Senior UI / UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UI / UX Designer

Company: Astrid Entertainment

Location: United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Game Design Operations / Creative Operations

Date Posted: June 22, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote (with occasional in-person meetups)

🚀 Role Summary

• Own the end-to-end player-facing user experience for core game systems, including HUD, menus, and interaction flows, ensuring a seamless and intuitive player journey.

• Implement and iterate on UI designs within Unreal Engine (UMG), collaborating closely with a dedicated UI engineer to bring designs to life.

• Define and maintain a comprehensive UI design system to ensure consistency and quality across all game elements and for external vendors.

• Drive the visual polish and charm of the user interface, focusing on small animations, satisfying feedback, and a Nintendo-like sense of play.

• Conduct playtesting sessions and rapidly iterate on designs based on player feedback to continuously improve the user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a gaming studio, implying a focus on creative operations and the specific demands of game development. The emphasis on "player-facing experience end to end" and "owning the UX across the game's core systems" suggests a strategic leadership component beyond typical design execution, requiring strong information architecture and user flow management.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of user interfaces for all core game systems, including inventory, crafting, building, decorating, and dialogue, ensuring clarity and ease of use.

• Develop detailed wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mock-ups to effectively communicate design intent and user flows.

• Build and wire up UI elements directly within Unreal Engine's UMG (Unreal Motion Graphics) framework, working in tandem with a UI engineer.

• Establish and govern a robust UI design system, encompassing iconography, color palettes, typography, and interaction patterns, for internal and external use.

• Guide and direct outsourced graphic designers on visual style, ensuring alignment with the established design system and overall game aesthetic.

• Plan, execute, and analyze playtesting sessions to gather critical player feedback and inform design iterations.

• Collaborate with world builders and game developers to ensure UI elements enhance immersion and support gameplay mechanics.

• Maintain a player-centric approach, prioritizing ease of adoption for newcomers while offering depth for advanced players.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "owning that player-facing experience end to end" and "defining and maintaining a UI design system" indicates a senior-level responsibility for establishing and upholding design standards, which is a critical function in operations for ensuring consistency and scalability.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating a deep understanding of UI/UX principles in a game development context is paramount.

Experience: 5+ years of experience designing UI/UX specifically for games, with a proven track record of at least one shipped title or significant in-development contribution.

Required Skills:

• UX Design: Expertise in crafting intuitive and engaging user experiences for games, particularly those with complex systems and layered depth. Ability to balance approachability for new players with depth for experienced players.

• Unreal Engine (UMG): Hands-on experience implementing UI designs using Unreal Motion Graphics. Practical experience in this area is strongly expected.

• Information Architecture: Proficient in structuring complex information and game systems logically for clear navigation and efficient player interaction.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Skillful in creating wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes to visualize and test design concepts.

• Figma and/or Adobe Suite: Fluency in industry-standard design tools such as Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, or similar.

• Game Systems Understanding: Demonstrable understanding of mechanics common in cosy/life-sim, management, and adventure games.

• Playtesting & Iteration: Experience in planning, conducting, and analyzing playtests to drive iterative design improvements.

Preferred Skills:

• Graphic Design: A strong visual design sense, including proficiency in iconography, color theory, and typography, to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the UI.

• UI Design Systems: Experience in creating and maintaining comprehensive design systems for scalable and consistent UI development.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with engineers, artists, and other stakeholders in a collaborative game development environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The prioritization of UX over graphic design, coupled with the requirement for Unreal (UMG) implementation, suggests that this role demands a blend of strategic design thinking and practical, hands-on technical execution within a specific game engine, reflecting a common need in specialized creative operations roles within game studios.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of one shipped game or substantial in-development work, highlighting your UI/UX design process.

• Feature case studies of systems-rich games that clearly demonstrate your ability to simplify complex mechanics and information architecture without sacrificing depth.

• Include examples of wireframes, interactive prototypes, and final UI implementations, detailing the problem, your approach, and the outcome.

• Present examples of your work with Unreal Engine (UMG), if possible, to illustrate practical implementation skills.

• Demonstrate your understanding of information architecture and user flow design for game interfaces. Process Documentation:

• Detail your process for translating player needs and game mechanics into intuitive UI flows and layouts.

• Explain your methodology for defining and maintaining a UI design system, including its components and governance.

• Illustrate your approach to playtesting, including planning, execution, analysis, and iterative refinement based on feedback.

