Lead UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Designer

Company: CD PROJEKT RED

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UX Design / Game Design Operations

Date Posted: March 30, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the definition and execution of the overall user experience for Project Sirius, a multiplayer game within The Witcher universe, focusing on intuitive and immersive player journeys.

• Lead a team of UX designers, establishing inclusive best practices and fostering a collaborative environment for iterative design and development.

• Drive the design and prototyping of user interfaces, game menus, and player navigation systems, ensuring seamless interaction and engagement.

• Collaborate cross-departmentally with UI Artists, UX Researchers, and Production to translate player insights and feedback into actionable design improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for shaping the player's interaction with Project Sirius, necessitating a strong understanding of both high-level strategic UX vision and granular, moment-to-moment player experience. The "Operations" aspect here is centered on managing the design process, team, and cross-functional workflows to ensure the delivery of a high-quality, user-centric product.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and oversee the end-to-end user experience, encompassing visual, interactive, and workflow design for Project Sirius, ensuring a cohesive and engaging player journey.

• Lead the UX design of user interface layouts, navigation structures, and interaction guidelines for all game menus and player-facing systems.

• Build, mentor, and manage a team of UX designers, establishing and enforcing inclusive design principles and efficient team methodologies.

• Design and develop interactive prototypes, wireframes, and user flow diagrams to visualize and test UX concepts and solutions.

• Collaborate closely with UX Researchers to gather and analyze player feedback, usability testing results, and community insights to inform design decisions.

• Partner with the Lead UI Artist to ensure visual consistency and aesthetic alignment across all user interface elements.

• Develop and maintain comprehensive design documentation, including style guides, user flow maps, and interaction specifications, for clear communication with development teams.

• Work with Production to integrate UX design timelines and resources effectively into the overall project schedule, ensuring timely implementation.

• Facilitate and participate in playtesting sessions, observing player behavior and gathering feedback to identify areas for UX refinement.

• Champion player-centered design principles throughout the development cycle, advocating for user needs and ensuring an intuitive and rewarding experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on design, team management, and cross-functional collaboration, all aimed at optimizing the player's interaction with the game. This requires a structured approach to project execution and a deep understanding of game development pipelines.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and demonstrable experience in UX design for interactive media are paramount. A degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Psychology, or a related field is beneficial but not strictly required.

Experience: Approximately 5+ years of experience in User Experience (UX) Design, with a proven track record of leadership responsibilities and successful product launches. Must have shipped at least one AAA title, demonstrating experience with large-scale game development and its unique UX challenges.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in UX Design, with a focus on creating intuitive, engaging, and accessible user experiences for complex digital products, particularly games.

• Demonstrated Team Leadership capabilities, including mentoring, guiding, and managing a team of designers to achieve project goals.

• Expertise in UI Design principles and best practices, with the ability to collaborate effectively with UI Artists to create cohesive visual and interactive elements.

• Strong understanding of Interaction Design, including navigation structures, user flows, and the creation of clear, concise interaction guidelines.

• Proficiency in Prototyping Tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Cloud, or similar platforms for creating wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes.

• Experience with Collaboration Tools like Miro for ideation, workflow visualization, and cross-team communication.

• Solid grasp of Information Architecture and how to organize complex information and functionality for optimal user comprehension and navigation.

• Familiarity with Unreal Engine and an interest in implementing and refining UX features within the engine environment.

• Excellent Communication Skills, both verbal and written, for articulating design concepts, providing feedback, and collaborating with diverse teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Previous experience as a UX Designer specifically on a Multiplayer Game title, understanding the unique demands of concurrent player interactions and shared experiences.

• Hands-on experience creating Prototypes and Wireframes directly within Unreal Engine, demonstrating a practical understanding of its capabilities and limitations for UX implementation.

• Experience with User Research methodologies and the ability to translate qualitative and quantitative data into actionable design insights.

• Familiarity with Accessibility Standards and best practices in UX design to ensure inclusivity for all players.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AAA title experience and familiarity with Unreal Engine signals a need for candidates who understand the scale and technical demands of high-fidelity game development. The leadership component is significant, requiring not just design expertise but also the ability to guide and develop a design team.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a minimum of one shipped AAA title, with a specific focus on the UX design aspects, player journeys, and UI navigation systems developed.

• Detailed case studies that demonstrate a clear understanding of the problem, the proposed UX solution, the design process, and the measurable impact of the design decisions on player experience or game metrics.

• Examples of wireframes, interactive prototypes, user flows, and information architecture diagrams that illustrate problem-solving skills and design thinking.

Process Documentation:

• Documentation of established UX design processes, including workflow design, iterative refinement, and user testing methodologies employed in past projects.

