[Hiring] Senior Designer @Payload Studios

Role Description

This role is first and foremost about owning the design vision of a game in service of the studio's creative and commercial goals. You are accountable for the design vision of the game day-to-day. You own the design direction, lead the design team, and ensure quality through hands-on craft. You work closely with the Studio Head/Creative Director, who provides oversight and retains final sign-off, and with the Producer to keep creative ambition, scope and delivery in balance. Your success is measured by the quality and coherence of the player experience, the clarity of your design communication, and the team's ability to build confidently against a shared understanding of the game.

Key Responsibilities

• Design Direction and Player Experience
  • Ensure every element of the game serves the core pillars and player fantasy.
  • Translate the high-level vision into detailed, buildable design.
  • Maintain design coherence as the game vision evolves.
  • Represent the design vision in publisher conversations.
  • Success looks like:
    • Core pillars translated into detailed mechanics, systems, and player-facing design.
    • Design coherence and scope maintained as the game evolves.
    • Identification of design risks, gaps, or contradictions before they become problems.
    • Design documentation that is current, accessible, and useful to the team.
    • Player-facing quality that supports the studio's target of 85%+ on Steam.
• Team Design Leadership and Collaboration
  • Provide clear direction, timely feedback, and consistent creative guidance.
  • Create conditions for the team to do their best work.
  • Champion the "why" behind design decisions.
  • Work closely with the Producer to ensure design priorities are realistic.
  • Contribute design input to the studio's other projects.
  • Success looks like:
    • The team understands the game and can make good decisions independently.
    • Art, tech, and production are aligned on design intent and priorities.
    • Design feedback is timely, specific, and constructive.
    • Design leadership that earns trust through consistency, clarity, and craft.
    • A collaborative culture where ideas are welcomed.
• Design Quality and Iteration
  • Responsible for the design quality of the game through active hands-on involvement.
  • Identify what's working and what isn't, and drive iteration to improve the player experience.
  • Work with the Producer to prepare for and respond to playtesting, player feedback, and data.
  • Success looks like:
    • Regular hands-on evaluation of the game driving meaningful iteration.
    • Design problems identified and addressed early through play and testing.
    • Builds that are playable and demonstrating progress toward the core player fantasy.
    • Iteration grounded in player feedback, data, and design judgement.
    • Quality and feel that meet the standards set by the Studio Head/Creative Director.
    • Post-launch design direction informed by player feedback and data.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Senior Designer or equivalent on shipped games.
• Strong, hands-on experience designing and owning gameplay systems, mechanics, and progression in Unreal Engine.
• Direct systems design and balancing experience in relevant genres (deck builders, automation, survival craft, procedural).
• Experience using playtesting, feedback, and data to refine features and improve outcomes.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills across design, art, engineering, and production.
• A pragmatic approach, focused on what moves the game forward and creates the best player experience.
• Passion for games and a drive to turn strong design into player delight.

Benefits

• 2-week company summer break.
• 2-week winter break to rest and recharge.
• Normal holiday allowance.