Principal Systems Designer (Factory Game, Unreal Engine)

tobspr Games GmbH • Munich, ND

12h • Remote

About The Position

tobspr Games is hiring a Principal Systems Designer for a new 3D factory game built in Unreal Engine, in development through the end of 2028. This is a senior, hands-on position at a small, fully remote studio based in Germany. The designer will partner closely with the Game Director, who owns the overall vision, and develop core mechanics into robust systems intended to support hundreds of hours of play.

The role involves designing and prototyping systems, testing and tuning them, maintaining documentation that reflects the implemented game, and collaborating daily with programmers, artists, and production. The designer will bring structure to design work, challenge and develop ideas with the Game Director, and later lead a small design team that includes a Level Designer and a Content Designer.

The studio works remotely in English, with critical meetings and collaboration during CET core hours, approximately 11:00–15:00. Professional working proficiency in English is sufficient. The team values direct communication, ownership, and close collaboration with its community.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of professional game design experience, with a strong focus on systems design.
• At least one shipped title on which the candidate owned major systems, ideally in a systemic genre such as simulation, strategy, sandbox, automation, survival, or colony building.
• Genuine personal interest in factory and automation games and an understanding of their appeal to players.
• Ability to think in systems, including feedback loops, dependencies, scaling, emergent behavior, and edge cases.
• Hands-on approach to prototyping and testing ideas, rather than relying only on written designs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English.
• Working times compatible with the CET timezone.

Nice To Haves

• Programming background or solid scripting skills in Blueprints, C++, C#, Python, Lua, or similar.
• Experience with Unreal Engine.
• Experience leading or mentoring other designers.
• Experience working in small or remote indie teams.
• Personal projects related to factory games, such as mods, tools, prototypes, calculators, or blueprints.

Responsibilities

• Design the game's core systems, including production chains, resources, logistics, progression, and economy, with input from the Game Director.
• Break high-level mechanics into detailed steps the team can implement.
• Prototype and tune systems using spreadsheets, simulations, and Blueprints.
• Write and maintain clear design documentation and keep it aligned with the game as implemented.
• Work daily with programmers, artists, and production to keep design and implementation aligned.
• Organize design work by tracking priorities, open questions, decisions, and the reasons behind decisions.
• Act as a design partner to the Game Director by challenging ideas, offering alternatives, and identifying what does not work.
• Later lead a small design team, including a Level Designer and Content Designer, and help shape the studio's design practices.

Benefits

• Very flexible working hours.
• Real influence on a game from its early stages.
• Paid overtime, although the studio aims to avoid it.
• Book and training budget of €100 per month, with more available if needed.
• Focus days for learning new skills or researching.
• Yearly on-site team events.
• Automatic baseline salary adjustment of 2% per year.
• Hardware and home office budget of €2,000 when joining, followed by €1,000 yearly.
• Job Ticket for employees who live in Germany.

What This Job Offers

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