• Examples of how UX design requirements were translated into actionable specifications for development teams, ensuring alignment with project timelines and technical constraints.

• Demonstration of how UX performance was measured and analyzed, including the use of metrics and player feedback to drive continuous improvement and optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead UX Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just visual appeal to demonstrate strategic thinking, process management, leadership, and a quantifiable impact on the player experience and game success. The emphasis on AAA titles suggests a need to showcase experience with complex, large-scale projects.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Lead UX Designers in major US tech hubs like Boston, with an estimated 5+ years of experience and AAA title experience, the annual salary range is projected to be between $149,500 - $205,600 USD. This range accounts for the specified experience level, leadership responsibilities, and the high cost of living in Boston.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health & Well-Being: Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance. Free mental health support, including counseling and psychiatric care, along with well-being webinars.

• Generous Paid Time Off: 26 days of vacation, 10 sick days, and 12 paid calendar holidays annually.

• Retirement Savings: 401K plan with employer matching to support long-term financial planning.

• Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA): $100 per month for flexible use on fitness, wellness, internet, home office equipment, learning, and streaming services.

• Family Support: Menstrual leave for period pain, and support through the RED Parents Network, including childcare benefits and family-friendly events.

• Professional Development: Access to trainings, lectures, courses, internal workshops, knowledge-sharing initiatives, and e-learning classes to foster continuous learning.

• Work-Life Balance: Flexible working hours to accommodate personal needs and optimize productivity.

• Onboarding Support: A welcome pack filled with company merchandise to help new employees feel integrated.

Working Hours: The role specifies flexible working hours, allowing for a hybrid work arrangement. While a standard full-time workweek is implied (approximately 40 hours), the flexibility allows for adjustment around core collaboration times.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is a data-driven estimate based on Boston's market rates for similar roles and experience levels, aligning with the provided salary figures in the input. The benefits package is extensive, reflecting a company that invests heavily in employee well-being, work-life balance, and professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Interactive Entertainment / Video Game Development. CD PROJEKT RED is renowned for its critically acclaimed, story-driven RPGs, particularly "The Witcher" series and "Cyberpunk 2077." They are known for pushing boundaries in narrative design and world-building.

Company Size: CD PROJEKT RED is a large-scale game development studio, likely employing several hundred to over a thousand individuals globally, with a significant presence in Poland and now expanding in Boston.

Founded: CD PROJEKT RED was founded in 2002. This long history indicates a mature studio with established development pipelines and a deep understanding of the gaming industry.

Team Structure:

• The UX team for Project Sirius will likely be a specialized group within the larger game development structure, reporting to the Design Director. It will include UX Designers, potentially UX Researchers, and work very closely with UI Artists and game designers.

• The reporting structure is clear: the Lead UX Designer reports to the Design Director, and they, in turn, will lead a team of UX Designers.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The role emphasizes using user research, playtest feedback, and community insights to inform design decisions, indicating a strong reliance on data analysis for UX improvements.

• Iterative Workflow: The description highlights constant research, observation, and iteration, suggesting an agile and iterative design process common in game development.

• Collaborative Problem-Solving: The company culture promotes open communication and feedback, pointing to a methodology where design challenges are tackled collectively.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: CD PROJEKT RED's reputation for deep, immersive, and story-rich games suggests a culture that values creativity, attention to detail, and a strong player focus. The expansion into Boston for Project Sirius indicates a strategic growth initiative, likely bringing together established talent with new expertise.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead position, signifying a senior-level role that combines significant individual contribution with team management and strategic oversight. It's a step beyond a Senior UX Designer, requiring the ability to set direction, mentor others, and represent the UX discipline at a leadership level within the project.

Reporting Structure: The Lead UX Designer reports directly to the Design Director. This provides a clear line of communication and strategic alignment with the overall game vision. The Lead will, in turn, manage and guide a team of UX Designers, influencing their development and output.

Operations Impact: The Lead UX Designer's impact is profound. They are responsible for the player's primary interface with the game – how intuitive, immersive, and rewarding that interaction is. This directly influences player retention, satisfaction, and the overall success of Project Sirius. Effective UX operations can lead to smoother onboarding, better player engagement, and ultimately, a stronger commercial outcome for the game.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into a Senior Design Director role or manage larger UX teams across multiple projects as the company expands.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of game UX, such as multiplayer UX, accessibility, or emergent gameplay systems.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Exposure to various facets of game development, including art, programming, and production, fostering a holistic understanding of the creation process.

