Job Description

Niantic Labs, creator of Ingress and Pokémon GO, is seeking a Systems Game Designer to help build compelling gameplay experiences that delight and engage our players. We’re a fast-moving, multi-disciplinary team of software developers and creative professionals based in San Francisco, Seattle and Tokyo. You will be responsible for crafting game mechanics and systems for new features within Pokémon Go, helping merge the virtual with the real world and inspiring people to explore the world, together.

Responsibilities

• Concept, define, test, and tune game mechanics for new features and improvements to existing features in Pokémon GO. We are specifically looking to identify designers to work on the following teams: Maps/Explore, AR, Pokemon Lifecycle and Store.
• Create one-page designs, feature drafts and game design process documentation.
• Communicate game system concepts, implementation processes, risks, and interactions.
• Create flexible, modular systems that will support a multitude of gameplay features.
• Contribute to roadmap planning by collaboratively identifying and pitching new game systems, content, and feature improvements to keep the game fresh and engaging for players.
• Collaborate with IP holders to ensure brand integrity.
• Partner with a cross-functional team of producers, designers, artists and engineers to prototype, implement, and iterate on features that will delight our players and further the overall creative vision of the product.
• Be available for on-call troubleshooting for game configuration issues.

Qualifications

• Extensive game development experience, completing implementation from concept to delivery.
• Experience with game balance and pacing in a free-to-play economic model.
• Expertise with spreadsheets and in manipulating, summarizing, and maintaining large data sets.
• Proficiency in Unity game development.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Passion for video games; an avid gamer with a solid understanding of mobile games.
• Strong knowledge base of Pokémon GO and the general Pokémon franchise.
• Have worked on a high profile game with a significant amount of daily active users.
• 3+ years designing digital games.

Plus If...

• Experience with prototyping data models.
• Proficiency in scripting or tools writing.
• Experience in other related fields such as user interface design, art, programming or sound.

Join the Niantic team!

Niantic is the world’s leading AR technology company, sparking creative and engaging journeys in the real world. Our products inspire outdoor exploration, exercise, and meaningful social interaction.

Originally formed at Google in 2011, we became an independent company in 2015 with a strong group of investors including Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and Alsop Louie Partners. Our current consumer titles include pioneering global-control game Ingress, record-breaking AR game Pokémon GO, and Pikmin Bloom. In November 2021, we launched our developer platform, Lightship, enabling creators to build immersive AR experiences around the globe.

Niantic is an Equal Opportunity employer. We believe that cultivating a workplace where our people are supported and included is essential to creating great products our community will love. Our mission emphasizes seeking and hiring diverse voices, including those who are traditionally underrepresented in the technology industry, and we consider this to be one of the most important values we hold close.

We're a hard-working, fun, and exciting group who value intellectual curiosity and a passion for problem-solving! We have growing offices located in San Francisco, Sunnyvale, Bellevue, Los Angeles, New York, London, Tokyo, Hamburg, and Zurich.