• Provide examples of how you collaborate with UI engineers and guide graphic designers to ensure cohesive and high-quality output.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UI/UX Designer role, particularly in game development, the portfolio is critical. It serves as tangible proof of process and output. The emphasis on "process and thinking" means candidates should not just show finished screens but explain how they arrived at those solutions, which is a key indicator of operational thinking in design.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior UI/UX Designers in the United Kingdom with 5-10 years of experience, especially within the gaming sector, the estimated salary range is £60,000 - £90,000 per annum. This range accounts for the remote nature of the role and the specialized skills required, including Unreal Engine proficiency.

Benefits:

• Great compensation package and equity: Competitive base salary complemented by company equity, offering a stake in the company's success.

• Private health insurance: Comprehensive healthcare coverage for employees and potentially their dependents.

• Pension: A retirement savings plan, contributing to long-term financial security.

• Unlimited vacation days: A flexible approach to time off, emphasizing trust and work-life balance for employees to recharge as needed.

• Flexible remote work hours: The ability to set work hours to accommodate personal needs, provided results are delivered, fostering autonomy and productivity.

• Commitment to expanding benefits: Ongoing evaluation and addition of new perks and benefits to support the team's well-being and professional growth.

Working Hours: While specific hours are flexible, the expectation is a standard full-time workload, typically around 40 hours per week, with the understanding that delivery of results is the primary metric. The flexible hours allow for adaptation to team needs and personal schedules while ensuring project timelines are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on research of senior-level game design roles in the UK, factoring in the remote aspect and the high demand for specialized skills like Unreal Engine. The benefits package, particularly unlimited vacation and flexible hours, points to a culture that values employee autonomy and well-being, common in modern, progressive tech and gaming companies.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Gaming Studio, specifically focused on developing multiplayer creative experiences and cooperative open-world simulation games.

Company Size: The team spans the US, UK, and beyond, indicating a growing, distributed workforce. The exact size is not specified but suggests a startup or scale-up environment.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the company is actively engaged in developing its first major project, implying it is in a growth or early-stage development phase.

Team Structure:

• A distributed, fully remote team with members across different geographical locations (US, UK, etc.).

• Regular in-person meetups are organized to foster team cohesion, collaboration, and cultural development.

• The role involves close collaboration with a UI engineer and guidance of outsourced graphic designers, suggesting a matrixed or project-based team structure. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on playtesting and iterative design based on player feedback to refine game mechanics and user experience.

• Collaborative Development: A strong focus on teamwork across disciplines (design, engineering, art) to achieve a shared vision.

• Agile/Iterative Approach: The need to "iterate quickly as the game evolves" suggests an agile or iterative development process where designs are continuously refined.

Company Website: https://astridentertainment.com (Note: This URL is inferred from the domain and may not be the primary job application portal.)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on a "cooperative open-world sim" and fostering "connection, problem-solving and shared discovery" suggests a culture that values collaboration, community, and innovative gameplay. The remote-first approach with in-person meetups indicates a blend of flexibility and intentional culture-building.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level position, signifying leadership in UI/UX design for game development. The role requires end-to-end ownership of player-facing experiences and the ability to define and maintain design systems, indicating a strategic contribution beyond execution. The scope includes guiding other designers and working closely with engineering.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UI/UX Designer will likely report to a Lead Designer, Art Director, or Head of Product. They will work closely with a UI Engineer and manage relationships with outsourced graphic designers, implying a collaborative but structured reporting line.

Operations Impact: The UI/UX is described as a "huge amount of this game," directly impacting player engagement, retention, and overall game satisfaction. Successful execution will lead to a more accessible, enjoyable, and marketable product, directly contributing to the game's success and the company's revenue potential.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design: Opportunity to shape the design direction of a new, ambitious game title from its early stages.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in Unreal Engine (UMG) implementation and advanced UI design systems within the gaming context.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers or guide outsourced teams, developing leadership and management skills.

• Career Advancement: Progression to Lead UI/UX Designer, Art Director roles, or specialization in areas like player research or game mechanics design.

• Industry Exposure: Contribution to a unique game genre hybrid, building a strong portfolio in a niche but growing market.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title, coupled with owning core systems and defining design standards, points to a role with significant influence and potential for growth into leadership positions within the game development pipeline. The emphasis on "process and thinking" in the portfolio requirements further reinforces the expectation of strategic contribution.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully remote, with the understanding that regular in-person meetups will occur to foster team bonding and collaboration. This hybrid approach aims to balance flexibility with the benefits of face-to-face interaction.

