Director of Game Design - Chicago

Iron Galaxy Studios is a well-established independent game developer who has partnered with the titans of our industry to ship more high-caliber games than any other indie developer. Our best known creative works are, the critically acclaimed Killer Instinct, and Divekick; which are complimented by our technically superb Fornite and Skyrim switch ports. We are looking for an inspiring self-starter to join our Iron Galaxy family and embrace the leadership role of Director of Game Design.

As the Director of Game Design, you will be entrusted with articulating the teams’ creative visions, both internally and externally, from concept to fruition. We need a designer who leads by example, fosters teamwork, and demonstrates excellent communication skills. You must thrive in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects at a time. A portfolio demonstrating strong design skills and extensive experience working across disciplines with engineers, artists, and producers, is a must.
 

Responsibilities

• Manage, mentor, and be an advocate for the design team
• Understand and develop the skills of each individual designer within the organization
• Provide open and honest feedback while being sensitive to an individual’s creative work
• Oversee hiring, training, and development for the design team
• Mitigate and resolve conflict, both from external and internal forces affecting team dynamic, deliverables, vision, and/or quality of work
• Collaboratively work on an idea and transform it into a compelling product roadmap or pitch
• Produce design visualizations to convey the intended game experience and align the team with the vision
• Evaluate and implement a repeatable design process
• Clearly articulate the vision and/or design of the product to external partners
• Translate the “big picture vision” into manageable and executable goals and deliverables
• Evangelize the creative process and empower others in the company to participate
• Deliver design ideas and experiences across multiple platforms (PC, Console, Mobile) on time and in scope
• Hands-on design: Collaborate to develop wireframes and prototypes
• Reports directly to COO

Requirements

• 10+ years of professional experience designing games
• 5+ years in a lead or management role
• Led Design of at least 3 AAA games
• Excellent interpersonal and motivational skills
• Ability to work well and create consensus within a larger design team
• Outstanding communication/presentation skills that sells the vision to fellow team members, product management, and external partners
• Ability to adapt quickly to change
• Highly organized and detail focused with great time management skills
• Hands-on experience in Unreal Engine 4/Unity a plus

Benefits of joining Iron Galaxy

• Medical Plans (2 choices available)
  • Iron Galaxy pays 85% - 100% of premiums
• Dental Plan
  • Iron Galaxy pays 100% of premiums
• Vision Plan
  • Iron Galaxy pays 100% of premiums
• 401k Savings Plan
  • Iron Galaxy matches 100% to 4% with a max match of 5%
• Life Insurance
  • Iron Galaxy covers premiums for $50k in coverage for all employees
  • Additional individual, spouse, and dependent life insurance options available for employee purchase
• Paid Time Off
  • Up to 15 days per year
• Paid Holidays
  • Up to 10 days per year
• Maternity Leave
  • 40 days at 100% then 20 days at 70%         
• Paternity Leave
  • Up to 15 days
• Voluntary Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Flourish in a culture that promotes a healthy Work-Life Balance
• Work alongside intelligent, passionate, and hard-working individuals