Senior Game Designer

Epic Games; Cary (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Vision & Dental

401(k) with match

Unlimited PTO

Paid sabbatical

Job summary

Epic Games is seeking a Senior Game Designer to own key gameplay features and drive design from concept to ship. You will work hands-on in Unreal Engine using Blueprint, collaborating with engineering, art, animation, VFX, audio, and other teams to deliver compelling player experiences.

You will help shape features, prototype rapidly, and leverage playtests and data to refine gameplay. A strong emphasis on player motivation, cross-disciplinary teamwork, and delivering high-quality results is

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional game design experience.
• Proven ownership of complex features from concept through release.
• Hands-on Unreal Engine experience with Blueprint scripting.

Responsibilities

• Own major features from concept through launch with clear vision and plan.
• Implement designs in Blueprint within Unreal Engine, coordinating with engineering, art, and audio.
• Shape the big-picture vision by evaluating trade-offs and prioritizing features for value to players.
• Lead rapid prototyping and iteration using pitches, paper concepts, and in-engine prototypes.
• Champion the player experience by aligning goals and gameplay loops with player motivations.
• Participate in playtests and design reviews; synthesize feedback and data into actionable improvements.
• Collaborate across disciplines to maintain a high-quality player experience and alignment.

Skills

Feature ownership

Unreal Engine

Blueprint scripting

Live-Ops / GaaS

Multiplayer design

Player empathy

Design judgment

Tools

Unreal Engine

Job description

WHAT MAKES US EPIC?

At the core of Epic’s success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it’s building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we’re always innovating.

Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We’re constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.

DESIGN

What We Do

Put your design skills to work at a cutting-edge company that challenges the norm. From character and level design to competitive gameplay and system design, help shape the future of interactive entertainment at Epic.

What You’ll Do

You will collaborate with cross-disciplinary development teams to design, prototype, implement, and ship key features that expand the Fortnite universe. As a Senior Game Designer, you’ll own complex areas of the game, exercise strong creative judgment, and help guide features from initial vision through polished player-facing experiences.

In this role, you will

• Own Major Features: Drive the design and development of significant gameplay features and systems from concept through launch, establishing a clear vision, documentation, implementation plan, and path to a high-quality player experience.
• Implement in Blueprint: Work hands-on in Unreal Engine to prototype and implement designs using Blueprint scripting, partnering closely with engineering, animation, VFX, audio, art, and other disciplines to bring features to life.
• Shape the Big-Picture Vision: Contribute to broader product and gameplay decisions by identifying opportunities, evaluating trade-offs, and helping the team prioritize features that deliver meaningful value to players.
• Drive Prototyping & Iteration: Lead rapid prototyping and iteration loops, using everything from early design pitches and paper concepts to playable in-engine prototypes to validate ideas and solve complex design problems.
• Champion the Player Experience: Apply a deep understanding of player motivations and behaviors to create compelling goals, gameplay loops, and experiences that keep players engaged over time.
• Leverage Playtests & Data: Regularly participate in playtests and design reviews, synthesizing feedback, player insights, and gameplay data into actionable imp
• Partner Across Disciplines: Communicate design intent clearly and build alignment across teams, proactively identifying dependencies, risks, and opportunities throughout development. Raise the Design Bar: Provide thoughtful feedback and design guidance to other team members, helping strengthen features and maintain a high-quality bar across the player experience.

What we’re looking for

• Experience: 5+ years of professional game design experience, with a track record of designing and shipping high-quality gameplay features or systems.
• Feature Ownership: Demonstrated experience independently owning complex features from early concept and prototyping through implementation, iteration, polish, and release.
• Unreal Engine Expertise: Strong hands‑on experience working in Unreal Engine, including Blueprint scripting and implementing gameplay directly in-engine.
• Live‑Ops Domain Knowledge: Experience designing content, features, or systems for Games-as-a-Service (GaaS), live-service games, or highly active online multiplayer ecosystems.
• Multiplayer & Genre Expertise: Strong understanding of multiplayer game design and a passion for Battle Royale and other large-scale multiplayer experiences.
• Player Empathy: A strong ability to understand player motivations, behaviors, and different forms of play, and to translate these insights into compelling gameplay experiences.
• Design Judgment: Proven ability to evaluate ideas, navigate ambiguity, and make thoughtful decisions.

EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE

Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company-wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.

ABOUT US

Epic Games is a leading interactive entertainment company. For over 30 years we’ve been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic’s award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world‑class talent.

Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!

Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.

Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here.