Mid to Senior Gameplay Designer

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Mid to Senior Gameplay Designer to join the team behind Total War, Alien: Isolation and Halo Wars 2, to create thrilling game experiences on a new project being built in Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). The project is based at our headquarters in Horsham, in the heart of West Sussex, however this role may be based either in Horsham, or at CA North in Newcastle, UK. This can be discussed upon application.

The successful candidate will be joining a new project in its early prototyping phase, iterating rapidly to create compelling gameplay, and collaborating with a small team initially to realise the vision. The role will be highly varied, with the right designer able to work fluidly

This is a broad role in terms of experience, and we will consider mid-level candidates, as well as senior or principal level.

Flexible working at Creative Assembly includes hybrid, fully remote within country of employment for eligible roles, and in-studio. We recognise that there is no one-size-fits-all approach and empower our teams to define the working patterns which work best for them, which may mean different things for different teams and roles and at different times.

This role is Hybrid and has an expectation of 1 day every 2 weeks, in our Horsham studio. We will consider remote working for exceptional candidates. Further details can be discussed during the recruitment process.

Key Responsibilities

The ideal candidate will be happy to take on many varied game design tasks, addressing the day-to-day and week-to-week needs of a fast-moving, and rapidly evolving prototype.

You’ll be expected to communicate with a small (but growing) multi-disciplinary team, working with project leadership and peers to quickly realise high-quality, immersive gameplay.

As the team grows and the project progresses there will be opportunities to specialise and shape the role.

On a day-to-day basis you will:

• Realise the game’s design and goals
• Be capable of switching between content and mechanical design
• Propose and execute game features
• Drive those features to realisation
• Be hands-on with feature development
• Establish and represent design excellence
• Collaborate consistently with developers of other disciplines
• Communicate effectively to ensure a cohesive team working towards a common goal
• Combine critical thinking with a creative and open approach.

Additionally, those with senior- or principal-level experience will:

• Mentor and develop those around them
• Contribute to build, maintaining and nurturing an effect and healthy team
• Contribute extensive design experience and expert knowledge.

Knowledge, Skill and Experience

Essential

• Unreal 4/5 experience
• Experience of content or gameplay design
• Relish the challenge of taking on different aspects of game design
• Strong creativity and imaginative problem solving
• Proven game design experience
• Natural collaborator
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Passion for the player experience
• Experience implementing, iterating and refining designs.

Desirable

• Varied and diverse game design experience
• One or more shipped AAA projects
• A portfolio of work spanning several projects
• For more senior roles, experience in managing or mentoring designers.

About Creative Assembly

It’s an exciting time to be a part of our craft-led studio as we push boundaries, creating deep and detailed experiences that last. 

Our teams are diverse from across the world, from trainees to industry veterans who constantly challenge us and make sure we are striving for the best within our games and our studio life. We are united through our shared values of Quality, Focus, Teamwork, Respect and Trust and we win awards for our culture and our people-centric approach, having won a Best Place to Work Award for six consecutive years. We invest in our people, the studio, and our projects. We are a company that’s secure and safe – you don’t need to worry about job security at CA.

We’ll give you the creative freedom, tools, support, and development to achieve your potential. 

Our studios are based in Horsham, UK and Sofia, Bulgaria, including several bespoke state-of-the-art audio suites and a dedicated motion capture facility. 

We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:

• Flexible working: hybrid, fully remote within country of employment for eligible roles, and in-studio working
• Work from Anywhere for a temporary period each year (restrictions apply such as VISAs)
• Enhanced holiday allowance, maternity and paternity breaks, flexibility with our core hours, and no-notice holidays
• Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents, with support throughout the process from our dedicated Relocation Specialists
• Private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover and free health care screening
• Generous holiday allowance plus full studio closure over the Christmas and New Year period, and all UK Bank holidays
• Annual discretionary studio bonus
• Join our award-winning education and social responsibility programme; the Legacy Project, as an industry ambassador to mentor and educate others
• Defined career development pathways and personalised training support including SEGA Dev Day, internal masterclasses, prestigious creative workshops, on-site training with renowned specialists and global conference attendance
• Opportunity to join our Diversity and Inclusion Network – an employee-led group
• Season ticket travel loans and cycle to work scheme with free bike servicing and discounted car valet service on site
• Free games and merchandise plus access to our extensive games library
• Free breakfast in the studio every day - toast, bagels, pancakes, cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit, smoothies, juices, milkshakes and more in our fully stocked kitchen
• Wellbeing support with an employee assistance programme and onsite confidential sessions
• In-studio heavily subsidised massage therapy
• Discounts for home technology, travel insurance, corporate gym membership, cinema tickets, holidays, trips out and Ikea vouchers, and many local businesses including estate agents
• Studio parties for you and your family; such as our Summer Festival, Christmas Party plus a separate Children’s Christmas Party. We also have Cinema days and wrap parties for game releases
• Studio community activities such as life drawing, creative writing, Pilates, Walking Challenges, Couch to 5k, basketball, game and movie evenings, board game club, 5-a-side football, CA Choir, Sword fighting (yes, sword fighting) and loads more.

Our studio sites have disabled access. We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief. ​