Cloud Imperium Games
Systems Designer
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Systems Designer
Systems Designer – Persistent Universe at Cloud Imperium Games (CIG)
We’re a crowdfunded company building the "Best Damn Space Sim Ever" and proudly-backed by an enthusiastic community. We seek exceptional diverse talent and innovation to shape the future of gaming.
Join Cloud Imperium Games, the studio behind Star Citizen, in Manchester, UK. As a Systems Designer, you’ll shape the fundamentals of a persistent universe and deliver features that define the Star Citizen experience.
About the Role: Systems Designer
Reporting to the Lead Designer and collaborating with Creative Directors, you’ll:
- Lead the design of major gameplay systems and mechanics.
- Own feature concepts from vision to prototype to implementation.
- Balance input, data-driven design, and creative vision to deliver engaging, immersive systems.
- Be part of the Persistent Universe feature team— directly influencing how players interact in the game.
Key Responsibilities
Systems & Gameplay Design
- Collaborate across departments (Development, Art, Animation, UI/UX) to iterate on and create compelling game systems.
- Define the rules, intentions, and feedback loops of game mechanics—ensuring coherence and depth.
- Translate design intent into clear documentation for stakeholders, developers, and testers.
- Balance systems continuously using analytics tools, player feedback, and playtesting data to maintain integrity and excitement.
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Prototyping & Storytelling
- Rapidly prototype systems, mechanics, and features using available tools/art/assets to prove their gameplay merits.
- Identify current and future trends in gameplay mechanics that align with Star Citizen’s vision.
- Develop visual or text-based script/programming-based concepts to explain complex interactions effectively.
Communication & Collaboration
- Bridge creative visions across different technical and artistic disciplines with clarity.
- Effectively mediums: documenting for future reference, verbally proposing ideas, and codifying feedback-loops for developers.
What We’re Looking For
Required Experience & Skills
✔ Strong industry experience in systems/frameworks design, ideally owning major scope with measurable outcomes. ✔ Portfolio or portfolio definition—personal or professional work* where you have successfully prototyped high-impact gameplay elements. ✔ Expectation: Previous work in games, simulations, and live-service titles is a strong indicator of a mix of quality, patience, and adaptability. ✔ Hands-on understanding of game design fundamentals: controls, UI/UX, balancing, testing, scripting (C#/LUA/BRDF recommended if you have exposure). ✔ Capable wheeler-dealer: proactive at self-managing but collaborative in scaling with large teams.
Soft Skills
✔ Relentless enthusiasm as you work on what is currently the largest (go-to) space sim in the West. ✔ Affinity for Sci-Fi—fan culture acknowledges narrative and world craft, giving vibes before lifting a quill. ✔ Ability to articulate evocative ambiguity with both technical (code/comment substrings) and narrative clarity. ✔ Communicator extraordinaire: Clear involving writers are less exhausting and work around obstacles to identify useful goals.
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Take This Chance
Come be a player-activator. Create database-driven and skill-presentation features that will define how hundreds of thousands ofгда players react to each other. Leave your mark on the Star Citizen Universe.
Diversity Statement
CIG is a global and gender-neutral company, fired with passion for creating a culture where diverse backgrounds, lifestyles, and perspectives enrich our world. We are committed to building a team that represents the vibrant spectrum of society and is acutely aware of how our differences inspire.
Fraud Statement
We kindly but strictly remind you that CIG will not offer jobs via irregular means—no fake websites, unsolicited personal information requests, or payment requests on websites stored under subdomains, social media channels or private apps.
We need you to feel comfortable reaching out to us! Never share personal details like IDs, bank accounts or apologies via private channels. Ethically scrupulous, it is our only protocol.
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