Salary: Competitive
Location: Dublin
Contact: dublinjobs@popcap.com or direct submission through popcap.com
 
 
Summary:  An experienced game designer tasked with working with a small, professional development team, looking for the challenge of adapting existing titles and creating brand spin offs, with the ability of moving the studio  to original IP development on a variety of handheld, mobile and social platforms.
 

Responsibilities:

•        Deliver innovative and engaging designs within the scope of the original IP, the technical limitations of the target platform and the constraints of the project schedule, all the while maintaining PopCap’s standard of quality.
•        Manage a title through its whole life cycle from high concept and complete GDD, to final reference builds.
•        Retain core game balancing and overall game experience values in the adapted titles.
•        Create mock-ups and prototypes of game play mechanics, menus and user interfaces.
•        Clear and concise game design communication and with team members, brand champions, and senior management.
•        Consider broad, long-term design strategies beyond individual products or platforms.
•        Build excitement about the game throughout production to the wider PopCap community.
•         Ability to use constructive feedback through review process and ability to update design based on these internal and external reviews.
•         Strong ability to work with review teams, make design updates as needed to attain approval at each milestone in a timely fashion.
•        Provide and accept critique in a fair, balanced and constructive manner.
•        Remain current on industry trends, new genres and interesting game design methods and techniques
•        Extending IP to take advantage of platform technologies eg Multi-player, Facebook etc
•        Driving the mobile studio to unique IP development.
 
Required Skills/Personal Requirements:

•         8+ years working in Games industry (preferably casual/mobile games) in applicable functions.
•         Hands-on design experience working on ‘AAA’ brands or titles.
•         Excellent analytical, facilitation and organizational skills, with a strong command of written and verbal English.
•         Work closely with artists, producers, programmers and QA to create a feasible design. Must work well in a closely knit team environment.
•         Proven ability to write detailed technical design documentation and maintain it throughout the development cycle.
•         Observe and analyze user testing and recommend design solutions.
•         Able to both conceptualize and implement game ideas using various tools and technology.
•         Good knowledge of handheld and mobile devices, their limitations and capabilities.
•         Broad knowledge of the casual games industry.
•         Provide insight and counterpoint to your peers.
•         Be disciplined, self managed and motivated.
•         Able to multitask and be flexible about changing role requirements.
 
Advantageous:

•         Knowledge of audio file formats and sound editing software.
•         Knowledge of artistic and animation techniques and graphics editing software.
•         Familiarity with programming language basics.
•         Familiarity with basic project management and associated software.
•         Creative writing skills.
 

Education and/or Certifications:

•         Bachelors Degree or Equivalent preferred but not essential. Past Experience will be taken into account.