Technical Designer - 4 Month Contract

Blackbird Interactive • Vancouver, BC

1d • CA$80,000 - CA$100,000 • Remote

About The Position

Blackbird Interactive is looking for a Technical Designer to join our growing studio. We have an exciting new project and are looking for a key contributor to help build and implement gameplay systems for a narrative-driven investigative game focused on player choice, exploration, and interactive storytelling. This role involves bridging design and engineering to bring compelling gameplay and narrative experiences to life, requiring experience in designing, prototyping, and implementing gameplay systems, tools, or scripted content in Unreal Engine. The ideal candidate will enjoy collaborating with designers, writers, artists, and programmers to create immersive, player-driven experiences.

Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in game development, including at least 2 years in a Technical Designer or equivalent gameplay implementation role
• Strong proficiency with Unreal Engine 5, including Blueprint scripting, gameplay implementation, debugging, and working within complex gameplay systems and technical frameworks
• Experience implementing gameplay systems, scripted events, interactive sequences, or narrative content directly in engine
• Confidence working with modern scripting languages, gameplay logic, and state-driven systems
• Experience shipping at least one title, ideally featuring narrative gameplay, exploration, adventure, or investigative mechanics
• Self-motivated with the ability to thrive in a collaborative, fast-moving technical environment
• Strong communication and interdisciplinary collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across design, narrative, engineering, art, and production

Nice To Haves

• Experience implementing branching dialogue, narrative scripting, quest systems, or investigative gameplay
• Familiarity with cinematic pipelines, sequencing tools, or interactive storytelling workflows
• Passion for crime fiction, investigative storytelling, and grounded, character-driven narrative games
• An innovator's mindset with a passion for building robust gameplay systems and improving development workflows
• Experience working closely with writers, narrative designers, or cinematic teams
• Demonstrated passion for games, film, television, novels, podcasts, or other forms of narrative entertainment

Responsibilities

• Prototype, implement, and iterate on gameplay systems, investigative mechanics, interactive objects, narrative events, scripted sequences, objectives, tutorial systems, and other player-facing content
• Implement and maintain gameplay logic, progression systems, and narrative scripting using Unreal Engine 5 and Blueprint, ensuring reliable and scalable content implementation
• Collaborate closely with narrative, design, art, and audio teams to bring interactive storytelling, player choices, and scripted gameplay moments to life
• Work with engineers to improve technical workflows, gameplay tools, and content pipelines, helping designers efficiently implement and iterate on gameplay and narrative content
• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve gameplay, scripting, and implementation issues while maintaining performance, stability, and content quality
• Work with producers and team leadership to estimate work, communicate progress, identify technical risks, and support successful milestone delivery

What This Job Offers

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