Sr Staff Level Designer

Why PlayStation?

PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®VR, PlayStation®Plus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more.

PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team.

The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation.

 

Join the award-winning team that created God of War

Santa Monica Studio is seeking a quality-obsessed Senior Level Designer for the development of a new unannounced title!  You will be designing and implementing gameplay, taking direction from the Lead Level Designers and Project Directors.

As a Sr Level Designer, you are a master collaborator capable of exciting and energizing those around you. You demonstrate an ability to take a level design from concept, through all development stages, to completion, including planning, 2D and 3D layout, event scripting, encounter design, and a strong sense of pacing. You naturally work across all disciplines and are a hub for activity. You are able to partner closely with our producers as well as clearly communicate across the team and drive toward quality.

You feel an inherent responsibility for player immersion and fun, channeling your time and talents into realizing incredibly memorable experiences.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Lead Level Designers and Design Directors to ensure that the levels reach threshold for quality and fun that we expect for our games
• Planning design via 2D maps, diagrams, and written documentation
• Building 3D layout such as blockmesh and world authoring
• Scripting events and interactions
• Creating level flow that emphasizes Encounter, Puzzle, Exploration and Narrative pacing
• Communicating the level’s design by: leading design discussion and reviews, participating in and/or leading level-production related meetings
• Contributing toward establishing standards, conventions, and metrics that help guide the team toward quality and consistency
• Providing in-house staff education on technical level design issues, tools use, and the best implementation practices
• Forming positive working relationships and demonstrate design process with other Designers, Design Director, Game Director, Design Manager, Art Director, Lead Artist, Lead Programmer, Lead Animator, etc.

Requirements

• Advanced game design knowledge (both practical and theoretical) that explains the 'why' and intent behind your designs
• A deep understanding of how to design and build environments that support combat, traversal, puzzles, and narrative
• Ego-less collaboration skills used to rally teammates around work tasks and creative challenges
• Comprehensive knowledge of Maya, engine/editor tools, or other 3D world building software to create level geometry
• Experience creating puzzles in the God of War style
• Experience prototyping gameplay mechanics
• Experience creating pitch documents and paper maps using PowerPoint, Illustrator, and Miro
• Experience with visual scripting
• Experience with text-based workflows, such as tweak files

Preferred Experience

• 10+ years of professional experience in game development, with 5+ years in Level Design specific role
• Full development cycle experience for 2+ published AAA titles

 

#LI-SMS

 

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At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.

Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. 

In addition, this role is eligible for SIE’s top-tier benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program and coveted employee discounts for Sony produc