• Mentorship and Training: Formal and informal opportunities to mentor junior designers, develop training materials, and contribute to the studio's overall design talent development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a significant career step, offering leadership experience in a high-profile gaming studio. The growth opportunities are tied to both personal career progression within the UX discipline and broader contributions to the studio's operational excellence in game development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role requires working in the Boston Studio, with a hybrid working mode available. This suggests a modern office environment designed for collaboration, with dedicated spaces for individual work, team meetings, and potentially specialized design labs.

Office Location(s): Boston, Massachusetts, USA. This location offers access to a vibrant tech and gaming scene, with potential for networking and talent acquisition.

Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model and flexible working hours indicate a focus on work-life balance and employee autonomy, while still emphasizing the importance of in-person collaboration for key design discussions and team building.

• The mention of a dog-friendly office and no dress-code points to a relaxed, informal, and creative atmosphere, typical of many modern game development studios.

• Expect access to industry-standard UX tools and technology, as well as opportunities to work with game development platforms like Unreal Engine, facilitating efficient design and implementation workflows.

• The truly international working environment suggests a diverse team, offering opportunities to collaborate with professionals from various cultural backgrounds, enriching the design process.

Work Schedule: Flexible working hours are provided, with the expectation of a standard full-time commitment. The hybrid model implies a balance between remote work and in-office presence, likely requiring specific days or a minimum number of days in the Boston studio per week for collaborative activities and team engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment at CD PROJEKT RED in Boston is described as flexible, collaborative, and informal, with a strong emphasis on employee well-being and a diverse, international team. This setup is designed to foster creativity and productivity while accommodating individual needs.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess alignment with the core requirements and experience level. Be prepared to highlight your leadership experience and AAA title contributions.

• Technical Interview/Portfolio Review: A deep dive into your portfolio, focusing on specific case studies. Expect to discuss your design process, problem-solving approach, rationale behind design decisions, and how you've managed and mentored UX teams. This may involve presenting specific project examples and answering detailed questions about your contributions.

• Team/Cultural Fit Interview: Meetings with potential colleagues and the Design Director to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and how well you align with CD PROJEKT RED's values (curiosity, kindness, problem-solving).

• Final Interview: Potentially with higher-level management, to discuss strategic vision, leadership approach, and overall fit within the company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role and responsibilities, the design process undertaken (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), key decisions made, challenges faced, and the impact/outcomes of your work. Quantify results where possible.

• Highlight Leadership: Emphasize instances where you led UX initiatives, mentored junior designers, or influenced strategic design decisions. Showcase your ability to build and guide a team.

• Showcase Process: Demonstrate your understanding of UX methodologies, including user research, information architecture, interaction design, and prototyping. Explain why you chose certain tools or approaches.

• Tailor to the Role: For this Lead UX Designer position, specifically highlight experience with game interfaces, player journeys, and multiplayer game design if applicable. Show how your work has contributed to immersive and rewarding player experiences.

• Presentation Skills: Be ready to present your portfolio confidently, articulate your thought process clearly, and engage in a dynamic discussion about your work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: You may be given a hypothetical design problem related to game UX or a specific game mechanic to solve within a time limit. Focus on your problem-solving approach, how you'd gather requirements, and your proposed solutions.

• Process Explanation: Be prepared to explain your preferred UX workflows, how you manage design tasks within a larger project, and how you collaborate with cross-functional teams like artists and engineers.

• Leadership Scenarios: Anticipate questions about how you would handle team conflicts, motivate designers, or provide constructive feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Lead role at a major game studio like CD PROJEKT RED will be rigorous. A strong portfolio that clearly articulates leadership and impact, coupled with excellent communication and problem-solving skills, will be critical. Expect to demonstrate not just design talent but also the ability to manage processes and people effectively.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Prototyping & Design: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Cloud (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator for asset creation/manipulation). These are essential for creating wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes.

• Collaboration & Whiteboarding: Miro is explicitly mentioned and is crucial for ideation, brainstorming, user flow mapping, and cross-team collaboration in a hybrid environment.

• Game Engine Integration: Unreal Engine is a key technology for this role. While not strictly a design tool, understanding its capabilities and limitations for UX implementation, and potentially creating prototypes within it, is highly valued.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed, experience with analytics platforms (e.g., in-game analytics tools, user behavior tracking software) would be beneficial for understanding player data and informing design.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to core UX design, but familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello) used for tracking design tasks and development sprints is expected.

• Understanding of workflow automation principles can be applied to streamline design processes and asset handoff.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tech stack emphasizes industry-standard UX design and collaboration tools, with a specific focus on Unreal Engine due to the nature of game development. The ability to work within this environment and leverage these tools for efficient design and implementation is key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Player-Centricity: A core value is designing for the player, ensuring an inclusive, intuitive, immersive, rewarding, and memorable experience. This dictates all design decisions.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: The emphasis on cross-departmental work and open communication highlights the value placed on teamwork. Kindness and a collaborative mindset are explicitly sought.