Office Location(s): While the team is distributed across the US, UK, and beyond, the role is specifically for someone based in the United Kingdom, likely to facilitate collaboration within UK time zones and potential local meetups.

Workspace Context:

• Autonomous Work: The remote setup allows for a personalized workspace and flexible working hours, emphasizing self-management and delivery.

• Collaborative Tools: Expectation of utilizing digital collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Discord, project management software) for communication and teamwork.

• Creative Freedom: The environment encourages taking ownership and driving design solutions, with a focus on innovation and player experience.

• Game Development Ecosystem: Access to the tools and technologies common in game development, including Unreal Engine and design software.

Work Schedule: Flexible remote work hours are a key perk, provided that team members deliver results and can coordinate effectively for collaborative sessions and meetups. This suggests a focus on output and accountability rather than strict adherence to a 9-to-5 schedule.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "fully remote" nature combined with "regular in-person meetups" signifies a deliberate strategy to create a cohesive team culture while offering maximum flexibility. For operations professionals, this means adaptability in communication and workflow management.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role's core requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A dedicated session where you present your portfolio, walk through your design process for key projects, and discuss your approach to complex UI/UX challenges. Be prepared to articulate your thinking behind design decisions.

• Technical/Engine Interview: A discussion or practical exercise focused on your experience with Unreal Engine (UMG), including how you approach implementation and collaborate with engineers.

• Team/Culture Fit Interview: Meetings with potential team members (e.g., UI Engineer, Lead Designer) to evaluate collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural alignment with Astrid Entertainment's values.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to review overall fit, discuss long-term vision, and finalize terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Process, Not Just Polish: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your design process, the tools used, your rationale for key decisions, and the impact/outcomes.

• Highlight Systems-Rich Game Experience: Focus on examples that demonstrate your ability to design for complexity, information architecture, and intuitive user flows in games similar to the target genre (cosy, life-sim, management, adventure).

• Demonstrate Unreal Engine (UMG) Proficiency: If possible, include examples or discuss your experience implementing UI directly in UMG. Even if it's a personal project or smaller implementation, it shows practical capability.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics or player feedback to demonstrate the success of your designs. For example, "Implemented a new inventory system that reduced player search time by X%" or "Playtest feedback indicated a Y% increase in user satisfaction with the crafting UI."

• Tailor to Astrid Entertainment: Research the company's stated goals and the type of game they are building. Frame your portfolio presentation to highlight how your skills and experience directly align with their vision and challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Expect a design challenge that may involve a specific game mechanic or system requiring you to create wireframes, user flows, or mock-ups. Focus on demonstrating your problem-solving approach and ability to create intuitive solutions.

• Unreal Engine (UMG) Scenario: You might be asked to discuss how you would approach implementing a specific UI element in UMG or troubleshoot a common implementation issue.

• Iterative Design Discussion: Be prepared to discuss how you would iterate on a given design based on feedback or changing requirements, highlighting your adaptability and user-centric approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "huge amount of this game lives in its UI" and the direct involvement of a UI engineer underscores the importance of practical implementation skills. The portfolio review will likely scrutinize not just aesthetic quality but the underlying logic, process, and ability to translate that into functional, engine-ready designs.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Unreal Engine (UMG): The core engine for UI implementation. Proficiency here is a significant advantage and strongly expected for this role.

• Figma: A leading collaborative interface design tool for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity mock-ups.

• Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator): Standard tools for graphic design, asset creation, and image manipulation, often used in conjunction with Figma.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Playtesting Software/Tools: Tools used for recording and analyzing player sessions, gathering feedback, and identifying usability issues. (Specific tools not mentioned, but expected to be part of the workflow.)

• Data Analysis Tools (Spreadsheets, etc.): For analyzing playtest data, user feedback, and performance metrics to inform design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Software: Tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for tracking tasks, managing workflows, and collaborating on project progress.

• Communication Platforms: Slack, Discord, or similar for real-time team communication and coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Unreal Engine (UMG) and Figma highlights the critical technical stack for this role. Candidates need to be proficient not only in design principles but also in the practical application and implementation of those designs within the game development environment.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Player-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the player, ensuring that every design decision enhances the player experience.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A belief in the power of collective effort, with an emphasis on open communication and mutual support across disciplines.

• Innovation & Creativity: Encouraging novel approaches to game design and UI/UX, pushing boundaries to create unique and engaging experiences.

