Contract Senior Level Designer

[REDACTED] is a startup multimedia studio that is best known for our hit indie horror game "Poppy Playtime". This franchise is one of the hottest new properties in gaming, and our team is naturally expanding as our ambition expands. To give a taste of our brand's popularity, more than 100 billion [REDACTED] views of Poppy Playtime related content have occurred since the game's launch 4 years ago.

[REDACTED] is seeking a Senior Level Designer to help craft engaging and innovative levels that integrate gameplay mechanics with narrative elements for the future of the Poppy Playtime franchise, starting with our upcoming release. You’ll be responsible for collaborating with directors across disciplines, and ensuring our levels are tense, well-paced, and deeply atmospheric — true to what makes Poppy Playtime special.

This is a hands-on Senior role, greyboxing, iterating, and polishing through to final implementation.You’ll help shape structure and vision, mentor designers, and build compelling spaces using Unreal Engine 5 that serve both gameplay mechanics and narrative delivery. We’re looking for someone who combines strong execution, clear communication, and an intuitive grasp of player experience — especially in horror, puzzle, or exploration-based games.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate on the level design pipeline, ensuring alignment with gameplay mechanics, narrative pacing, and technical constraints.
• Partner with the Game Director, Design Director, and Art Director to define the experience, goals, and the spacing of each level.
• Prototype, build, and iterate on levels in Unreal Engine, blocking out layouts and refining through to final implementation to deliver on the project’s creative goals
• Work cross-discipline with system Designers, Writers, Engineers, and Environment Artists to ensure all elements of the level support the desired experience.
• Maintain strong documentation, workflow clarity, and visibility of progress for the team and stakeholders.
• Lead regular playtests and design reviews, collecting feedback and driving iteration to improve player experience.
• Balance level aesthetics, readability, and performance, ensuring tight collaboration with environment art and tech design.
• Help shape the level design culture at [REDACTED], identifying opportunities to raise team capability and creative ambition.
• Mentor and serve as a key collaborator and creative leader across the broader design team, sharing feedback and practical solutions to help the team work through design challenges.
• Contribute to level design workflows and reviews, identifying ways to improve iteration and delivery.

Minimum Requirements:

• 8+ years of professional game design experience, with a strong emphasis on level design.
• Proficiency in Unreal Engine 5, with experience using Blueprints for gameplay interaction and scripting.
• A portfolio demonstrating authored or lead level work, ideally in first-person, puzzle, or horror-based games.
• Strong grasp of spatial pacing, gameplay readability, environmental storytelling, and encounter flow.
• Experience collaborating with narrative teams, ensuring levels support and enhance story moments.
• Strong communication and organizational skills; able to clearly define tasks and communicate direction.
• Familiarity with source control ([REDACTED]), task management tools (Jira, Confluence), and level design documentation best practices.

Bonus Points:

• Experience shipping narrative-focused or horror adventure games.
• Familiarity with modular environment workflows and LD/Art pipeline coordination.
• Experience working with procedural elements or systemic game spaces.
• Strong instincts for emotional pacing, building tension, and delivering impactful moments through level layout.

Salary

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Final compensation within the applicable salary range will be determined based on factors such as the applicant’s experience, qualifications, and work location.

San Francisco, CA; New York City, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; Boston, MA; & Seattle, WA DC Metropolitan Areas: $89,919 - $132,733 USD annually

Austin, TX; Denver, CO; Nashville, TN; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; & Miami, FL Metropolitan Areas: $78,190 - $115,420USD annually

All Other U.S. Locations: $66,462 - $98,108 USD annually

Project Hire Benefits:

[REDACTED] offers the following benefits to all eligible U.S.-based full-time project hires: medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off; sick time; holidays.

Fraud Alert:

Beware of job scams: [REDACTED] does not extend offers via text, social media DM, or without a completed application and interview. Please verify email address which should always originate from [REDACTED].

#LI-Remote

[REDACTED] is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and complies with all federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, military service, or any other protected class under applicable state or local law. [REDACTED] also considers all qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with Fair Chance laws as well as any other applicable state and local laws.