Game Design Director - Star Trek Fleet Command

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Game Design Director - Star Trek Fleet Command

Company: Scopely

Location: ES - Barcelona, Spain

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Game Design Leadership / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-14

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design vision and execution for content, systems, and economies within Star Trek Fleet Command, a successful 4X MMO.

• Drive the creative direction and standards for monthly content releases and ongoing player experiences, ensuring alignment with game vision and player needs.

• Mentor and manage a team of systems and economy designers, fostering a high-performance culture focused on people development and team engagement.

• Translate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and player feedback into actionable design direction for the development team.

• Own the content pipeline, guiding designers and live operations specialists in crafting compelling and engaging player experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the primary focus is game design, this role heavily intersects with Go-To-Market (GTM) operations by dictating the player experience, monetization loops, and retention strategies that directly impact revenue and player acquisition/retention metrics. The "Director" title implies strategic oversight and cross-functional leadership, common in GTM operations roles.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the design standards, direction, and player experience for Star Trek Fleet Command's content pipeline and ongoing live operations.

• Direct and mentor designers in systems and economy design, elevating the game's standards and crafting sophisticated player experiences.

• Guide design teams through the creative process, ensuring the delivery of the game's vision and meeting player and product requirements with precision.

• Foster a high-performance culture through effective leadership, people development, and team engagement within the design department.

• Shape the overall design process to consistently meet and exceed player expectations and quality standards.

• Collaborate with design leaders to strategize and evolve the game's economy for long-term health and player satisfaction.

• Partner with cross-functional teams (Product Managers, Analysts, Engineers) to implement innovative features that advance the genre and drive player engagement.

• Evaluate feature performance using data analysis, player feedback, and direct playtesting experience to inform design iterations.

• Design for scalability and long-term content extensibility, ensuring system health and maintainability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize strategic oversight of content and systems, which is crucial for GTM success. The focus on "design for scale" and "system health" directly relates to operational efficiency and long-term revenue sustainability, aligning with GTM operational principles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Game Design, Computer Science, or a related field is preferred, though equivalent practical experience in game design leadership will be considered.

Experience: 8+ years of experience designing systems or economies for live, Free-to-Play (F2P) games, with a strong preference for MMO, 4X, or strategy genres. Over 5 years of proven experience in game design leadership roles.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in F2P systems design and progression modeling for live games.

• Deep expertise and mastery of complex game economies within the F2P mobile market.

• Excellent leadership and team management skills, with a demonstrated ability to inspire, motivate, and develop design teams.

• Track record of delivering clear, consistent creative direction and constructive managerial feedback.

• Comprehensive understanding of all aspects of game design: concept, game progression, interface, monetization, and retention strategies.

• Ability to translate Key Performance Indicator (KPI) targets and data insights into clear design direction for development teams.

• Mastery of spreadsheet software (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets) for balancing power curves, pacing, and resource flow.

• Experience working cross-functionally and navigating the complexities of live production environments.

• A positive, thoughtful, and collaborative approach to game development and team collaboration. Preferred Skills:

• Deep understanding of the 4X genre, with specific experience in F2P 4X titles.

• Familiarity with SQL, scripting languages, or simulation tools for data analysis and modeling.

• Demonstrated love for the Star Trek franchise, sci-fi themes, or highly strategic social games.

• Previous work on alliance or co-op systems within large-scale multiplayer games.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on translating KPIs into design direction and managing complex economies highlights a strong connection to the business and revenue-generating aspects of game development, aligning with operations principles. The preferred skills in SQL and simulation tools further indicate a data-driven, operational mindset.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase of past game design leadership roles, detailing strategic contributions and team management achievements.

• Examples of complex F2P game economies designed or significantly influenced, with documentation on balancing, pacing, and player progression.

• Case studies demonstrating the design and implementation of core systems and content pipelines for live games, highlighting extensibility and scalability.

• Evidence of translating player data and KPIs into actionable design decisions and iterating based on performance metrics.

• Documentation of cross-functional collaboration and leadership in a live production environment, including examples of problem-solving and conflict resolution. Process Documentation:

• Workflow design and optimization examples for content creation and live operations processes, demonstrating efficiency improvements.

• Implementation and automation methods used to streamline design tasks or enhance player experiences.