• Iteration & Adaptability: Embracing a process of continuous improvement, where feedback is welcomed and designs evolve dynamically to meet player needs and project goals.

• Quality & Polish: A dedication to high standards in both functionality and aesthetics, with a focus on the small details that create a delightful user experience.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working closely with UI engineers to ensure designs are technically feasible and efficiently implemented, and with graphic designers to achieve a cohesive visual identity.

• Open Feedback Loops: Encouraging constructive criticism and dialogue among team members to refine designs and identify potential issues early.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing insights, best practices, and learnings from playtests and design iterations.

• Remote-First Communication: Effective use of digital tools and asynchronous communication to maintain alignment and productivity across a distributed team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "connection, problem-solving and shared discovery" in their game design philosophy likely translates to their internal culture. Expect a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives are valued and contribute to the overall product.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Depth and Simplicity: The primary challenge is creating a UI that is welcoming and easy for newcomers to grasp, while simultaneously offering the depth and complexity that experienced players will discover and enjoy, without forcing complexity.

• Remote Collaboration Dynamics: Effectively collaborating and maintaining a strong team culture across different time zones and with a fully remote setup requires proactive communication and strong self-management.

• Technical Implementation Constraints: Translating complex design visions into functional UI within Unreal Engine (UMG) can present technical challenges, requiring close partnership with engineers.

• Defining a New Design System: Establishing a comprehensive and scalable design system for a new game from the ground up requires significant foresight and meticulous documentation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen Unreal Engine (UMG) Expertise: Gain hands-on experience implementing sophisticated UI within a leading game engine.

• Master Design Systems: Develop advanced skills in creating and managing design systems for large-scale game projects.

• Genre Hybrid Design: Expand expertise by designing for a unique blend of cosy/life-sim, management, and adventure game mechanics.

• Leadership Experience: Grow into a leadership role by guiding outsourced teams and influencing the overall design direction of the game.

• Industry Insight: Contribute to a new, ambitious title in the growing multiplayer creative experience market.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core challenge of balancing accessibility with depth directly addresses a common design problem in complex games. The growth opportunities are tied to mastering the specific tools and processes required for modern game development, offering a clear path for specialization and advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing an inventory system for a game that needs to be simple for new players but deep for veterans?" (Focus on information architecture, progressive disclosure, and user flow.)

• "Describe a time you had to simplify a complex game mechanic through UI design. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight problem-solving, user testing, and iterative design.)

• "How do you ensure consistency and quality across UI elements when working with a UI engineer and outsourced graphic designers?" (Discuss design systems, communication, and feedback processes.)

• "Walk us through your process for creating and maintaining a UI design system." (Detail components, governance, and adoption strategies.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Astrid Entertainment's approach to game development, particularly our focus on cooperative open-world sims?" (Show research into the company's mission and game vision.)

• "How do you approach building a 'Nintendo-like sense of play' within a user interface?" (Discuss animation, feedback, and overall user delight.)

• "Describe your experience working in a fully remote team. What strategies do you employ to stay connected and productive?" (Highlight communication skills, self-discipline, and collaboration tools.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio presentation as a narrative for each project: the challenge, your methodology, your solution, and the results.

• Focus on Process: Emphasize your thinking, decision-making, and iterative steps rather than just showing final screens. Explain why you made certain choices.

• Demonstrate UMG Skills: If you have UMG implementation examples, be ready to discuss them in detail, including any challenges faced and how you overcame them.

• Quantify Impact: Use numbers and specific examples to illustrate the success of your designs.

• Engage with Questions: Be prepared for in-depth questions about your designs, your process, and your understanding of the game's genre and target audience.

📝 Enhancement Note: Expect interview questions to probe your ability to balance complex design requirements with user accessibility, your practical implementation skills in Unreal Engine, and your collaborative approach within a remote and distributed team environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UI / UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best showcase your UI/UX design process for systems-rich games. Ensure these examples highlight your ability to simplify complexity and demonstrate your understanding of the target game genres.

• Tailor Your Resume: Emphasize your 5+ years of game UI/UX experience, specific achievements in shipped titles, and proficiency in Unreal Engine (UMG), Figma, and/or Adobe Suite. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on your design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your UMG implementation experience and your vision for the Astrid Entertainment game.

• Research Astrid Entertainment: Familiarize yourself with the company's mission, their first project, and their stated values. Understand their unique approach to game design and how your skills align with their goals.

⚠️ 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.

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