Blackbird Interactive

Senior Systems Designer – 12-month Contract

Blackbird Interactive

contract

Posted on:

Location Type: Remote

Location: Canada

Visit company website

Explore more

✨ AI Apply
Apply

Salary

💰 CA$95,000 - CA$115,000 per year

Job Level

Senior

About the role

  • Collaborate with level design, quest design, art, engineering, and production to support and implement the established creative vision through gameplay systems.
  • Design and implement systemic gameplay features such as progression mechanics, combat systems, AI interactions, exploration mechanics, or simulation-driven content.
  • Own systems end-to-end, including defining rules, variables, tuning parameters, failure states, and player-facing feedback.
  • Implement systems directly using in-engine tools and scripting workflows, ensuring features function reliably across a wide range of player behaviors and edge cases.
  • Work closely with other designers to ensure systems integrate smoothly into environments, encounters, and moment-to-moment gameplay.
  • Build and maintain system logic, data structures, and state-driven behavior that interact correctly with other gameplay systems.
  • Test, debug, and iterate on systems regularly, identifying balance issues, usability problems, and technical edge cases.
  • Respond constructively to feedback from design leadership, engineering, and production, making adjustments to improve clarity, balance, performance, and player experience.
  • Maintain a strong understanding of interconnected gameplay systems and anticipate how changes in one area may impact others.

Requirements

  • A minimum of 8 years of experience contributing to game development, with a strong focus on systems or gameplay design within complex games.
  • Experience shipping at least one systems-heavy title, ideally within the RPG or open-world space.
  • Comfort working independently on features, managing tasks, iterating on feedback, and solving design and implementation challenges in a dynamic production environment.
  • Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work closely with designers, engineers, artists, audio, and production partners.
  • Familiarity with logic-driven tools, scripting concepts, and state-based systems, and confidence implementing, debugging, and tuning gameplay systems directly in-game.
Benefits
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Four-day work week
  • Remote within Canada
Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools
gameplay designsystemic gameplay featuresprogression mechanicscombat systemsAI interactionsexploration mechanicssimulation-driven contentdebuggingtuning parametersdata structures
Soft Skills
collaborationcommunicationindependent worktask managementiterating on feedbackproblem-solvingconstructive feedback responseanticipation of system impacts