• Measurement and performance analysis frameworks applied to game systems and content, showing how data informed design iterations and future planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio in this role is akin to an operations professional's process portfolio, showcasing the ability to design, implement, measure, and optimize complex systems that drive engagement and revenue. The focus on data translation and KPI impact is paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Game Design Director role with 10+ years of experience in a major European tech hub like Barcelona, the estimated annual salary range is €90,000 - €130,000. This estimate considers the extensive experience required, leadership responsibilities, and the specific market conditions in Spain for senior tech and gaming roles.

Benefits:

• Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance for eligible candidates, facilitating international moves to Barcelona.

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage for employees and dependents.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) policy, including vacation, sick leave, and public holidays.

• Opportunities for professional development, including conferences, workshops, and training programs.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses and stock options.

• Hybrid work model offering flexibility and work-life balance.

Working Hours: Standard full-time position, typically around 40 hours per week. While core hours are expected for team collaboration and critical deadlines, flexibility may be available within the hybrid work arrangement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on aggregated data from reputable compensation platforms (e.g., Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary) for senior game design roles in Western Europe, adjusted for Spain's cost of living and the specific demands of a director-level position in a successful mobile game studio. Benefits like visa sponsorship and relocation are critical for attracting international talent in operations and technical roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Mobile Gaming & Interactive Entertainment. Scopely is a leader in the mobile games market, known for its data-driven approach to game development, live operations, and player engagement, which has led to sustained success for titles like Star Trek Fleet Command.

Company Size: Over 1,000 employees globally. This size indicates a well-established organization with robust processes, dedicated departments for various functions (including operations, analytics, marketing), and significant resources for game development and live services.

Founded: 2011. Scopely has grown significantly since its founding, demonstrating a strong track record of innovation, strategic acquisitions, and sustained success in the highly competitive mobile gaming market. This longevity suggests a stable yet dynamic environment.

Team Structure:

• The Game Design team is likely structured with specialists in systems, economy, content, and live operations design, reporting up through the Game Design Director.

• This role will also collaborate closely with Product Management, Data Analysis, Engineering, Marketing, and Live Operations teams, requiring strong cross-functional partnership.

• Reporting directly to a senior executive (e.g., Head of Studio, VP of Product, or Head of Design), indicating a high level of strategic influence. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is central to Scopely's operations, with a strong emphasis on analyzing player behavior, KPIs, and market trends to inform design and operational strategies.

• Agile development methodologies are likely employed for iterative development and rapid deployment of new content and features.

• A focus on live operations and continuous improvement ensures ongoing player engagement and monetization optimization.

Company Website: https://www.scopely.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Scopely's focus on data, KPIs, and live operations aligns perfectly with the core principles of Revenue Operations and GTM Operations. This role is integral to ensuring the product itself is optimized for revenue and player retention, which is a key GTM function.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership position, equivalent to a Director-level role in Revenue Operations or GTM Operations. It involves strategic oversight, team management, cross-functional influence, and direct impact on business objectives (revenue, player retention, market share).

Reporting Structure: The Game Design Director will report to a higher-level executive within the game studio or company, likely overseeing multiple disciplines or the entire product's strategic direction. They will, in turn, manage a team of designers.

Operations Impact: The Game Design Director has a profound impact on the game's operational success by shaping the core player experience, monetization loops, and retention mechanics. Their decisions directly influence revenue generation, player lifetime value (LTV), acquisition costs (CAC), and overall market competitiveness.

Growth Opportunities:

• Advancement to VP-level positions within game design, product management, or studio leadership.

• Transition into broader operational leadership roles focused on product strategy and GTM execution across multiple titles.

• Opportunity to lead larger teams, more complex projects, or even new game development initiatives.

• Deepen expertise in specific areas like player psychology, monetization strategy, or advanced game economy simulation.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strategic mindset that bridges creative design with business outcomes, mirroring the responsibilities of senior operations leaders who optimize processes and systems for business growth.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment. This model combines in-office collaboration with remote flexibility, allowing for both structured team interaction and individual focused work.

Office Location(s): Barcelona, Spain. This vibrant city offers a strong tech talent pool and a desirable living environment. The office is likely equipped with modern amenities to support collaborative work and creative processes.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace will be designed to foster collaboration, with meeting rooms, breakout areas, and open-plan spaces to encourage interaction among design, product, and engineering teams.

