Principal Game Designer

Zynga•Austin, TX

About The Position

At Zynga, we bring people together through the power of play. As a global leader in interactive entertainment and a proud label of Take-Two Interactive, our games have been downloaded over 6 billion times—connecting players in 175+ countries through fun, strategy, and a little friendly competition. From thrilling casino spins to epic strategy battles, mind-bending puzzles, and social word challenges, our diverse game portfolio has something for everyone. Fan-favorites and latest hits include FarmVille™, Words With Friends™, Zynga Poker™, Game of Thrones Slots Casino™, Wizard of Oz Slots™, Hit it Rich! Slots™, Wonka Slots™, Top Eleven™, Toon Blast™, Empires & Puzzles™, Merge Dragons!™, CSR Racing™, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells™, Match Factory™, and Color Block Jam™—plus many more! Founded in 2007 and headquartered in California, our teams span North America, Europe, and Asia, working together to craft unforgettable gaming experiences. Whether you're spinning, strategizing, matching, or competing, Zynga is where fun meets innovation—and where you can take your career to the next level. Join us and be part of the play! Position Overview: Zynga is looking for an experienced Principal Systems Designer to work on one of our new mobile games. This role leads and participates in direct design and creative input on content and system design in the game.

Requirements

At least 6 years' relevant experience
Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
Expert with math, levels, and formulas in game environment
Possesses an extensive knowledge of games and strategies
Solid knowledge of game balancing and pacing
Translates direct consumer insights, market data, and analysis into creative design solutions
Passionate gamer
2+ shipped games

Responsibilities

Create or adapt game features and large scale systems to work with the game
Write user experience stories and design documentation for new features and systems
Own, drive, and collaborate with other disciplines for system development
Work closely with other disciplines to design and prototype new gameplay and systems
Create flexible sheets and models to balance sophisticated systems
Design and balance content for new systems
Create and improve tools to make the design pipeline faster and more efficient for the team
Be the advocate of good design practices across the studio
Pitch new ideas to the team/ lead brainstorming sessions
Analyze real-time feedback and metrics, and adjust game designs accordingly while maintaining live game balance
Remain up-to-date with Game Design literature and standard methodologies to be an evangelist for the craft of Game Design

Benefits

Zynga offers a world-class benefits package that helps support and balance the needs of our teams.
To find out more about our benefits, visit the Zynga Benefits site
Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses.

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