📍 Job Overview
Job Title: UX Designer
Company: Metacore
Location: Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Mobile Gaming UX Design
Date Posted: 2025-06-16T08:17:03
Experience Level: 2-5 Years (Mid-Level)
Remote Status: Hybrid
🎨 Role Summary
- Shape the user experience of the hit mobile game, Merge Mansion, focusing on intuitive, entertaining, and accessible gameplay.
- Collaborate closely with game designers, UI artists, and developers throughout the design lifecycle, from concept to production.
- Primary focus on user research, interaction design, and information architecture within the casual gaming context.
- Contribute to identifying player needs, creating and validating wireframes and prototypes, and ensuring design solutions are feasible for development.
🖼️ Primary Responsibilities
- Execute the strategic design vision, focusing on the overall user and player experience within the mobile game environment.
- Analyze and understand workflow processes and cross-disciplinary needs before the development phase, as outlined in wireframes.
- Design and iterate on intuitive, entertaining, efficient, and accessible user experiences specifically tailored for a casual game audience.
- Develop and utilize design artifacts such as personas, game flow diagrams, and user journey maps to inform and guide design decisions.
- Actively contribute to user research initiatives to gather valuable insights into player behaviors, motivations, and underlying needs.
- Create detailed wireframes and interactive prototypes using industry-standard tools to visualize design concepts and interactions effectively.
- Collaborate seamlessly with cross-functional teams, including UI designers, game developers, and product managers, to ensure a cohesive and delightful user experience.
- Champion user-centered design principles throughout the development process, conducting usability tests and leveraging user feedback and research to continuously improve design solutions.
- Work closely with product managers, designers, and other key stakeholders to align design solutions with overarching business goals and specific user needs.
🎓 Skills & Qualifications
Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in HCI, Design, Psychology, or a related field is typically preferred for a Mid-Level UX Designer role in the gaming industry. Relevant certifications in UX design or game design are also valuable.
Experience: Previous work experience as a UX Designer is required, specifically with a focus on mobile games or applications. A strong portfolio demonstrating successful UX design projects in this domain is essential to showcase practical application of skills and understanding of mobile user behavior.
Required Skills:
- Demonstrated proficiency in UX design methodologies and principles.
- Expertise in using UX design tools for wireframing and prototyping, with specific mention of Figma.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to effectively identify and address complex user needs and gameplay challenges.
- Proven experience with various user research methodologies, including usability testing, conducting surveys, and performing interviews.
- Solid knowledge and practical application of information architecture and interaction design principles within the context of mobile applications and games.
- Understanding and application of accessibility and inclusivity principles in UX design to ensure broad player reach.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills to effectively convey design solutions, rationale, and research findings to diverse teams and stakeholders.
- Ability to align design decisions with project objectives, game design principles, and specific user requirements.
- Strong collaboration skills to work effectively within agile, cross-functional teams.
- Keen attention to detail and a strong aesthetic sense for visual design integration with UX.
- A continuous learning mindset to stay updated with the latest UX trends, techniques, and evolving player expectations in the mobile gaming landscape.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working with the Unity game engine is a significant plus, indicating an understanding of the technical constraints and possibilities in game development.
- Familiarity with casual mobile game design patterns and user behavior is highly advantageous.
- Experience with A/B testing and data-driven design approaches.
🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Present a curated selection of case studies that demonstrate your UX design process for mobile games or applications.
- Include projects that showcase your ability to address specific user needs and improve key performance indicators (KPIs) through design.
- Highlight your wireframing, prototyping, and interaction design skills with clear examples.
- Showcase your involvement in user research and how insights informed your design decisions.
Process Documentation:
- Detail your approach to the research and discovery phase, including how you identify player problems and opportunities.
- Explain your ideation and iteration methods, demonstrating how you explore different design solutions.
- Describe your approach to validation and testing, including usability testing methodologies and how you incorporate feedback.
💵 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: While the job description does not specify a salary range, based on industry data for a Mid-Level UX Designer in Helsinki, Finland, and considering Metacore's size and success with Merge Mansion, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between €4,000 and €6,000 per month before taxes. This estimate is based on publicly available salary data for similar roles in the Finnish tech and gaming sector, adjusted for experience level and the company's profile. The cost of living in Helsinki is moderately high compared to other European cities.