• Access to industry-standard hardware, software, and internal tools necessary for game design, data analysis, and project management.

• Opportunities for informal interactions with colleagues across different departments, promoting a holistic understanding of the game development and operations lifecycle.

Work Schedule: A hybrid schedule typically involves a set number of days in the office per week (e.g., 2-3 days) for collaborative activities, with the remaining days allowing for remote work. This offers flexibility while ensuring essential in-person team synergy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature and focus on collaboration are key to modern GTM and operations environments, where balancing focused work with team alignment is critical for efficiency and innovation.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess general fit, experience, and interest in the role and company.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your experience, leadership style, and understanding of F2P game design, systems, and economies. Expect scenario-based questions.

• Design Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with potential direct reports and cross-functional peers (e.g., Product Managers, Lead Engineers) to evaluate collaboration skills, technical depth, and cultural fit.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A critical stage where you'll present a portfolio of your work, likely including case studies of successful game systems, economies, or content pipelines. You may also be asked to complete a design exercise or present on how you'd approach a specific challenge for Star Trek Fleet Command.

• Final Executive Interview: A conversation with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, leadership philosophy, and overall alignment with Scopely's goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by game title, role, or type of contribution (systems, economy, leadership). Clearly label each piece with its context, your role, and the impact.

• Case Studies: For each significant project, prepare a concise case study detailing the problem, your proposed solution (design), the implementation process, and the measurable results (KPIs, player feedback, revenue impact).

• Data & Metrics: Be ready to discuss the data that informed your designs and how you measured success. Quantify your achievements whenever possible (e.g., "Increased player retention by X%", "Optimized monetization loop to achieve Y% uplift in ARPDAU").

• Leadership Examples: Include examples of how you've led, mentored, and developed design teams, showcasing your ability to foster a high-performance culture.

• Tailoring: Highlight projects and skills most relevant to Star Trek Fleet Command's genre (4X MMO, F2P) and Scopely's data-driven approach.

Challenge Preparation:

• Genre Mastery: Refresh your knowledge of the 4X MMO genre, common mechanics, player motivations, and monetization strategies.

• Economy Balancing: Be prepared to discuss principles of balancing complex game economies, including resource sinks/faucets, pacing, and player progression.

• Systems Thinking: Practice articulating how different game systems interact and impact the overall player experience and business goals.

• Data Interpretation: Anticipate questions about how you would use data to diagnose issues or identify opportunities within Star Trek Fleet Command.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on data, KPIs, and measurable impact in the portfolio review and challenge preparation is directly transferable to operations roles. Candidates should frame their design achievements in terms of business outcomes, process optimization, and system efficiency.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Game Design Software: Expertise in industry-standard game design tools and engines (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine - though specific engine for STFC might be proprietary).

• Spreadsheets: Advanced proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets for complex economic modeling, balancing, and data analysis.

• Project Management Tools: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing design tasks, workflows, and team progress.

• Version Control: Understanding of systems like Git for managing design documents and assets collaboratively.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Game Analytics Platforms: Experience with specialized game analytics tools (e.g., deltaDNA, GameAnalytics, internal Scopely tools) for tracking player behavior, KPIs, and engagement metrics.

• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Proficiency with BI platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker) for creating dashboards and reports to visualize game performance and player data.

• Data Warehousing: Understanding of data warehousing concepts and how data is structured for analysis.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a direct CRM role, understanding how player data from CRM-like systems (e.g., player databases, customer support platforms) informs design is beneficial.

• Automation Tools: Familiarity with scripting (e.g., Python) or simulation tools to automate testing, balancing, or data analysis tasks.

• Communication Platforms: Tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams for team communication and collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools listed, particularly advanced spreadsheets, analytics platforms, and BI tools, are common in Revenue Operations and GTM Operations roles. The ability to leverage data and automation for efficiency and performance optimization is a shared requirement.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Data-Driven Excellence: A commitment to using data and analytics to inform all design and operational decisions, ensuring measurable impact and continuous improvement.

• Player-Centricity: A deep understanding of player motivations and a dedication to creating engaging, rewarding, and fair experiences that foster long-term loyalty.

• Collaboration & Transparency: An emphasis on open communication, cross-functional teamwork, and sharing knowledge to achieve collective goals.

