Systems Designer (Contract) United States, Los Angeles, CA

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 PlayStation5, PlayStation4, PlayStationVR, PlayStationPlus, 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 Corporation.

Join the award-winning team that created God of War

Santa Monica Studio is seeking a Systems Designer for the development of a new unannounced title!

This individual will work side by side with our Level Design, Combat Design, UI, and Engineering teams, designing and implementing innovative and ambitious game content.

As a Systems Designer, you must possess the ability to effectively collaborate with design, art, and engineering to creatively solve challenging technical problems. You have a passion for shaping an engaging player experience, a blend of creative and technical skills and experience, and have worked on AAA console titles. Help us create amazing world leading games that will set the PS5 apart from the rest!

Responsibilities

• Design and implement gameplay systems (mechanics, traversal, progression, etc.)
• Design and implement level mechanics, in collaboration with the Technical Design and Level Design teams
• Provide team-facing documentation to inform and guide the work of downstream groups
• Participate in planning a roadmap to completion for the systems for which you’re responsible
• Guide the tuning and pacing of the player experience and contribute to defining the tools and pipeline required to do so
• Execute clean and robust implementation of gameplay systems
• Provide thoughtfully and thoroughly considered systematic implementation of reward mechanisms and mechanics
• Understand, interpret, and execute on creative direction, in alignment with project goals
• Playtest and tune gameplay using feedback to inform iteration and quality

Requirements

• Experience using a text-based or visual scripting language
• Ability to learn, understand, and work with code-based proprietary tools to implement and troubleshoot gameplay systems
• Strong written communication skills and the ability to convey abstract concepts
• Ability to think logically and with preference to detail
• Knowledge of competitive products and a variety of gameplay genres, as well as a personal understanding of what makes video games fun
• 2 years in a Gameplay or Systems Design role on a video game project

Preferred Experience

• Experience with Maya is a plus
• Expertise working on action games or action RPGs preferred
• Completion of at least one full AAA development cycle is preferred