Experienced Technical Designer (Systems & Progression)

Job type: Fixed term contract - 4 Months

Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £27,500 to £35,000 FTE, pro-rata for 4 month contract

Location: Fully remote, UK-based

Reporting to: Project Lead

About us

Cross Key Games is a new independent studio based in the UK. We create distinctive, systems driven games with strong player ownership and our ambition is to build memorable original IP.

The project

This is a hands-on prototype project with a short development schedule. We’re looking for an experienced designer who can hit the ground running, work independently, collaborate closely with a small team, and turn ideas into playable results quickly.

We have an early prototype and are looking to take its systems, combat and gameplay to the next stage.

This position will own the game’s systems, progression and player motivation loops. You’ll shape how the different gameplay systems connect, including progression, rewards, goals and the broader loops that give players reasons to engage and keep playing.

Core Responsibilities

• Own the design of game systems, progression and player motivation loops, ensuring the different parts of the game work together cohesively.
• Design and iterate on progression, rewards, goals and meta-systems that give players meaningful reasons to engage and continue playing.
• Build and iterate directly in Unreal Engine 5 using Blueprints, turning systems and progression ideas into playable prototypes.
• Define how systems interact with and reinforce the player, combat and moment-to-moment experience.
• Work closely within a small dev team to create a cohesive gameplay loop from moment-to-moment action through to longer-term progression.

Skills and experience we're looking for

• 2+ years of relevant game development experience, or equivalent demonstrable experience.
• Strong, demonstrable hands-on Unreal Engine 5 and Blueprint skills.
• Proficient with Git and GitHub, including branching, pull requests, resolving merge conflicts and collaborating effectively on an Unreal Engine project.
• Experience designing and prototyping gameplay systems, progression, rewards and player motivation loops.
• Strong understanding of how systems interact, including progression, player goals, rewards, resources and moment-to-moment gameplay.
• Experience owning systems from initial design through implementation, playtesting and iteration.
• Ability to work independently and deliver playable iterations on a short development schedule.
• Comfortable working with placeholder assets and finding pragmatic solutions for rapid prototyping.
• A portfolio demonstrating gameplay systems, progression or economy design, with your individual contribution clearly identified.

Bonus points if you have

• C++ literacy or experience
• Experience developing action RPGs, character-action games, or magic games

We don’t expect anyone to match every line. If the role excites you and you can demonstrate strong relevant experience, we’d love to hear from you

What working with us looks like

• Fully remote, anywhere in the UK
• Flexible working hours
• A hands on prototype where your work has a visible impact
• 4 month fixed term contract employment through Cross Key Games Ltd
• Pension and statutory employment entitlements provided in line with your contract and UK requirements

How to apply

Submit your application and CV through the link below and, where relevant, a link to your portfolio.

Your set-up

You'll need your own PC capable of running Unreal Engine 5 and a reliable high speed internet connection.

Right to work

This role is open to candidates who already have the unrestricted right to work in the UK for the full duration of the contract. Cross Key Games is a newly launched small studio and we are not able to sponsor visas or fund immigration costs. You will also need to be based in the UK and working from the UK throughout.

We ask every candidate to confirm this at application and we do this for everyone, regardless of where they are from.