• Innovation & Iteration: A proactive approach to exploring new ideas, experimenting with features, and continuously iterating based on performance and player feedback.

• Accountability & Ownership: Taking responsibility for design outcomes, embracing challenges, and driving projects to successful completion.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect close collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, Artists, Analysts, and Marketing teams, requiring strong communication and negotiation skills.

• Feedback Culture: An environment where constructive feedback is regularly exchanged to elevate the quality of design and game performance.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing best practices, lessons learned, and insights across teams to foster collective growth and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: These values—data-driven, player-centric, collaborative, innovative, and accountable—are foundational to successful GTM and Revenue Operations teams. They highlight the importance of a holistic approach to product and business success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Vision with Business Objectives: Effectively merging artistic design with the need to meet KPIs, drive monetization, and ensure player retention in a competitive F2P market.

• Managing a Large, Evolving Content Pipeline: Ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality content for a live game with millions of players, while maintaining system integrity and scalability.

• Leading and Mentoring Diverse Design Talent: Inspiring and guiding a team of designers with varying skill sets and experience levels, fostering their growth and maximizing team performance.

• Adapting to Market Trends and Player Feedback: Staying ahead of evolving player expectations and market dynamics in the fast-paced mobile gaming industry.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Monetization & Economy Design: Deepen expertise in sophisticated monetization strategies and complex economic systems through hands-on experience and internal knowledge sharing.

• Leadership & Management Training: Access to leadership development programs, executive coaching, and opportunities to hone people management skills.

• Industry Conferences & Networking: Opportunities to attend major gaming industry events, learn from peers, and stay abreast of the latest trends and technologies.

• Cross-Disciplinary Exposure: Gain insights into other operational areas such as product management, data science, and marketing to develop a more holistic understanding of GTM strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges and growth opportunities presented are typical for senior leadership roles that bridge creative execution with strategic business operations, requiring continuous learning and adaptation.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing a new content expansion for Star Trek Fleet Command that aims to increase player engagement by 15% and ARPDAU by 10%?" (Focus on process, data, and measurable outcomes).

• "Describe a time you had to balance a creative design vision with conflicting data or player feedback. What was your approach and the result?" (Highlight problem-solving, data interpretation, and communication).

• "How do you foster a collaborative and high-performance culture within a design team? Provide specific examples." (Demonstrate leadership and team management philosophy). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Star Trek Fleet Command and Scopely's approach to mobile gaming?" (Showcase research and genuine interest).

• "How do you see your role contributing to Scopely's overall mission of inspiring play and connecting millions of players?" (Align your contributions with company goals).

• "Describe your experience working in a data-driven organization. How do you ensure design decisions are supported by analytics?" (Emphasize operational mindset and data literacy). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation with a clear beginning (problem/goal), middle (your solution/process), and end (results/impact).

• Quantify Everything: For each project, present clear metrics and KPIs that demonstrate the success and business impact of your design work. Use charts and graphs where appropriate.

• Showcase Leadership: Highlight instances where you led teams, mentored designers, or drove strategic initiatives.

• Address Potential Challenges: Be prepared to discuss any challenges encountered during design and how you overcame them, showcasing resilience and problem-solving skills.

• Tailor to STFC: Whenever possible, draw parallels between your past work and the specific needs and challenges of Star Trek Fleet Command.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing for these questions involves framing design challenges and solutions through an operational lens, emphasizing strategy, data, process, and measurable business impact – key skills for GTM and Revenue Operations professionals.

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📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Game Design Director position:

• Submit your application through the Scopely Careers portal via the provided Greenhouse link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Emphasize your leadership experience, F2P systems/economy design expertise, and quantifiable achievements related to player engagement, retention, and monetization. Integrate keywords from the job description naturally.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best showcase your ability to design and lead complex game systems and economies for live F2P games. Prepare concise case studies with clear metrics and ROI where possible.

• Prepare for Data-Driven Discussions: Be ready to discuss how you use data and KPIs to inform design decisions and measure success. Research Star Trek Fleet Command's current performance and identify potential areas for improvement to discuss.

• Research Scopely's Culture: Understand their values, approach to game development, and commitment to player engagement. Prepare to articulate how your leadership style and values align with theirs.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.