Senior Content & Level Designer (m/f/d)

About DECA Games

We believe that games should be played for decades but many are abandoned even when a loyal community is screaming to keep them alive. DECA specializes in acquiring games from other developers and reinvigorating them to continue to entertain for decades. When other studios see an old game, we see a fantastic set of problems to solve and a huge opportunity.

DECA is a remote company with over 300 people in over 30 countries globally. DECA is also a part of the Embracer Group, the largest public gaming company in Europe.

About our culture

We’ve managed to maintain a small company feel with the stability and resources of a much larger one. We fully believe in the flexibility of a remote workplace. Team members are trusted to manage their time and get things done independently. We think that egos and politics need to be checked at the virtual door. That means no jerks are allowed, that no job is too small for anyone, and an openness to help and learn from each other is required. We love the challenge of working within constraints and love when we succeed as a team. Check out more about us and our values on our website (www.decagames.com).

This is a remote position. You can work from anywhere in the world in the CET timezone (9 a.m. - 6 p.m. CET).

About the role

We are looking for a Senior Game Designer focused on Content & Level Design to join our team and support us on our LiveOps-driven MMORPG. You will be directly responsible for ensuring the game encounters are engaging and designed to cater to the current community and needs of the title currently in LiveOps.

Responsibilities

• General design responsibilities with a focus on:
  • Develop game content such as Missions, Encounters, and Combat scenarios.
  • Prototyping, white boxing, and mocking up encounters.
  • Level Design in close collaboration with Narrative and System Designers.
  • Elevate the game’s narrative through fresh scenarios.
• Championing the game's vision together with the Lead Game Designer and the rest of the design team.
• Regularly follow up to ensure development is on schedule, advise alterations as necessary, and consult with quality assurance during play testing around the encounters designed.
• Design, develop, and implement game features and feature enhancements – with an emphasis on missions, retention, and mission rewards - from concept, and execution to shipping and updating encounters and missions according to the feedback from the community and product managers.
• Writing thorough and complete mission pitches and documentation.
• Communicating level designs clearly to other team members.
• Helping elevate junior staff.
• Analyzing user behavior from all available sources and aligning our design approach.
• Pitching solutions for core problems around the level design content in the game.
• Oversee design and implementation of missions, encounters, and combat scenarios.
• Liaise with the production team to prototype, implement, and refine new game features and create schedules.
• Operate autonomously and provide hands-on and verbal feedback to outsourcers where required.
• Understand consumer needs and ensure that the elements developed by the team will contribute to player satisfaction and enjoyment.
• Develop solutions that improve team efficiency and quality of work.
• Evaluate, tweak, and balance gameplay on a day-to-day basis.

Requirements

• 3-5 years of experience in games as a live service, ideally in a similar role.
• Shipped at least one successful game or steered an existing one back on track.
• Strong knowledge of game theory (player journey, gameplay, learning curve, creating emotion, difficulty balancing, rewards, etc.).
• A passion for MMORPGs and similar-styled games.
• High-level proficiency in the use of Jira, Confluence, Google Sheets, Microsoft Office, Balsamiq, or other mockup tools.
• High-level proficiency in the creation of mockups and wireframes.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong analytical thinking and ability to break down problems to their core.
• Assertive problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Speaking English at full professional proficiency.
• Experience in and passion for KPI-driven approaches and decision-making.
• High level of empathy and soft skills.
• Willingness to share knowledge and help empower others.
• Ability to spearhead motivation and positivity in a team.
• Ability to work fully remotely on a CET/CEST timezone and schedule.

Benefits

• Remote first company culture.
• Flexible work hours to support a personal work-life balance.
• Weekly remote Embodiment@Work breathing and workout exercises.
• Online language classes: English, German, French, Spanish etc.
• Working in a multicultural environment with people from over 30 different countries.
• Flat hierarchies with an open-door policy.