Senior Level Designer at Blackbirdinteractive

Blackbird Interactive is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent game studio where the best talent in the industry can find long-term careers to help grow their abilities while working on a wide range of projects, which encompass world-class IPs as well as our own creations across multiple genres. Our studio operates as a remote-first workplace, offering flexible work arrangements. At this time, we are only able to hire candidates who are legally eligible to work in Canada and reside within Canada. Responsibilities • Collaborate with systems design, quest design, art, engineering, and production to support and implement the established creative vision through level design • Design and own levels end-to-end, including concepting layouts, defining gameplay beats, pacing encounters, and guiding player flow • Create and iterate on 2D layouts and 3D blockouts, translating design intent into playable spaces • Implement levels directly using in-engine tools, scripting, and event systems to ensure functionality across a wide range of player behaviors • Work closely with other designers to integrate systems, AI, narrative, and encounters into cohesive gameplay experiences • Plan, implement, and refine combat encounters, traversal, and exploration within levels • Build and maintain level logic, scripting, and state-based events to support progression, pacing, and player interaction • Test, debug, and iterate on levels regularly, identifying gameplay, readability, and technical issues • Provide clear, constructive feedback on the work of other designers, helping maintain quality and consistency across the project • Mentor and support junior designers, helping them grow their skills, improve their work, and navigate development challenges • Anticipate dependencies and risks, working with production and cross-discipline partners to ensure smooth delivery Requirements • A minimum of 8 years of experience contributing to game development, with a strong focus on level design within complex games • Experience shipping multiple titles, including at least one AAA project in a level design role • Proven ability to own level content from concept through final implementation and polish • Experience mentoring or supporting junior designers, including providing feedback and guidance on their work • Strong understanding of level design fundamentals, including layout, pacing, player guidance, combat design, and environmental storytelling • Comfort working independently on features, managing tasks, iterating on feedback, and solving design and implementation challenges in a dynamic production environment • Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work closely across design, engineering, art, audio, and production • Familiarity with in-engine tools, scripting concepts, and state-driven systems, with confidence in implementing and debugging level content directly in-game Pluses • A strong interest in hands-on level implementation, including scripting, encounter setup, and gameplay integration • Appreciation for systems-driven RPGs or open-world games, and how level design supports exploration, player choice, and emergent gameplay • Passion for science fiction worlds, especially those focused on scale, discovery, and environmental storytelling • Interest in readability, usability, and player guidance, and how UI, VFX, lighting, and audio reinforce level design • Enjoyment of refining spaces through iteration, playtesting, and polish to improve player experience • Curiosity about how level design, systems, and narrative come together to create cohesive, memorable gameplay experiences