Senior Narrative Designer - Interactive Storytelling

Placements24; Benoni; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Health insurance

Paid time off

Professional development

Bonuses

Retirement plan

Flexible hours

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Narrative Designer to join a visionary studio for remote work. You will craft narrative structures, write dialogue, and shape character arcs to create cohesive player experiences across multiple projects.

The role requires 5+ years of experience, a strong portfolio, and collaboration with cross-functional teams. You will contribute to world-building, lore, and adaptive storytelling in interactive media.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in narrative design or writing for video games.
• A strong portfolio showcasing exceptional narrative work, including writing samples and interactive storytelling.
• Proven ability to write compelling dialogue and character-driven stories.
• Deep understanding of narrative structure, pacing, and interactive storytelling techniques.
• Experience with scripting languages or game engine tools for implementing narrative is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience with narrative design software or tools is beneficial.
• Passion for storytelling and interactive media.
• Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing, English, Game Design, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement narrative design across multiple projects, ensuring consistency and quality.
• Write high-quality dialogue, character backstories, in-game text, and lore documents.
• Design interactive narrative structures and branching storylines.
• Collaborate closely with level designers, character artists, and animators to integrate narrative seamlessly into gameplay.
• Create and maintain narrative documentation, including beat sheets, character profiles, and plot outlines.
• Work with voice actors and directors to ensure performance captures match the narrative intent.
• Propose and develop innovative ways to tell stories interactively.
• Contribute to world-building and lore development.
• Advise on narrative pacing and player engagement throughout the game experience.
• Iterate on narrative elements based on playtesting feedback and team collaboration.

Skills

Narrative design

Storytelling

Dialogue writing

Interactive storytelling

Game industry experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing or related field

Tools

Twine

Articy:Draft

Unreal Engine Blueprint

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a visionary studio focused on creating immersive narrative experiences, is seeking a talented Senior Narrative Designer to join their team remotely. This role is central to crafting compelling stories and weaving them into interactive gameplay. You will be responsible for developing narrative structures, writing dialogue, defining character arcs, and ensuring a cohesive and engaging player experience. The ideal candidate has a proven ability to write impactful stories for interactive media and a deep understanding of narrative design principles. This is a unique opportunity to shape the emotional core of our games and work with a passionate team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of storytelling.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement narrative design across multiple projects, ensuring consistency and quality.
• Write high-quality dialogue, character backstories, in-game text, and lore documents.
• Design interactive narrative structures and branching storylines.
• Collaborate closely with level designers, character artists, and animators to integrate narrative seamlessly into gameplay.
• Create and maintain narrative documentation, including beat sheets, character profiles, and plot outlines.
• Work with voice actors and directors to ensure performance captures match the narrative intent.
• Propose and develop innovative ways to tell stories interactively.
• Contribute to world-building and lore development.
• Advise on narrative pacing and player engagement throughout the game experience.
• Iterate on narrative elements based on playtesting feedback and team collaboration.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in narrative design or writing for video games.
• A strong portfolio showcasing exceptional narrative work, including writing samples and examples of interactive storytelling.
• Proven ability to write compelling dialogue and character-driven stories.
• Deep understanding of narrative structure, pacing, and interactive storytelling techniques.
• Experience with scripting languages or game engine tools (e.g., Unreal Engine's Blueprints, Unity) for implementing narrative is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience with narrative design software or tools (e.g., Twine, Articy:Draft) is beneficial.
• Passion for storytelling and interactive media.
• Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing, English, Game Design, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary of ZAR.
• Fully remote work arrangement.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous paid time off and holidays.
• Opportunities for professional development and advanced training.
• Be part of a creative and collaborative remote team environment.
• Contribution to exciting and impactful storytelling projects.
• Retirement savings plan.
• Performance-based bonuses.
• Flexible working hours to accommodate different time zones.