PlayStation Global - Associate Game Designer, Technical

Game Designer is needed in Santa Monica, United States.

Client: PlayStation Global

Location: Santa Monica, CA

Contract: Temporary

Job Description

This position is for temporary engagement through our staffing partner, Yoh Enterprise Solutions. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for this position. This is a hybrid / onsite position. For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered and a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5, with the latter available for the first time on PC. Currently, we’re working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and The Last of Us Part II Remastered for PC. The role includes prototyping gameplay using in-house tools and scripting language, ranging from combat encounters to narrative sequences. Candidates should be self-motivated, proactive designers who enjoy creating unique experiences and can combine technical and creative skills while iterating rapidly.

Requirements

What you will do:

• Prototyping, implementing, and owning gameplay scenarios, narrative sequences, interactive objects, and AI behaviors.
• Collaborating with the Design team to conceptualize, prototype, implement, tune, and balance gameplay mechanics and systems.
• Communicating with animation, programming, and art departments to effectively produce the assets and code support required for your areas.
• Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed.

What skills will you use:

• Significant programming ability (Computer Science undergraduate degree preferred).
• Knowledge of 3D math.
• Experience with C++, C#, Lua, or other scripting languages.
• Broad understanding of gaming landscape.
• Self-starter with excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Willingness to take design direction when offered, brainstorm, iterate, and come up with fun and creative solutions.
• Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed.

Bonus Skills:

• Experience developing third-person action games.
• Experience with 3D level editors.
• Understanding of narrative principles and conveying emotion through gameplay.
• Experience with the following areas of design:
• Behavior Trees
• Melee
• Combat Systems
• Character animation
• Enemy & boss design

As part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates should expect to be given a technical interview.

Additional Information

The estimated base pay range for this role is an hourly rate of $37—$50 USD. At SIE, several factors are considered when setting each role’s base pay range, including competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location. Note that the individual base pay may vary based on job-related factors, including knowledge, skills, experience, and location. This role is eligible for benefit offerings that include medical, dental, and vision.

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees, which may include criminal background checks for some roles, and will need to process personal information to support these checks. Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.