Level Designer

Summary

Pipeworks Studios is seeking a Level Designer I or II to develop open-world content for a high-profile AAA action-adventure title. The designer will be responsible for designing, building, and iterating on locations and points of interest while collaborating closely with the development team.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with level design leadership to define the goals, intended player experience, and quality bar for assigned content
• Design, block out, implement, and iterate on open-world locations and points of interest in Unreal Engine 5
• Create readable and engaging gameplay spaces that support exploration, traversal, encounters, puzzles, pacing, challenge, and environmental storytelling
• Use Blueprint and project-specific tools to implement objectives, triggers, encounter logic, scripted behaviors, state changes, and other interactive content
• Place, configure, and tune enemies, NPCs, gameplay objects, and environmental elements to support intended player behaviors and challenge
• Collaborate with design, engineering, art, production, QA, and partner teams to communicate design intent, resolve dependencies, and incorporate feedback
• Participate in playtests and design reviews, identify problems with flow or player experience, and iterate based on findings
• Create and maintain clear documentation, layout callouts, encounter notes, task updates, and acceptance criteria
• Maintain organized content, naming conventions, source control practices, and general level hygiene
• Identify risks, blockers, and dependencies early, and adapt effectively as project priorities or creative direction change

Skills

• Professional experience designing and implementing gameplay spaces in Unreal Engine 5 or a comparable modern game engine
• Practical experience using Blueprint or similar visual scripting tools to prototype and implement level-specific gameplay
• Strong understanding of level design fundamentals, including spatial composition, navigation, gameplay flow, sightlines, traversal, pacing, readability, and player guidance
• Experience creating encounters, puzzles, activities, or other interactive content within authored or open-world spaces
• Ability to work with AI behaviors, gameplay objects, scripted events, triggers, and environmental content
• Strong creative problem-solving skills and the ability to iterate within technical, production, and scope constraints
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across disciplines and with external development partners
• Familiarity with source control and collaboration tools such as Perforce, Jira, and Confluence, or equivalent tools
• Strong organization and attention to detail in a fast-paced, distributed development environment
• Level Designer I candidates should generally have two or more years of relevant professional experience
• Level Designer II candidates should generally have five or more years of relevant professional experience and experience contributing to at least two shipped AA or AAA projects
• Experience developing open-world action-adventure content or comparable systemic, exploration-driven gameplay spaces
• Experience designing traversal challenges, environmental puzzles, or open-world activities
• Experience working in a AAA full or co-development environment
• A portfolio demonstrating level layouts, playable spaces, blockouts, or shipped level-design work

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Professional experience designing and implementing gameplay spaces in Unreal Engine 5 or a comparable modern game engine
• Practical experience using Blueprint or similar visual scripting tools to prototype and implement level-specific gameplay
• Strong understanding of level design fundamentals, including spatial composition, navigation, gameplay flow, sightlines, traversal, pacing, readability, and player guidance
• Experience creating encounters, puzzles, activities, or other interactive content within authored or open-world spaces
• Ability to work with AI behaviors, gameplay objects, scripted events, triggers, and environmental content
• Strong creative problem-solving skills and the ability to iterate within technical, production, and scope constraints
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across disciplines and with external development partners
• Familiarity with source control and collaboration tools such as Perforce, Jira, and Confluence, or equivalent tools
• Strong organization and attention to detail in a fast-paced, distributed development environment
• Level Designer I candidates should generally have two or more years of relevant professional experience
• Level Designer II candidates should generally have five or more years of relevant professional experience and experience contributing to at least two shipped AA or AAA projects

Nice to Haves

• Experience developing open-world action-adventure content or comparable systemic, exploration-driven gameplay spaces
• Experience designing traversal challenges, environmental puzzles, or open-world activities
• Experience working in a AAA full or co-development environment
• A portfolio demonstrating level layouts, playable spaces, blockouts, or shipped level-design work

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• 401K with employer match
• Employer Paid Life Insurance Policy
• Generous Paid Time Off
• 18-20 Paid Company Holidays
• Relocation
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fitness Club Discounts
• Sports Team Sponsorship
• Annual Company Events
• Project Wrap Parties
• Almost all of our roles allow for your choice of work location. ... remote, in office, or hybrid.