Senior Matchmaking & Social Systems Designer

Halo Studios is building the future of the blockbuster Halo series of video games with Unreal Engine. As part of Xbox Game Studios, the Halo franchise encompasses games, novels, comics, licensed collectibles, apparel, and more with a shared vision of heroism, mystery, and wonder. With multiple projects in development, join our team as we forge the next generation of games and experiences in our award-winning sci-fi universe.  

Do you love competitive multiplayer games and understand how to design and implement modern matchmaking and social systems? Do you understand online games and player social dynamics? Do you collaborate with cross-discipline teams to drive connected, cohesive multiplayer experiences from great UXUI to underlying systems? If so, the Halo team would love to speak with you about becoming our next Senior Matchmaking and Social Systems Designer!  

Roles at our studio are flexible, and you can work from home up to two days a week in this role.  

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.  

Responsibilities

• Create cross-platform Xbox and PC social and matchmaking experiences that feel native to each platform and that emphasize the value of the player journey as well as fairness in each experience  

• Model and validate target ranking and skill experiences.  This includes the creation of formulas and mathematical estimations in spreadsheets along with developing interactive prototypes with partner teams.  

• Deliver and update world class multiplayer experiences that keep players connected and safe including voice chat, parties, and multiplayer lobbies with a community first approach  

• Design, validate, and iterate on online multiplayer systems in partnership with UXUI, engineering, design, production, community, user research, analytics, business, marketing, and insights teams  

• Articulate, document, and present key pillars and philosophies around relevant competitive multiplayer game system design trends and recommend ways to evolve Halo's systems while embracing the best elements of the franchise  

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with all development disciplines to ensure a world-class industry production process that avoids silos and reinforces a unified product vision.  

• Set clear design goals and deliverables, focusing on achieving a high-quality, cohesive experience for all players, on all platforms.  

• Create clear design documentation and review design team documentation for creative alignment, consistency, and completeness.  

• Be a partner with cross-disciplinary performance, user research, community, support, insights, and marketing teams to deliver high quality game systems that drive player excitement and engagement for the long run.  

• Be a consistent source of clarity, positive energy and an exemplar of Microsoft and Xbox values  

Qualifications

Required qualifications:  

• Associate's Degree in Computer Science, Art, Writing, Behavioral Science, Game Design, or related field AND 6+ years experience in game development and design, systems design, content production, or related field

  o OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Art, Writing, Behav