Senior Level Design Lead - Maps, Innovation, Open PTO

Riot Games; California; On-site; USD 167,000 - 233,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401K with company match

Open PTO

Incentive compensation

Equity

Job summary

Riot Games seeks an experienced Level Design Lead to shape VALORANT's maps, leading a small team while staying deeply connected to the craft. You will guide design decisions, ship updates, and reworks to a live, competitive game, balancing player value with development costs.

You will report to the Director, Game Design and collaborate with design, art, and production leadership to ensure maps deliver tactical depth and a compelling player experience for millions worldwide.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a Level Design role with ownership of large projects
• 1+ years of people management and mentorship
• Experience implementing systemic changes to a design team's process
• Experience leading cross‑discipline teams to meet design goals
• Ability to communicate complex and nuanced designs simply
• Leadership in providing constructive feedback and resolving conflicts

Responsibilities

• Set and evolve the design vision for VALORANT maps, upholding tactical DNA while pushing the genre forward
• Lead live map updates and major reworks across maps like Breeze
• Drive innovation on new maps while protecting competitive integrity
• Mentor and grow a team of level designers through hands‑on feedback and coaching
• Collaborate with Map Art, Lighting, and Production to balance gameplay clarity with visuals
• Guide projects from concept to final release within cooldowns and budgets
• Influence senior leadership on product direction and priorities for maps and gameplay
• Anticipate player needs across platforms and diverse audiences
• Champion player empathy through data and user feedback to evolve maps

Skills

Level design

People management

Leadership

Cross‑discipline collaboration

Clear communication

Mentorship

Feedback & coaching

Job description

Riot Games seeks an experienced Level Design Lead to shape VALORANT's maps, leading a small team while staying deeply connected to the craft. You will guide design decisions, ship updates, and reworks to a live, competitive game, balancing player value with development costs.

You will report to the Director, Game Design and collaborate with design, art, and production leadership to ensure maps deliver tactical depth and a compelling player experience for millions worldwide.