Work with AI behaviors, scripted events, triggers, and environmental content.
• Strong problem-solving within technical, production, and scope constraints.
• Clear written and verbal communication across disciplines and partners.
• Familiar with Perforce, Jira, and Confluence or equivalent tools.
• Strong organization and attention to detail in a fast-paced, distributed environment.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with level design leadership to define goals, intended player experience, and quality bar for content.
• Design, block out, implement, and iterate open-world locations in Unreal Engine 5.
• Create readable gameplay spaces that support exploration, traversal, encounters, puzzles, pacing, and storytelling.
• Use Blueprint and project-specific tools to implement objectives, triggers, encounter logic, scripted behaviors, and state changes.
• Place, configure, and tune enemies, NPCs, gameplay objects, and environmental elements.
• Collaborate with design, engineering, art, production, QA, and partners to communicate design intent and incorporate feedback.
• Participate in playtests and design reviews, identify flow issues, and iterate based on findings.
• Create and maintain clear documentation, layout callouts, encounter notes, task updates, and acceptance criteria.
• Maintain organized content, naming conventions, source control practices, and general level hygiene.
• Identify risks, blockers, and dependencies early, and adapt as priorities or direction change.

Skills

Unreal Engine 5

Blueprint scripting

Level design fundamentals

Encounters & puzzles

AI behaviors & triggers

Creative problem solving

Cross-disciplinary communication

Version control tools

Organization & attention to detail

Tools

Unreal Engine 5

Perforce

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Pipeworks Studios is seeking a Level Designer I or II, commensurate with experience, to develop open-world content for a high-profile AAA title. You will design, build, and iterate on locations and points of interest that combine exploration, traversal, encounters, puzzles, and environmental storytelling.

This full-time temporary role offers potential extension or conversion to regular full-time; remote, hybrid, or on-site work in Eugene, OR is possible.