Senior Game Designer

Stardock is currently seeking a talented Senior Game Designer to join our team and play an important role in shaping and executing the vision for our upcoming unannounced game title. The ideal candidate has a deep passion for strategy and simulation games and is comfortable with all levels of ownership: from personally designing features to providing high-level feedback and mentorship to other members of the Design team. This is a salaried, full-time position at our Plymouth, Michigan office, with relocation assistance available.

Primary Responsibilities Include:

Create and translate high-level product goals into engaging and innovative game mechanics and player stories in collaboration with the Production, Art, Engineering, and Design teams.

Collaborate closely with other Senior Game Designers and the Creative Director to ensure cohesive and innovative game design across all project elements.

Brainstorm, develop ideas, create worlds, and contribute to the design of a new AAA strategy/simulation game.

Author, maintain, and interpret comprehensive Game Design Documents.

Script complex events, AI behaviors, and intricate game mechanics utilizing in-house tools and editors and Unreal Engine.

Oversee and maintain gameplay balance, swiftly addressing and resolving gameplay bugs.

Leverage generative AI tools to enhance productivity and streamline design workflows, ensuring efficient development processes.

Mentor and guide Associate Designers, fostering their growth and development.

Advocate for the Design team, ensuring their needs and ideas are effectively communicated.

Engage with our player base, evaluating and incorporating valuable feedback and suggestions.

Stay abreast of trends and innovations in PC strategy games, integrating best practices into our designs. Education and/or Experience Desired:

Bachelor's Degree in Game Design, Computer Science or relevant field or equivalent experience.

Proven experience with at least one shipped AAA game title.

Proven experience with at least one shipped strategy or simulation game.

Passion for PC strategy and simulation games and an understanding of their mechanics.

Broad familiarity and interest in history, anthropology, science fiction.

Excellent creative writing and communication skills, both written and verbal.

Demonstrated ability to champion design ideas and inspire enthusiasm in others.

Experience managing multiple tasks simultaneously.

Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new, often proprietary technology and tools.

Sense of ownership and responsibility in project work.

Experience with LUA or similar scripting languages.

Experience reading, implementing, and maintaining data with XML or similar.

Established understanding of existing Stardock franchises preferred (i.e. Sins of a Solar Empire, Galactic Civilizations, etc.). Bonuses:

Experience working on a game created in Unreal Engine.

Experience with/creating Unreal Engine Blueprints.