Technical Game Designer

Naughty Dog•Santa Monica, CA

2d•$58 - $73•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a temporary engagement through staffing partner DZConneX Services. The role is hybrid and based in Santa Monica, California. The Technical Game Designer prototypes gameplay using Naughty Dog’s in-house tools and scripting language, spanning combat encounters, narrative sequences, player mechanics, and enemy behaviors. The designer works across departments to bring prototypes into production and polish them to Naughty Dog’s quality standards. The role calls for self-motivated, proactive designers who combine technical and creative skills and iterate rapidly. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

Significant programming ability; a Computer Science undergraduate degree is preferred.
Knowledge of 3D math.
Experience with C++, C#, Lua, or another scripting language.
Broad understanding of the gaming landscape.
Self-starter with excellent communication and teamwork skills.
Willingness to take design direction, brainstorm, iterate, and develop fun, creative solutions.
Must be authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing AAA third-person action games.
Experience with 3D level editors.
Understanding of narrative principles and conveying emotion through gameplay.
Experience with Behavior Trees.
Experience with melee design.
Experience with combat systems.
Experience with character animation.
Experience with enemy and boss design.

Responsibilities

Prototype, implement, and own gameplay scenarios, narrative sequences, interactive objects, and AI behaviors.
Collaborate with the Design team to conceptualize, prototype, implement, tune, and balance gameplay mechanics and systems.
Communicate with animation, programming, and art departments to produce the assets and code support required for owned areas.
Take on additional responsibilities as needed.