Senior Designer

Gamemode One

12d • Hybrid

About The Position

Gamemode One was founded 8 years ago to build innovative games and bring major IPs to the Minecraft Marketplace. We are scaling to take on more opportunities in Minecraft, while branching out to develop a bold new independent game. We continue to prioritize staff well-being and an excellent working environment. We care deeply about our vibrant company culture, which enables us all to do our best work. We are an established, fully self-funded studio with roots in Minecraft and ambitions to deliver experimental games for PC and console platforms. We aim to be high-integrity in the gaming space - doing right by our staff, and right by our players.

In our growing organization, you’ll use your broad design experience to design and ship compelling, well-balanced gameplay for live and in-development products, pushing what’s possible within Minecraft. You’ll support the team in making smart trade-offs between quality, scope, and time, and ensure aligned design direction throughout development by collaborating closely with programmers, artists, producers, and mentoring designers.
You’ll learn the constantly evolving platform of Minecraft, help us explore new offerings, and contribute to both third-party and IP products. You’ll work with stakeholders and analyze player data and insights to refine gameplay and guide development - helping bring the player’s voice right into the heart of development. You will not just be working at a great company, but actively pushing forward game design at Gamemode One.

What do we mean when we say “senior”? This role is listed at an experience level of “senior”. We know that this can mean something different across employers. For us, it means someone who can confidently and autonomously take a design problem from ambiguity to execution, has experience across a breadth of game genres, communicates clearly and proactively to keep teams aligned, and elevates others through mentorship. You’ll be hands-on with the work, but it is equally important that you can support the team around you. This role is suited for designers who are already operating autonomously and are on a path towards leadership.

Within 1 month, you’ll… Gain a deep understanding of in-development games and immerse yourself in the company's design vision, philosophy, and creative pillars. Understand our market positioning, as well as our company structure and future goals. Meaningfully participate in design discussions, sharing insights and feedback on direction and the overall player experience Support milestone reviews, noting key feedback and insights to inform ongoing design iteration Build relationships across the team, with a focus on learning about the design team and key product leadership Demonstrate cultural understanding and values alignment by leveraging curiosity and keen judgement while learning about the company

Within 3 months, you’ll… Provide meaningful balancing, iteration, and feedback to support a quality gameplay experience on your first product launch with us Prototype, design and implement testable gameplay for a new title Establish mentorship relationships with other designers, identifying strengths and growth areas. Build connections with internal leadership and external stakeholders Identify opportunities to improve our documentation, workflows, and processes, and contribute to the continual refinement of design documentation, in collaboration with the rest of the development team Begin facilitating design discussions and supporting milestone meetings

Within 6 months, you’ll… Take ownership of a significant new title in our portfolio Have increased the strength of our design documentation and processes, as well as the skills of our designers Actively contribute to the design direction of upcoming projects Foster a collaborative game design culture, ensuring decisions are well communicated, well-informed, and player-focused

Within 12 months, you’ll… Continue mentoring and supporting the design team, ensuring high-level design goals remain consistent throughout development Provide design consultation and insights across multiple projects, offering guidance and feedback for ongoing iteration Explore how your role could continue to evolve, taking on roles and responsibilities that are best aligned with your growing skillset and product needs

Why our job descriptions look like this Our job descriptions look different than the average, and that’s on purpose! We find the normal approach to be far too prescriptive. Defining explicit qualifications and requirements would be us defining how you should have acquired a certain skillset. What these generally achieve is intimidating those who don’t fit the mold to not apply. That’s not our style. In an effort to be inclusive, and clear, we take a more descriptive approach. Read through the opportunity, and the description of the work you’ll be doing. Decide for yourself if the work excites you, and is something that you are able to rise to the challenge of.

Requirements

• Confidently and autonomously take a design problem from ambiguity to execution.
• Experience across a breadth of game genres.
• Communicate clearly and proactively to keep teams aligned.
• Elevate others through mentorship.
• Be hands-on with the work.
• Support the team around you.
• Operating autonomously and on a path towards leadership.
• Gain a deep understanding of in-development games and immerse yourself in the company's design vision, philosophy, and creative pillars.
• Understand market positioning, company structure, and future goals.
• Meaningfully participate in design discussions, sharing insights and feedback on direction and the overall player experience.
• Support milestone reviews, noting key feedback and insights to inform ongoing design iteration.
• Build relationships across the team, with a focus on learning about the design team and key product leadership.
• Demonstrate cultural understanding and values alignment by leveraging curiosity and keen judgment while learning about the company.

Responsibilities

• Design and ship compelling, well-balanced gameplay for live and in-development products within Minecraft.
• Support the team in making smart trade-offs between quality, scope, and time.
• Ensure aligned design direction throughout development by collaborating closely with programmers, artists, and producers.
• Mentor designers.
• Learn the constantly evolving platform of Minecraft and explore new offerings.
• Contribute to both third-party and IP products.
• Work with stakeholders and analyze player data and insights to refine gameplay and guide development.
• Provide meaningful balancing, iteration, and feedback to support a quality gameplay experience.
• Prototype, design, and implement testable gameplay for a new title.
• Establish mentorship relationships with other designers, identifying strengths and growth areas.
• Build connections with internal leadership and external stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities to improve documentation, workflows, and processes.
• Contribute to the continual refinement of design documentation.
• Facilitate design discussions and support milestone meetings.
• Take ownership of a significant new title in the portfolio.
• Increase the strength of design documentation and processes, as well as the skills of designers.
• Actively contribute to the design direction of upcoming projects.
• Foster a collaborative game design culture.
• Continue mentoring and supporting the design team.
• Provide design consultation and insights across multiple projects.
• Explore how your role could continue to evolve, taking on roles and responsibilities that are best aligned with your growing skillset and product needs.

Benefits

• Unlimited paid time off, with a 2-week minimum
• Flexible hybrid schedule, with a focus on in-office
• Health Spending Account of $3000/year
• Charitable matching of $2000/year
• Investment in professional development, with support from external consulting, including opportunities for career development
• Access to the benefits above without a probationary period

What This Job Offers

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