Principal Systems Designer (Metagame) - Unannouced Project London, UK

Applied Intuition Inc.; City of London; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading gaming company in London is seeking a Principal Systems Designer to oversee the development of engaging meta-features for a new mobile game. This role involves close collaboration with the development team, designing major game systems, and utilizing data-driven solutions. Ideal candidates will have metagame design experience in the free-to-play market and a strong grasp of performance analytics. The position offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and a hybrid work model.

Benefits

Competitive salary and annual bonus

Fully paid maternity/adoption leave

Private medical and dental insurance

Mental health support programs

Fitness reimbursement plan

Qualifications

• Experience as a metagame designer in the free-to-play market.
• Strong understanding of key performance indicators and analytics.
• Ability to define data-structures and tuning parameters.

Responsibilities

• Identify features supporting game success and shape roadmap strategy.
• Design major game systems integrating KPI and design goals.
• Communicate your designs clearly to project leads.

Skills

Metagame design experience

Collaboration with stakeholders

Data-driven solution development

Job description

Principal Systems Designer (Metagame) - Unannounced Project

London, UK

Who We Are:

At NaturalMotion, we make games that wow people. We innovate to create previously impossible experiences that would not exist without us. We take pride in making titles that reach a large audience and creating communities that last. Our commitment to excellence has earned us recognition as one of the UK's Best Places to Work in games for eight consecutive years bygamesindustry.biz, and we're proud to be part of the Zynga and Take‑Two Interactive family.

Position Overview

We are looking for an experienced metagame designer to join us at NaturalMotion/Zynga to help build a new, unannounced mobile free‑to‑play action game. As a Principal Systems/Metagame Designer, you will oversee the development of meta‑features and systems that will excite and engage our players, and help define the game’s design in close collaboration with the development team.

In this function, you will be tasked with helping to design individual features, as well overseeing the harmonious integration of new systems within the existing framework of the game. Your experience on past projects will allow you to clearly articulate feature designs that are extensible, tunable, and live‑ops ready. Finally, as a Principal Metagame Designer, you will support and guide other team members to develop better understanding of metagame design expertise so that everyone can better understand the integration and impact of the design decisions you make.

We embrace a hybrid work environment. Within this role you will work 2 days per week in our London office and the remaining days at home.

What You’ll Do

• Working closely with the development team, as well as product and analytics stakeholders to identify features that will support and grow the success of the game, helping shape roadmap strategy and prioritization.
• Creating design and getting buy‑in for major game systems that marry KPI and design goals, while accounting for interactions with existing features and the game’s economy.
• Clearly present and communicate your designs to project leads and members of the development team.
• Developing extensible and data‑driven solutions that can be easily operated in a live‑ops environment.

What You Bring

• Experience as a metagame designer in the free‑to‑play market, preferably from the mobile gaming industry.
• Experience designing for a live‑ops game with a strong understanding of key performance indicators and analytics.
• Experience in creating deep meta‑systems with the ability to define data‑structures and tuning parameters.
• Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with stakeholders across multiple disciplines, including the development team, analytics, product

Bonus Points

• Working within a live‑ops environment; collaborating with analytics to understand user behaviour and react to live data.
• Experience working with action‑oriented mid‑core titles.

What We Offer You

• Competitive salary and discretionary annual bonus scheme
• 6 months fully paid maternity/adoption leave and 16 weeks fully paid paternity leave (eligibility criteria applies)
• Pension plan, with a double matching employer contribution
• Private medical & dental insurance and healthcare cash plan
• Life insurance, personal accident insurance and income protection
• Mental health and neurodiversity support programs
• Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan (eligibility criteria applies)
• Fitness reimbursement plan, worth £600 per annum
• Weekly happy hours, seasonal parties and monthly social events
• Annual rail season ticket advance and cycle to work scheme

#LI-Hybrid

#LI-NH3

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, which means we are committed to creating and celebrating diverse thoughts, cultures, and backgrounds throughout our organization. Employment with us is based on substantive ability, objective qualifications, and work ethic – not an individual’s race, creed, color, religion, sex or gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, alienage or citizenship status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, status as a victim of domestic violence or sex offenses, reproductive health decision, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to providing the necessary support and accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities, health conditions, or impairments (subject to any local qualifying requirements) to ensure their full participation in the job application or interview process. Please contact us at [e-mail] to request any accommodations or for support related to your application for an open position.