Benefits:
- Competitive compensation package reflecting experience and contribution.
- Opportunities for professional development and growth within a fast-growing company.
- Emphasis on work-life balance and employee wellbeing, fostering a supportive work environment.
- Approachable leadership team with a low-ego culture.
- Flexible hybrid workplace model combining office and remote work.
- Full support for relocation to either Helsinki or Berlin if required.
Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, typically around 40 hours per week. The hybrid model offers flexibility, allowing for a balance between collaborative office time and focused remote work, which can be beneficial for creative processes and deep work in design.
🎯Team & Company Context
🏢 Company & Design Culture
Industry: Mobile Gaming. Metacore operates in the highly competitive and dynamic mobile entertainment industry, specifically focusing on developing and scaling hit casual games like Merge Mansion. This context means a fast-paced environment driven by player engagement and entertainment value.
Company Size: Over 250 employees. This indicates a well-established company with significant resources and multiple teams, suggesting opportunities for collaboration with a diverse group of professionals. For design professionals, this often means working within a structured design team while collaborating with larger product, engineering, and marketing departments.
Founded: 2014. Metacore has a solid history in the mobile gaming space, with a successful track record demonstrated by the performance of Merge Mansion. This longevity suggests stability and a mature approach to game development and design.
Team Structure:
- Cross-functional teams are a core component, with UX designers working closely with game designers, UI artists, and developers.
- The design team likely has a flat or hierarchical structure depending on the specific studio and project team.
- Collaboration extends across different disciplines to ensure a holistic approach to game development and user experience.
Methodology:
- Likely utilizes agile or lean development methodologies common in the gaming industry to facilitate iterative design and rapid prototyping.
- Strong emphasis on user research and data-driven decision-making to understand player behavior and optimize the game experience.
- Focus on continuous iteration and improvement based on player feedback and performance metrics.
Company Website: https://metacoregames.com/
📈 Career & Growth Analysis
Design Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level UX Designer. This typically involves taking ownership of significant features or areas within the game's UX, contributing to the overall design strategy, and mentoring junior team members if applicable. It requires a solid foundation in UX principles and the ability to work with some autonomy.
Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will likely report to a Lead UX Designer, Design Manager, or Product Manager, depending on the specific team structure within Metacore. This reporting line will provide guidance and support while allowing for independent work on assigned tasks.
Design Impact: Design professionals at Metacore have a direct and significant impact on the player experience of a global hit game. Their work directly influences player engagement, retention, and satisfaction, making design a critical function within the company.
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to grow into a Senior UX Designer role, taking on more complex challenges and potentially leading design initiatives.
- Opportunities to specialize in specific areas of game UX, such as onboarding, monetization, or live operations features.
- Potential for cross-functional growth, learning more about game design, product management, or technical implementation.
🌐 Work Environment
Studio Type: Hybrid workplace with a mix of office and remote work. The primary office locations are in Helsinki, Finland, and Berlin, Germany. This setup promotes flexibility while still allowing for in-person collaboration and team building.
Office Location(s): Helsinki, Finland, and Berlin, Germany. Relocation support is provided for candidates needing to move to either location. The Helsinki office is likely a central hub for the Merge Mansion team.
Design Workspace Context:
- The office environment likely fosters a creative and collaborative atmosphere, with dedicated spaces for team meetings, brainstorming, and focused work.
- Access to necessary design tools, hardware, and resources for effective design work.
- Opportunities for informal interaction and knowledge sharing with other designers and team members.
Work Schedule: Flexible schedule within the hybrid model, allowing employees to balance office presence with remote work based on team needs and individual preferences. This flexibility supports a healthy work-life balance, crucial for preventing burnout in the demanding gaming industry.
📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process
Design Interview Process:
- Initial screening call with an HR representative or recruiter to assess basic qualifications and fit.
- Technical interview(s) with members of the design team, potentially including portfolio review and discussion of past projects.
- Potential design challenge or take-home assignment to evaluate problem-solving skills and design process.
- Interviews with cross-functional team members (e.g., Game Designers, Product Managers, Developers) to assess collaboration skills and cultural fit.
