Senior Content Designer (Contract)

At ArenaNet, we’ve always believed that games are art. They have the power to communicate ideas and tell stories. They can change the way we think, reflect our cultures, and move us. As the developer of the award-winning Guild Wars game series, we’re proud to share our passion for the online worlds we’ve created with over 21 million players worldwide.

ArenaNet develops and publishes games for every kind of person, which means our games need to be built by every kind of person. We believe the best experiences come from working together, celebrating differences, and helping each of our team members shine.

We are looking for a Senior Content Designer (contract) to help define and implement high-quality gameplay content and systems for our upcoming project, Guild Wars 3. This is an advanced role where you’ll be asked to own complex iteration, work collaboratively with multiple disciplines, and establish and maintain quality and technical standards for our content.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Collaborate – Partner with Level Design, Technical Design, Narrative, Art, and Engineering to deliver cohesive and quality player-facing content.

• Plan – Work with Open World and Content Leads to support development timelines and goals for content completion.

• Implement - Use Unreal Engine 5 tools and scripting systems to build and iterate on gameplay experiences.

• Iterate – Work with Designers, Engineers, and Technical Designers to establish and perfect content delivery pipeline and tools.

• Listen - Participate in playtests and incorporate feedback to improve pacing, clarity, and player engagement.

• Polish - Iterate on content based on player feedback, internal playtests, and design reviews to ensure gameplay moments are polished, intuitive, and aligned with the overall player experience.

• Exemplify – Be an example for the team of the quality bar, how to work effectively within constraints, and how to be a professional within the industry

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL

• 5+ years of experience of game development with a focus on content design, quest design, or mission gameplay systems

• 1 or more AAA games shipped in a content focused role.

• Pre-production game design experience.

• Experience implementing gameplay content using Unreal Engine 5

• Strong understanding of narrative, encounter design, and mission flow

• Ability to implement and iterate content using engine tools, scripting systems, or visual scripting

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills when working with cross-disciplinary teams

This is a 1+ year remote-friendly contract, but we are currently prioritizing candidates who are local to the Bellevue, WA area and open to occasional onsite collaboration.

Applications will be accepted until Friday, November 13th at 10am PT. If the deadline is extended, the posting will be updated accordingly. If the position is filled before this date, the posting will be removed.

Pay Range: $53.54 - $80.29

This is an hourly contract role with overtime pay when applicable. While we share the full range for transparency, typical offers fall between the minimum and midpoint.

The role is benefits-eligible through our third-party employer, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and flexible/dependent care accounts.

Don’t meet every single requirement on this job post? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At ArenaNet, we believe diversity in culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and backgrounds make us a better team – we celebrate it. So, if you’re excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.