Senior Game Designer

Epic Games•Cary, NC

About The Position

Epic Games is seeking a Senior Game Designer to join their team. This role involves collaborating with cross-disciplinary development teams to design, prototype, implement, and ship key features that expand the Fortnite universe. The Senior Game Designer will own complex areas of the game, exercise strong creative judgment, and help guide features from initial vision through polished player-facing experiences. The position is within the DESIGN department, focusing on shaping the future of interactive entertainment through character and level design, competitive gameplay, and system design.

Requirements

5+ years of professional game design experience, with a track record of designing and shipping high-quality gameplay features or systems.
Demonstrated experience independently owning complex features from early concept and prototyping through implementation, iteration, polish, and release.
Strong hands-on experience working in Unreal Engine, including Blueprint scripting and implementing gameplay directly in-engine.
Experience designing content, features, or systems for Games-as-a-Service (GaaS), live-service games, or highly active online multiplayer ecosystems.
Strong understanding of multiplayer game design and a passion for Battle Royale and other large-scale multiplayer experiences.
A strong ability to understand player motivations, behaviors, and different forms of play, and to translate those insights into compelling gameplay experiences.
Proven ability to evaluate ideas, navigate ambiguity, and make thoughtful decisions.

Responsibilities

Own Major Features: Drive the design and development of significant gameplay features and systems from concept through launch, establishing a clear vision, documentation, implementation plan, and path to a high-quality player experience.
Implement in Blueprint: Work hands-on in Unreal Engine to prototype and implement designs using Blueprint scripting, partnering closely with engineering, animation, VFX, audio, art, and other disciplines to bring features to life.
Shape the Big-Picture Vision: Contribute to broader product and gameplay decisions by identifying opportunities, evaluating trade-offs, and helping the team prioritize features that deliver meaningful value to players.
Drive Prototyping & Iteration: Lead rapid prototyping and iteration loops, using everything from early design pitches and paper concepts to playable in-engine prototypes to validate ideas and solve complex design problems.
Champion the Player Experience: Apply a deep understanding of player motivations and behaviors to create compelling goals, gameplay loops, and experiences that keep players engaged over time.
Leverage Playtests & Data: Regularly participate in playtests and design reviews, synthesizing feedback, player insights, and gameplay data into actionable improvements.
Partner Across Disciplines: Communicate design intent clearly and build alignment across teams, proactively identifying dependencies, risks, and opportunities throughout development.
Raise the Design Bar: Provide thoughtful feedback and design guidance to other team members, helping strengthen features and maintain a high-quality bar across the player experience.

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision HRA
Long Term Disability
Life Insurance
401k with competitive match
Robust mental well-being program through Modern Health (free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents)
Company events
Company-wide paid breaks
Unlimited PTO
Unlimited sick time
Paid sabbatical for 7 years of employment