Senior Game Design Director

Electronic Arts; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading gaming company as a Design Director, where you'll drive creative vision and culture for mobile games. Collaborate with elite teams to create engaging player experiences. Your leadership will shape innovative gameplay and team dynamics in a vibrant environment.

Benefits

Paid time off

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

401(k)

Parental leave

Qualifications

• Over 5 years in a design leadership role in live service games.
• Experience leading prototype and mobile free-to-play live service teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead mobile prototyping team in developing playable prototypes.
• Collaborate with Game Director to define design vision.
• Oversee and nurture design team focusing on recruitment and mentorship.

Skills

Leadership

Collaboration

Data-focused design

Systems design

Prototyping

Gameplay tuning

Consensus building

Game mechanics

Tools

Unity

Job description

Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans worldwide. Here, everyone is part of the story, a community connecting across the globe, where creativity thrives and ideas matter. Everyone makes play happen.

Welcome to EA Mobile, home to developers working on iconic franchises such as Plants vs. Zombies, Design Home, Star Wars, Sim City, Golf Clash, Pogo, and more. We value creativity, continuous learning, data-driven decision-making, and strong product knowledge. We seek passionate individuals who thrive in a growth-oriented environment and are committed to collaborating in dynamic teams to deliver compelling experiences to millions of players worldwide.

About the Role:

As a Design Director, you'll be a pivotal leader, driving both the creative vision and the cultural tone of our project. Your mission is to create compelling player experiences while fostering a vibrant and innovative work environment.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Leadership and Culture: Lead and direct the mobile prototyping team in developing playable prototypes. Drive a culture centered on player enjoyment and business success.
2. Vision and Strategy: Collaborate with the Game Director to define and promote the design vision for our new mobile game, guiding it from concept to live operations.
3. Team Collaboration: Partner with an elite game team to develop engaging and lasting play experiences.
4. Design Team Management: Oversee and nurture the design team, focusing on recruitment, mentorship, and empowerment, with an emphasis on development and career growth.
5. Cultural Direction: Shape the values and direction of the game design discipline.
6. Feature Simplification: Convert complex ideas into streamlined features that enhance player experiences.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Proven experience in mobile shooter prototyping.
• Hands-on experience tuning and tweaking gameplay and features in-engine (Unity experience a plus).
• Strong growth mindset with a passion for deep, social games.
• Data-focused and iterative design approach.
• Adept at simplifying complex visions into refined feature sets.
• Skilled in building consensus and motivating teams.
• Expertise in systems design with an emphasis on interactive game systems.
• Extensive in-engine design implementation experience.
• Passionate about gaming across various genres.
• Over 5 years in a design leadership role in live service games.
• Experience leading prototype and mobile free-to-play live service teams.
• Knowledge of intellectual property processes.
• Skilled in gunplay mechanics, systems design economy, and design tools.

Compensation and Benefits

The pay ranges listed below are what EA expects to pay for this role in these locations at the time of posting. If you reside elsewhere, a recruiter will advise on the applicable range and benefits. Pay will be determined based on relevant factors such as education, experience, skills, location, and business needs.

• California: $170,500 - $259,300 USD (depending on location e.g., Los Angeles vs. Sacramento)
• Washington: $167,300 - $238,500 USD (depending on location e.g., Seattle vs. Spokane)

In the US, we offer benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year), sick leave, holidays, parental leave, health insurance, life and disability insurance, and 401(k). Some roles may also be eligible for bonuses and equity.

About Electronic Arts

We have an extensive portfolio of games and experiences worldwide. We value adaptability, resilience, creativity, and curiosity. We foster environments that promote learning, experimentation, and growth.

Our benefits are holistic, supporting physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness, tailored to local needs, and may include healthcare, mental health support, retirement plans, paid leave, family leave, and more. We are committed to an inclusive workplace where all can bring their best.

Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or other protected characteristics. We consider qualified applicants with criminal records and provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities as required by law.