Blackbird Interactive
·Game Development
Design Director
About this role
Blackbird Interactive seeks a Design Director to lead creative vision for a narrative-driven investigative storytelling game. You'll define and champion narrative, characters, gameplay, and world design while mentoring a small team in a remote-first studio. Requires 10+ years game dev experience with 5+ years in creative leadership and hands-on Unreal Engine 5 expertise.
Must have
At least 10 years of experience in game development including 5 years in creative leadership or senior design role
Hands-on experience developing content in Unreal Engine 5 with confidence using in-engine tools and workflows
Experience shipping at least one narrative-driven or creatively ambitious game with significant creative responsibility
Strong understanding of interactive storytelling narrative pacing player agency and gameplay presentation integration
Proven ability to provide creative direction review content and maintain quality across multidisciplinary team
Strong communication and collaboration skills to align design narrative engineering art audio and production
Comfortable contributing hands-on to writing narrative implementation game design prototyping or content development
Technologies
Responsibilities
Partner with project leadership and publishing stakeholders to define reinforce and execute creative vision across all disciplines
Lead development of narrative characters investigative gameplay and environmental storytelling for cohesive player experience
Lead mentor and support design team fostering culture of quality collaboration and accountability
Collaborate with engineering art audio and production to establish workflows drive implementation and maintain alignment
Provide clear creative direction and feedback translating high-level vision into polished shippable content
Identify creative risks narrative gaps and production challenges early balancing ambition with scope schedule and constraints
Contribute hands-on to writing narrative implementation game design prototyping and content development as needed
Benefits
Recruitment process
Creative-fueled future-driven independent game studio working on world-class IPs and original creations
Remote-first workplace offering flexible work arrangements
Role blends hands-on design sensibility with creative leadership on small development team
Project is a narrative-driven investigative storytelling game in crime fiction genre
Candidates must be legally eligible to work in Canada and reside within Canada