Senior Competitive Systems Designer — Apex Legends

Respawn Entertainment; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 128,000 - 191,000; Full time

Job summary

Respawn Entertainment in Los Angeles is seeking a Senior Systems Designer – Competitive Systems to shape how players compete in Apex Legends. You will design and own major competitive systems, including ranked progression, matchmaking-related features, and competitive rewards.

Collaborate with Matchmaking, Analytics, Anti-Cheat, Esports, UX, and Engineering to ensure competitive integrity, balance, and engaging long-term gameplay.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional game design experience owning progression, scoring, competitive structures, or live-service features.
• Experience designing Ranked modes, rating systems, ladders, tournaments, and other competitive systems.
• Familiarity with MMR, skill-rating systems, matchmaking constraints, and competitive matchmaking concepts.
• Proven track record of taking features from concept through implementation, scripting, technical prototyping, tuning, launch, and live iteration.
• Strong implementation skills including text scripting and ability to create prototypes using in-house tools and platform.
• Deep understanding of complex multiplayer systems, live-service needs, and player motivations, with the ability to reason about skill, progression, incentives, fairness, and player perception.
• Strong analytical skills and comfort using data to evaluate design problems and outcomes.
• Strong communication and cross-disciplinary collaboration skills across Engineering, Analytics, UX, Product, and Production.

Responsibilities

• Design and own major competitive systems for Apex Legends, including ranked progression and competitive rewards.
• Develop new competitive formats, limited-time modes, and structured competition beyond Ranked.
• Define competitive goals, rules, progression, eligibility, and recognition to motivate players across all skill levels.
• Partner with Matchmaking, Analytics, Anti-Cheat, and Esports to ensure match quality and integrity, and connect in-game structures to ALGS and professional pathways.
• Balance competitive accuracy with queue times, accessibility, social play, and long-term engagement.
• Use telemetry, feedback, and live-service learnings to define metrics, evaluate outcomes, and iterate on features.
• Collaborate across UX, Matchmaking, Analytics, Anti-Cheat, Engineering, Esports, and Community teams to align on design intent and outcomes.
• Prototype, implement, tune, and support features throughout development and live service operations.

Skills

Game design

Ranked modes

MMR concepts

Live-service

Scripting

Data-driven design

Cross-functional collaboration

Multiplayer systems

Job description

Respawn Entertainment in Los Angeles is seeking a Senior Systems Designer – Competitive Systems to shape how players compete in Apex Legends. You will design and own major competitive systems, including ranked progression, matchmaking-related features, and competitive rewards.

Collaborate with Matchmaking, Analytics, Anti-Cheat, Esports, UX, and Engineering to ensure competitive integrity, balance, and engaging long-term gameplay.