Design Director / Directeur(trice) du design

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Design Director / Directeur(trice) du design based in Canada.

The Design Director will lead the creative vision and execution of mission and level design for an upcoming tactical first-person shooter (FPS) developed for PC and console platforms. This senior leadership role combines strategic direction, hands-on game development, and team management to create immersive, engaging, and highly replayable gameplay experiences. You will oversee the entire mission design lifecycle, from initial concepts and grayboxing to final implementation and polish, with a particular focus on AI squadmates and five-player cooperative gameplay. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams, you will ensure that gameplay mechanics, enemy behavior, and mission objectives deliver a cohesive player experience. You will also mentor and develop a talented design team, establish creative standards, and drive quality through regular playtesting and iteration. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced game design leader to shape a new gaming experience while contributing to an ambitious and collaborative development environment.

Accountabilities:

• Own and drive the overall design vision and delivery of tactical missions, overseeing every stage of development, from initial concepts and grayboxing to final implementation and polish.

• Define, establish, and maintain high creative and quality standards for mission layouts, breaching mechanics, combat encounters, objectives, gameplay pacing, and replayability.

• Design and develop engaging tactical missions that provide balanced and compelling experiences for both AI-controlled squadmates and five-player cooperative gameplay.

• Collaborate closely with AI, gameplay, and systems development teams to ensure that core FPS mechanics, enemy behaviors, squad commands, and player tools effectively support mission design objectives.

• Maintain a hands-on approach within Unreal Engine by building levels, creating prototypes, and iterating on mission layouts and combat encounters alongside the design team.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of level, mission, and encounter designers, providing clear creative direction, constructive feedback, and opportunities for professional growth.

• Establish and maintain a strong creative vision across the design team, ensuring consistency, innovation, and high-quality execution throughout development.

• Plan, organize, and facilitate regular playtesting sessions, analyze player feedback and gameplay results, and translate findings into actionable design improvements.

• Partner with production teams to define project scope, establish priorities, manage resources, and deliver missions according to development milestones without compromising quality.

• Work collaboratively with art, audio, narrative, and engineering leads to create cohesive, immersive, and polished mission experiences.

• Communicate design objectives, creative decisions, and development progress effectively through documentation, design reviews, presentations, and regular discussions with studio leadership.

• Support a positive, transparent, and collaborative working culture by encouraging curiosity, knowledge sharing, and cross-functional teamwork.

Requirements:

• At least 10 years of professional experience in video game design, including a minimum of 4 years leading level design or mission design teams.

• Proven experience shipping at least one first-person shooter (FPS) title in a lead or director-level position, with significant ownership of mission and level design.

• Expert knowledge of tactical mission design, including level layouts, breaching mechanics, combat encounters, objectives, gameplay pacing, and replayability.

• Demonstrated experience designing cooperative multiplayer gameplay and experiences involving AI-controlled companions or squadmates.

• Advanced hands-on proficiency with Unreal Engine, including level creation, Blueprint development, prototyping, and taking environments from initial graybox stages through final polish.

• Strong understanding of FPS gameplay systems, including weapon mechanics, movement, enemy AI behavior, and their impact on level and encounter design.

• Proven leadership and team management experience, with the ability to mentor designers, provide actionable feedback, establish creative standards, and guide teams toward successful delivery.

• Demonstrated ability to organize and facilitate playtesting sessions, interpret feedback, and implement meaningful gameplay improvements.

• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage scope, prioritize deliverables, and meet production milestones while maintaining high creative standards.

• A portfolio or documented professional experience showcasing shipped games and significant contributions to mission and level design.

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