[Hiring] Systems & Economy Designer @A Thinking Ape

Role Description

As a Systems & Economy Designer, you’ll tackle some of the most complex design problems in our live games. You’ll work with mature systems and economies that have evolved over many years, identifying where things aren't working as intended, understanding why, and designing solutions that improve the game for the long term.

• This work is rarely one-and-done. You’ll establish hypotheses, build models, design solutions, launch changes carefully, measure their impact, and continue iterating as you learn more.
• You’ll need to understand not only the numbers, but also how changes affect player behaviour and how they are likely to be received by a passionate community.
• We’re open to hiring this role at either the Intermediate or Senior level depending on experience.
• A Senior designer will be expected to take on broader and more ambiguous problems with greater autonomy, while also sharing their expertise and supporting other designers on the team.

What You Will Do

• Design, balance, maintain, and iterate on progression systems, currencies, reward structures, monetization systems, and other core game systems.
• Investigate complex system and economy problems to uncover root causes and develop solutions.
• Build spreadsheet models to simulate progression, balance economies, and forecast outcomes.
• Lead design initiatives from problem definition and scoping through implementation and launch, working closely with Product, Engineering, Creative, Community, and other designers.
• Use data, player behaviour, and community feedback to guide decisions, define success metrics, and evaluate outcomes.
• Improve the tools, frameworks, documentation, and processes we use to design and maintain our games, including scripting, AI, and automation.
• Participate in our live-ops on-call rotation for several days per month, helping the team respond quickly to urgent issues as they arise.
• Stay closely connected to player sentiment, community discussions, and trends in the free-to-play mobile market.
• Share your expertise and support other designers through mentorship, feedback, and collaboration.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in game design, with a focus on systems or economy design.
• Experience working on free-to-play games, preferably live service mobile games.
• A strong understanding of F2P economies, progression, monetization, and retention mechanics.
• Strong familiarity with the free-to-play mobile market and genuine interest in understanding the games, systems, and player behaviours within it.
• Strong spreadsheet skills and experience building models to simulate balance, progression, or economic outcomes.
• Strong data literacy, including familiarity with F2P KPIs and using data to investigate problems and evaluate design changes.
• Experience owning design projects through implementation, launch, analysis, and subsequent iteration.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex systems and design rationale clearly across disciplines.

Nice to have

• Experience with strategy, farming, puzzle adventure/exploration, or match-3 games.
• SQL query and/or Looker experience.

Benefits

• Flexible, safe, inclusive environment with autonomy to do your best work.
• Supportive leadership that cares about how you’re doing.
• Thought-provoking projects and fun problems alongside invested colleagues.
• Career progression space and resources.
• Competitive compensation with health and wellbeing as top priorities.
• Flexible work schedule, three weeks of vacation to start, flexible sick days, and a generous health benefits package.

Location

• Open to candidates based in either British Columbia or Ontario.
• Equipment provided and support for setting up your home workspace.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We build communities. To do this to the best of our abilities, we need a workforce that reflects the diverse player communities we serve. We believe a variety of perspectives and experiences allows us to make better decisions and understand the needs of our players. We work hard to create an environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best work and feel like they belong at ATA. Please consider applying even if you don't meet every qualification and let us know if you require any accommodations or support during the recruitment process.