- Final interview with a hiring manager or design lead to discuss the role in detail and answer any remaining questions.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Tailor your portfolio to showcase your experience in mobile game or application UX design.
- Present detailed case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your design process (including research, ideation, and testing), your solutions, and the impact of your work.
- Highlight your proficiency in wireframing, prototyping, and information architecture with visuals and explanations.
- If possible, include examples of your work on live products and discuss the challenges and learnings from those projects.
Challenge Preparation:
- If given a design challenge, clearly understand the problem statement and constraints.
- Focus on demonstrating your design process and rationale, not just the final solution.
- Be prepared to articulate your design decisions and how they address the user needs and project objectives.
ATS Keywords: UX Design, User Experience, Mobile Games, Mobile Applications, Interaction Design, Information Architecture, User Research, Usability Testing, Wireframing, Prototyping, Figma, Game Design, Casual Games, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Accessibility, UI Design, Visual Design, Agile, User-Centered Design, Player Experience, Unity (Optional), Storytelling, Analytical Skills, Communication, A/B Testing, Data-Driven Design.
🛠 Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Design Tools:
- Figma: Required for wireframing, prototyping, and likely collaborative design work. Proficiency is essential.
- Other potential tools for concepting and visualization, such as Sketch or Adobe XD (though Figma is specified).
Collaboration & Handoff:
- Tools for project management and task tracking (e.g., Jira, Asana).
- Communication platforms (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams).
- Handoff tools for developer collaboration, potentially integrated with Figma or other design software.
Research & Testing:
- Usability testing platforms and methodologies.
- Survey tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform).
- Analytics platforms for understanding player behavior and tracking design impact.
👥 Team Culture & Values
Design Values:
- Emphasis on creating intuitive, entertaining, and accessible user experiences that resonate with a broad casual gaming audience.
- A user-centered approach deeply rooted in understanding player needs and behaviors through research and feedback.
- Valuing collaboration and communication within cross-functional teams to ensure design solutions are integrated effectively.
- A culture of continuous learning and improvement, staying updated with design trends and best practices.
Collaboration Style:
- Collaborative and humble, emphasizing "we" before "me."
- Open to feedback and constructive critique to refine design solutions.
- Cross-functional collaboration is essential, working closely with game designers, UI artists, developers, and product managers.
⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Design Challenges:
- Designing for a large and diverse casual gaming audience with varying levels of technical proficiency and gaming experience.
- Balancing creative design solutions with technical constraints and performance requirements on mobile devices.
- Integrating new features and updates into an existing, successful game while maintaining a cohesive and familiar user experience.
- Continuously iterating on design based on player feedback, data analytics, and evolving market trends.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Gaining deep experience in designing for a high-traffic, global mobile game.
- Opportunity to work with and learn from experienced professionals in game design, UI art, engineering, and product management.
- Potential for training and development in specialized areas of game UX or related fields.
💡 Interview Preparation
Design Process Questions:
- Be prepared to walk through your design process for a specific project from your portfolio, highlighting your approach to user research, ideation, prototyping, and testing.
- Discuss how you gather and incorporate player feedback into your design decisions.
- Explain how you collaborate with cross-functional teams (game designers, UI artists, developers) throughout the design process.
Company Culture Questions:
- Research Metacore's culture and values (trust, psychological safety, wellbeing) and be prepared to discuss how your working style aligns with these values.
- Ask questions about the design team's dynamics, collaboration practices, and how feedback is given and received.
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Focus on storytelling in your portfolio presentation, guiding the interviewer through the problem, your process, and the solution for each case study.
- Clearly articulate your design rationale and how your decisions were informed by user needs and project goals.
- Be prepared to discuss the impact of your design work on key metrics or player experience.
📌 Application Steps
To apply for this design position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Customize your design portfolio to highlight relevant mobile game or application UX projects and case studies.
- Optimize your resume to include relevant design skills, tools (especially Figma), and experience using the ATS keywords provided.
- Prepare for interviews by practicing walking through your portfolio projects and articulating your design process and rationale.
- Research Metacore's games, company culture, and values to tailor your application and interview responses.