Senior Machine Gameplay Designer


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Overview

Guerrilla, the Amsterdam-based PlayStation studio behind Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West, is looking for an experienced designer to help create the next generation of machines for the world of Horizon. 

In this role, you will join a small, but profoundly impactful, team within Guerrilla that ‘owns’ machines from idea/concept to final deliverable. To be considered a candidate for this position, we expect you to excel in equal measure in technical integration skills, in creating detailed and cohesive design documentation and in wild creativity.

What you will do

As a Senior Machine Gameplay Designer at Guerrilla, we will look to you to help us:

  • Create new Machines from initial concept to final in-game asset
  • Gather reference materials and design visual concepts 
  • Oversee the production of various components with multiple teams (modeling, animation, VFX, AI, etc.)
  • Integrate and assemble the components into the final machines
  • Balance gameplay at various stages of production
  • Design, develop and update various combat systems in the game, such as damage types and hit reactions
  • Analyze player and developer feedback and integrate creative solutions
  • Work within a team – mentor and train other designers, while also receiving critical feedback of your own work
  • Collaborate with World and Quest designers to fully realize the robots' place in the game

Who you are

To be considered for this role, we expect you to have:

  • At least 5 years of experience in game or combat design, with at least 1 shipped AAA game you were heavily involved in from a game/combat design perspective
  • A body of work that showcases your ability to convert creative ideas into unforgettable enemies, addictive mechanics and explosive set-pieces for projects similar in quality to ours
  • Experience writing design documents that are used across numerous disciplines
  • Exemplary detail orientation – you dot your i’s and cross your t's without fail
  • A high level of technical understanding and experience - you should be comfortable with complex systems and setups in programs such as Unreal or Unity. Experience setting up game entities and characters is a big plus, but complex level scripting is also sufficient
  • Level design experience, and particularly combat encounter design experience is a plus

Please note: Our vacancies are based on-site, in our studio in the heart of beautiful Amsterdam. For qualified candidates, we offer visa, permit, relocation and immigration support. Depending on the role, we offer hybrid work models allowing our employees to work from home one or more days per week.

Interested?

If you think you’re up for the challenge, you can apply by hitting the “apply now” button. Be sure to submit your CV, a cover/motivation letter and a link to/PDF of your portfolio. 

Guerrilla Games respects your privacy. In order to ensure that we comply with the European Union's GDPR regulations, we are asking anyone affiliated with the EU to actively consent to us considering them for a position at Guerrilla Games.

Frequently asked questions

 

Q: Does Guerrilla offer remote positions?

A: Unless stated otherwise, our vacancies are based on-site, in our studio in Amsterdam. For qualified candidates, we offer visa, permit, relocation and immigration support. Depending on role, we do offer hybrid work models allowing our employees to work from home one or more days per week.

Q: I don't have any work examples. Can I still apply for a job?
A: It's essential that you can prove to us that you have the necessary skills for the job. Rushing into an application without supplying the required materials won't leave a good impression. In general, it's a good idea to put together an excellent portfolio before you start applying for jobs.  

Q: I have no experience in the games industry. Can I still get a job with you?
A: Games industry experience is certainly a bonus, but it's not always necessary. It's important to put together an excellent portfolio that demonstrates your skills and your understanding of the game development process.  

Q: I applied for a job with you, but I haven’t heard back. What happens now?
A: We aim to respond to all applications within three weeks. Due to the volume of requests, this sometimes takes a little longer. If you have not heard from us within three weeks, your application was most likely unsuccessful.  

Q: How can I arrange a job interview with you?
A: We receive so many applications that we are only able to arrange interviews with the most suitable candidates. It's important that your application stands out from the crowd. Go ahead, impress us!  

Q: I'm considering working at Guerrilla in the future. Is it possible for me to come for a tour of the studio?
A: Because of the confidential nature of the projects that we are working on, we cannot allow visitors into the studio. The most impressive job applicants will be invited for an interview, and will have an opportunity to visit some of the development areas.  

 

Q: I'm a university student looking for a company that can help me with a (master) thesis assignment. Can we arrange a meeting to look at the different possibilities?
A:We like to help out with university level assignments when we can! However, due to time constraints and deadlines this isn't always possible. Please send a brief e-mail outlining the aims of your assignment and what input you would need from us. We'll let you know if we are able to help you.  

Q: I'm a high school student and I have to do a school assignment on media and entertainment. Can I make an appointment for an interview with one of your employees to discuss this?
A: Due to the sheer number of requests we receive, we regret that we are unable to participate in interviews with school students.  

Q: I have a great idea for a game. How can I submit it to you?
A: All of our game concepts are developed by our internal designers, in conjunction with our publishers. It is company policy not to accept game concepts from third parties.  

Q: I'm still in school and I want to get a job in games in the future. What kind of education and skills do I need to achieve this goal? Can you provide me with information on the schools that teach this discipline?
A: The skills required to work in the games industry are very broad, as there are many areas in which you can work. In development there are roles in art, animation, programming, design, and project management. Other industry roles include sales, marketing, PR, and testing. The most important thing is to get an education in subjects that you enjoy and that you are good at. Your career adviser should be able to give you guidance as to which careers are suitable for an individual with your particular skills.  

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