Design Manager

Ghost Story Games is seeking a talented Design Manager to contribute to the development of Judas, a narrative-driven, immersive game built on novel technology, focusing on dynamic storytelling and gameplay.

Location: Massachusetts - Remote

Salary: $130,000–$170,000/yr

Responsibilities

• Manage Design Team personnel.
• Collaborate with technical and systems design leads on tasking for those groups.
• Create and maintain clear, concise design documentation that articulates system functionality.
• Work hands-on in Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) to prototype, build, and iterate on systems using Blueprint scripting.
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Art, Narrative, and QA to ensure the cohesive and successful implementation of gameplay features.
• Champion the player experience, ensuring your designs are intuitive, engaging, and support a wide variety of playstyles.
• Actively participate in playtests, gathering feedback and iterating on designs to achieve the highest possible quality.
• Proactively identify design challenges and propose effective, innovative solutions that push creative boundaries.
• Act as a strong advocate for the player experience, ensuring your designs are intuitive, engaging, and align with the overall vision of Judas.
• Contribute significantly to design discussions and the evolution of design practices, fostering a studio culture of knowledge-sharing.

Requirements

• 5+ years of professional systems design experience on AAA titles.
• Shipped at least one AAA game in a systems design capacity.
• Proven expertise in designing and implementing core gameplay loops, progression systems, and player-facing mechanics.
• Strong proficiency with Unreal Engine (UE4/UE5), particularly in-engine implementation and Blueprint scripting.
• A proactive, self-motivated work ethic, with a strong sense of ownership and the ability to operate with autonomy.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to articulate complex design concepts clearly.
• A deep passion for creating emergent, systems-driven gameplay and narrative-rich experiences.
• Understanding of telemetry and its uses within game development to validate implementations.
• As a senior team member, you lead by example and demonstrate a willingness to mentor others.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage.
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year.
• Paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program.
• Up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year.
• Paid parental and compassionate leave.
• Wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support.
• Family planning support through Maven.
• Commuter benefits.
• Reimbursements for fitness-related expenses.

Additional Information

• Please watch the GDC talk given by Ken Levine: http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020434/Narrative
• Ghost Story does not conduct job interviews or make job offers over third-party messaging apps.
• Ghost Story does not engage in any financial exchanges during recruitment or onboarding.
• Ghost Story’s in-house recruitment team will only contact individuals through their official Ghost Story email addresses.
• Report any suspicious activity to Careers@ghoststorygames.com.
• Ghost Story is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion.