Senior Level Designer - Raven - Middleton, WI

ACTIVISION PUBLISHING, INC.; Town of Middleton (WI); On-site; USD 82,000 - 152,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Job summary

Activision Publishing, Inc. in Middleton, WI seeks a Senior Level Designer for Raven to own major portions of campaign mission development from concept through ship. You will design, script, and iterate on single-player levels, collaborating with leaders and cross-disciplinary teams to deliver world-class experiences.

The role emphasizes strong pacing, narrative integration, and mentorship within an iterative development environment. Onsite work four days per week in Middleton, WI.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in single-player level design or gameplay design with AAA titles shipped.
• 3+ AAA titles shipped, with 2 in level design and FPS experience.

Responsibilities

• Design and iterate on engaging single-player campaign levels from concept to polish.
• Implement mission gameplay using scripting and design tools; prototype encounters and mechanics.
• Collaborate across disciplines to ensure alignment with creative vision and quality standards.
• Produce clear design documentation and communicate ideas effectively across teams.
• Playtest and polish missions, identifying gameplay pacing and readability improvements.

Skills

Level design

Gameplay scripting

Collaboration

Communication

Mentoring

Tools

Blueprint scripting

Job description

Job Title: Senior Level Designer - Raven - Middleton, WI

Requisition ID: R028087

Job Description: Your Mission Your mission is to design, build, and polish exceptional single-player campaign experiences for Call of Duty, delivering memorable gameplay moments to millions of players worldwide. Working closely with the Lead Mission Designer and a cross-disciplinary development team, you will create immersive missions that seamlessly blend combat, narrative, pacing, and player agency into world-class gameplay experiences. As a Senior Single Player Level Designer, you will own major portions of campaign mission development from concept through ship. You'll collaborate across disciplines to build levels, prototype encounters, script gameplay, iterate through playtesting, and ensure every mission delivers on its creative vision and player experience. Your work will help establish the quality bar for campaign design while mentoring teammates through collaboration, feedback, and leading by example. The ideal candidate is an experienced designer with a passion for crafting compelling levels featuring engaging gameplay, strong pacing, and immersive cinematic storytelling. They thrive in an iterative development environment, embrace feedback, and are driven to continually elevate the quality of every mission.

This role is based in our Middleton, WI office and follows an onsite work schedule of four days per week. Work arrangements may change at the company's discretion to meet business needs.

What You Bring to the Table…

The video game industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners. Therefore, this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Level Design Execution Design, build, and iterate on engaging single-player campaign levels from concept through final polish. Build compelling gameplay spaces that support combat, traversal, exploration, narrative, and cinematic moments with minimal feedback required. Design encounters that deliver varied pacing, challenge, and player choice while supporting the overall mission experience. Collaborate with leadership to ensure missions align with the creative vision, gameplay goals, and quality expectations.
• Gameplay Scripting & Implementation Implement mission gameplay using proprietary scripting and design tools. Prototype gameplay scenarios, encounters, and mechanics to evaluate player experience. Iterate rapidly based on internal playtests, usability feedback, and design reviews. Troubleshoot implementation issues and work collaboratively to identify creative solutions.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration Partner closely with Mission Designers, Artists, Narrative, Engineers, Animators, Audio, and Production throughout development. Clearly communicate design intent while incorporating feedback from internal teams and external partners. Participate in regular mission reviews, playtests, and design discussions to continually improve campaign quality. Help establish and maintain strong collaboration across multiple development disciplines.
• Documentation & Communication Produce clear and concise design documentation including mission powerpoint decks, encounter briefs, scripting documentation, and implementation notes. Effectively communicate ideas using presentations, diagrams, whiteboards, and visual references. Maintain organized documentation that supports implementation and cross-team collaboration.
• Quality & Polish Playtest missions throughout development, identifying opportunities to improve gameplay, pacing, readability, and player experience. Work with QA and development partners to identify, prioritize, and resolve mission issues. A strong drive for quality gameplay, technical performance, and player immersion. Champion a player-first mindset throughout development.

Minimum Requirements

• Experience 5+ years of professional game development experience as a Single Player Level Designer or Gameplay Designer. Shipped at least 3 AAA Console/PC titles with 2 in a Level Design capacity. Strong understanding of geometry building, flow, and layout. Experience designing and implementing FPS gameplay experiences. Strong scripting and gameplay implementation experience using proprietary or commercial game engines. Experience owning gameplay content from concept through final polish. Knowledge & Skills Deep understanding of level design principles including pacing, encounter design, combat flow, navigation, and player guidance. Strong understanding of modern FPS gameplay and campaign design. Excellent gameplay scripting and debugging skills. Ability to create clear, organized design documentation. Strong communication and collaboration skills. Passion for building memorable player experiences through gameplay.
• Key Attributes Passionate about creating exceptional single-player experiences. Creative problem solver with strong ownership and initiative. Thrives in an iterative, collaborative development environment. Comfortable giving and receiving constructive feedback. Strong attention to detail with a commitment to quality. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to balance creative ambition with production realities. Passion for games with a broad understanding of modern action and FPS titles.

Extra Points Experience

• Experience with visual scripting tools such as Blueprint, Kismet, Bolt, or equivalent.
• Experience with cinematic scripting and narrative-driven gameplay.
• Experience mentoring junior designers.

Knowledge & Skills

• Extensive knowledge of the Call of Duty franchise, particularly its campaign gameplay, pacing, and mission design.
• Experience with AI encounter design, gameplay prototyping, and player progression systems.
• Familiarity with visual content creation tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, or equivalent.
• Experience working with proprietary game engines and large cross-disciplinary AAA development teams.

Your Platform Here at Raven, we pride ourselves on our unique vision for the industry that continues to inspire us after more than 30 years. We developed a team that cares about one another, our games, and our players. We treat each other with respect. We bring no egos. We focus on what is best for the game. We hire spectacular peers. We own our mistakes. As we enter the next exciting chapter of our story, we are looking for people to grow with us.

Our World At Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We’re driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Tony Hawk’s™ProSkater™, and Guitar Hero®. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our “press start” is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences. We’re not just looking back at our decades-long legacy; we’re forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization. We’re in the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater — this could be your opportunity to level up.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to [e-mail]. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.

Rewards

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $82,240.00 - $152,160.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.

Activision Blizzard, Inc. is the world’s largest interactive entertainment company, with operations across North America, Europe, and Asia. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, Skylanders®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™, and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet! We’re proud to be recognized as one of FORTUNE’s "100 Best Companies To Work For®” for five consecutive years and have earned a spot on FORTUNE’s “Most Admired Companies,” and “Future 50” lists. Our 10,000+ global employees are some of the best and brightest talents across entertainment, media, and technology.

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