• Curiosity & Problem-Solving: A drive to understand player behaviors, explore new design solutions, and tackle complex challenges with an inventive approach is crucial.

• Excellence & Iteration: The pursuit of creating "revolutionary" games implies a commitment to high standards and a continuous cycle of refinement and improvement based on feedback and observation.

• Inclusivity: A strong focus on developing inclusive best practices and accessible user experiences.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role requires deep collaboration with UI Artists, UX Researchers, Game Designers, Programmers, and Production. This involves active participation in shared meetings, feedback sessions, and joint problem-solving.

• Feedback Culture: Openness to giving and receiving feedback is a stated requirement, fostering an environment where constructive criticism leads to stronger outcomes for both the project and individual growth.

• Knowledge Sharing: The company promotes internal workshops and knowledge-sharing initiatives, suggesting a culture where learning and sharing best practices are encouraged, particularly within design disciplines.

📝 Enhancement Note: CD PROJEKT RED appears to foster a culture that is both creatively ambitious and operationally sound, balancing a passion for game-making with a structured, collaborative approach. The values emphasize player focus, teamwork, and continuous improvement, which are essential for successful game development.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Player Needs with Business Goals: Effectively translating player research and feedback into designs that also meet the commercial objectives and technical constraints of a AAA game.

• Leading a New Team/Project: Establishing the UX vision and team processes for Project Sirius, which is described as a new role and likely a new project, requires strong initiative and adaptability.

• Multiplayer UX Complexity: Designing for a multiplayer environment presents unique challenges related to player interaction, communication, progression, and potential for conflict or imbalance, requiring innovative solutions.

• Keeping Pace with Industry Trends: Continuously staying abreast of evolving UX best practices, player expectations, and technological advancements in game development.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UX Leadership: Hone skills in managing design teams, strategic planning, and influencing project direction.

• Specialized Game UX: Deepen expertise in areas like live-service game UX, player onboarding for complex systems, or cross-platform UX consistency.

• Industry Exposure: Opportunities to attend gaming conferences, workshops, and training sessions to gain insights into the latest trends and network with industry professionals.

• Mentorship Programs: Benefit from or provide mentorship within the studio, fostering leadership skills and knowledge transfer.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a lead role on a new, ambitious project in the gaming industry. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering a clear path for career advancement and skill development within a leading game development studio.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to defining the overall user experience for a new AAA multiplayer game. How would you ensure it's inclusive, intuitive, and immersive?" (Focus on process, research, and strategic thinking).

• "How do you build, lead, and mentor a team of UX designers? Provide an example of a time you successfully guided a team through a challenging design phase." (Highlight leadership style, team management, and conflict resolution).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Project Sirius and The Witcher universe, and how do you see your UX expertise contributing to its success?" (Show genuine interest and understanding of the game's context).

• "How do you foster a collaborative and inclusive design environment? Describe your experience working with cross-functional teams." (Address your approach to teamwork and communication).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: For each case study, frame it as a narrative: the challenge, your journey through it, and the successful resolution. Connect your personal contributions clearly.

• Visual Clarity: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate. Use high-quality visuals and clear annotations.

• Process Focus: Don't just show the final product; explain how you got there. Detail your research, ideation, prototyping, and testing phases.

• Impact & Metrics: Quantify your achievements whenever possible. Show how your UX work improved player satisfaction, retention, engagement, or other key performance indicators.

• Leadership Examples: Integrate examples of your leadership, mentorship, and collaboration within your case studies or as separate points.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design craft but also leadership, strategic thinking, and an understanding of the game development lifecycle. Highlighting experience with AAA titles and multiplayer games will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters, ensuring all sections are completed accurately.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that best showcase your AAA title experience, leadership capabilities, and understanding of game UX. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your role, process, solutions, and measurable outcomes. Tailor the presentation to highlight relevant skills for Project Sirius.

• Optimize Your Resume: Clearly list your years of experience, highlight leadership responsibilities, and prominently feature any shipped AAA titles. Use keywords from the job description (UX Design, Lead, UI Design, Interaction Design, Prototyping, Unreal Engine, Team Leadership).

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio, articulating your design process, and explaining your leadership approach. Be ready to answer behavioral and situational questions common in lead-level interviews.

• Research CD PROJEKT RED: Understand their game portfolio, company culture, and the specific context of Project Sirius. Be prepared to discuss why you are a good fit for their unique environment and values.

⚠️ 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.