Combat Director

Impact Theory • Los Angeles, CA

11d • Onsite

About The Position

Level Up Games, LLC, the studio behind Kyzen, is seeking an experienced Combat Director for a temporary, full-time assignment of approximately three to four months, with the possibility of a longer term if justified. The assignment is expected to begin in October or November 2026 and focuses on overhauling combat in Kyzen, a kid-focused open-world survival-crafting game. This senior, hands-on role will diagnose shortcomings in combat, define a coherent attack-type framework, and develop distinct, readable attack patterns for the game’s mobs. The Combat Director will set direction, implement combat encounters personally, and work closely with engineering and animation partners. The role also expects the use of AI where it helps advance the project and player experience.

The work includes auditing existing combat; establishing design pillars and encounter standards; prioritizing changes for the assignment window; working directly in Unreal Engine 5’s animation systems; prototyping attacks; tuning combat feel and enemy behavior; and iterating based on playtest feedback. The successful candidate will document the framework, per-mob specifications, and tuning rationale, then conduct a structured handoff to the internal team.

The position requires working on-site Monday through Friday at the company’s West Hollywood location. Physical demands include prolonged desk and computer work, reviewing screen content, and maintaining concentration and attention to detail for extended periods.

Requirements

• At least 7 years of professional game design experience, including at least 3 years owning combat systems or enemy design.
• At least one shipped title where combat was a core pillar of the candidate’s role, with meaningful responsibility for how combat played.
• Demonstrated experience designing enemy attack patterns and behavior, with working knowledge of telegraph design, frame timing, and counterplay.
• Deep, current Unreal Engine 5 experience, including Blueprints, behavior trees, animation blueprints, and gameplay ability systems, among other relevant systems.
• Ability to prototype, implement, and tune directly in-engine rather than only specifying work on paper.
• Strong understanding of combat feel at the frame level and the vocabulary to communicate it to engineers and animators.
• Ability to quickly diagnose a combat system and make decisive choices about what to fix first.
• Availability to commit to the full duration of the temporary assignment.
• Ability to work on-site Monday through Friday at the West Hollywood location.

Responsibilities

• Audit Kyzen’s current combat and provide a clear, prioritized diagnosis of issues involving readability, feedback, pacing, risk and reward, simplicity, and player agency.
• Establish combat design pillars and standards for encounters, and prioritize the work within the three-to-four-month window, defining what is and is not in scope.
• Work directly with Unreal Engine 5 animation systems, including Anim Montages, Anim Notifies, Blend Spaces, Animation Blueprints, and root-motion tuning.
• Retiming or trimming clips, adjusting play rates, dividing animations into startup, active, and recovery phases, and adding hit-stop and camera shake.
• Prototype attacks with placeholder animations and define specifications for animators to polish.
• Own combat feel, including hitboxes, input buffering, cancel timing, and enemy telegraphs.
• Define an attack-type taxonomy and the design rules for each type, including telegraph and wind-up windows, active and recovery timing, counterplay options, and readability cues.
• Ensure attack types form a coherent, learnable system that is simple enough for children to master.
• Create a distinct attack pattern and encounter role for each mob in the roster using the defined attack types.
• Modify mob behavior as needed, including engagement range, aggression, cooldown rhythm, attack type, approach, and repositioning logic.
• Design fights for combinations of mobs so that groups create varied, interesting pressure.
• Own combat tuning and iterate based on playtest feedback, building, testing, and tuning directly in-engine.
• Document the combat audit, prioritized improvement plan, attack-type framework, per-mob specifications, and tuning rationale.
• Deliver implemented and tuned combat changes playable in-engine, and provide a final handoff package and structured handoff session covering completed work, open items, and recommended next steps.
• Work with AI where it helps advance the project and delight players.

Benefits

• Salaried compensation of $15,000–$20,000 USD per month for the duration of the assignment.
• Competitive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Life insurance and a 401(k) retirement plan.
• Flexible PTO policy.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed