Senior Combat Designer (Encounters)

2K; Novato (CA); On-site; USD 100,200 - 148,320; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(K) plan

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Paid vacation (15 to 25 days annually)

Wellbeing programs

Job summary

2K is seeking a Senior Combat Designer to craft engaging gameplay experiences for BioShock 4. As part of the team, you will script memorable encounters and ensure high standards throughout the development process. The ideal candidate has at least 5 years of experience in the gaming industry, especially on AAA titles. Your team-oriented approach and skills in Unreal Engine will be crucial as you collaborate closely with various disciplines to bring the game's vision to life. Competitive salary and benefits included.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the video game industry.
• Experience on at least one AAA project as a Designer or Senior Designer.
• Deep experience in scripting encounters and developing compelling gameplay.

Responsibilities

• Create and script engaging gameplay encounters.
• Work closely with the Combat Lead, World Lead, and Systems Lead.
• Act as the owner for key encounters.

Skills

Professional experience in the video game industry

Experience on at least one AAA project

Scripting encounters

Expert knowledge of Unreal Engine

Job description

As a Senior Combat Designer at Cloud Chamber, you will be responsible for scripting and shaping unforgettable encounters throughout the world of BioShock 4. You will set the standard for what interactive gameplay moments look and feel like in our game, crafting engaging, high-quality combat encounters and narrative-driven events. You’re a hands‑on creator who thrives in cross‑disciplinary collaboration and has a deep understanding of storytelling, combat, and systems design. In this role, you’ll collaborate with a passionate team to craft engaging gameplay experiences that bring our richly imagined world to life.

What You’ll Do

• Create and script engaging gameplay encounters that highlight the core systems and pacing of the project.
• Work closely with the Combat Lead, World Lead, and Systems Lead to determine the best possible technical and creative approaches for encounter design.
• Act as the owner for key encounters, populating the world with handcrafted moments that surprise and delight players.
• Partner with multi‑disciplinary pods to build and polish encounter content through scripting, layout iteration, and review.
• Drive collaboration with stakeholders across AI, progression, exploration, and narrative to ensure variety and seamless world integration.
• Identify and evangelize best practices for encounter scripting and implementation workflows.
• Deliver work within established project targets and maintain the high quality standards of the company.

What We’ll Do Together

At Cloud Chamber, we are champions of high standards, pushing for progress and embracing change. We will work closely and constructively across design, art, engineering, animation, and audio teams to realize our creative ambitions. Together, we will stay current on technological advancements and identify solutions to overcome developmental obstacles. In this role, you will support the creative vision of the project, ensuring the design intent is translated into a performant reality while taking ownership of complex design challenges.

Skills & Experiences

• A minimum of 5 yearsof professional experience in the video game industry.
• Experience on at least one AAA project as a Designer, or Senior Designer.
• Deep experience scripting encounters and developing compelling moment‑to‑moment gameplay.
• Expert knowledge of Unreal Engine and visual scripting tools.

Who You Are

• A reliable, positive force multiplier, actively seeking opportunities to integrate work across disciplines and contribute to a healthy, supportive team environment.
• A solid communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly, package information for diverse audiences, and deliver difficult feedback with empathy and professionalism.
• Experienced in working in cross‑disciplinary teams with strong communication skills.
• Persistent and self‑motivated with a proactive mindset.
• Able to maintain effectiveness and quality under pressure, ambiguity, and fast‑changing priorities.
• An active listener able to build and maintain trust‑based relationships across all levels of the organization, understand differing perspectives, and navigate organizational complexity with tact and emotional intelligence.
• Highly open to feedback and direction, possessing a desire to learn new skills, and capable of producing quick, quality revisions based on new insights or constraints.
• A strong ownership of tasks, striving to drive work forward autonomously while maintaining a critical eye for detail and organization, ensuring high standards of quality.
• Dedicated to upholding Cloud Chamber's core values, contributing to a positive and respectful company culture while striving for excellence in all endeavors.

The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $100,200 and $148,320 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job‑related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program. Regular, full‑time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company's discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness‑related expenses.

For candidates located in Quebec

• Proficiency in French is required.
• Proficiency in English is required to effectively collaborate with teams based in the United States.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform their essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need reasonable accommodation.