UX Design Director | North America | Canada | Europe | Fully Remote

Escape Velocity Entertainment Inc
Full-time

šŸ“ Job Overview

Job Title: UX Design Director | AAA Competitive Title

Company: Escape Velocity Entertainment Inc

Location: Fully Remote (North America, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Game UX Design Leadership

Date Posted: April 28, 2026

Experience Level: Senior / Director (10+ years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote

šŸš€ Role Summary

  • Lead the User Experience (UX) vision and strategy for a new AAA, cross-platform competitive game, with an initial emphasis on Live Service and Meta Systems.

  • Drive hands-on UX design, creating user flows, wireframes, and prototypes to deliver intuitive and engaging player experiences.

  • Develop and implement scalable UX frameworks to support ongoing content, events, and live operations.

  • Foster a high-performing UX design team through leadership, mentorship, and effective delegation.

  • Collaborate closely with Product, Design, Engineering, and Production teams to align UX with game goals and player needs.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: This role is a senior leadership position within the game development industry, requiring a blend of strategic UX vision and practical design execution. The focus on "Live Service" and "Meta Systems" indicates a need for expertise in designing for long-term player engagement, monetization, and evolving game content.

šŸ“ˆ Primary Responsibilities

  • Define and champion the overarching UX vision and strategy for key game areas, with a primary focus on Live Service and Meta Systems.

  • Actively contribute to UX design artifacts, including detailed user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and comprehensive UX documentation.

  • Architect and implement robust, scalable UX frameworks that effectively support live service features, in-game events, and continuous content updates.

  • Forge strong partnerships with Product Management and Game Design to ensure UX strategies are tightly aligned with feature objectives, player needs, and critical business outcomes.

  • Drive seamless collaboration with Engineering, Art, Production, and other development disciplines to ensure the high-quality delivery of player-centric experiences.

  • Guarantee a cohesive and intuitive player journey across all game systems, navigation structures, information architecture, and interaction design elements.

  • Establish and uphold core UX principles, design standards, and best practices to guide development and iterative improvement cycles.

  • Support the growth, development, and strategic execution of a talented UX design team, aligning their ownership with product needs.

  • Implement a data-driven approach to continuous improvement, leveraging player data, usability feedback, and live game performance metrics.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on strategic leadership and hands-on design contribution. The emphasis on "scalable UX frameworks" and "Live Service" suggests a need for experience in designing for games that evolve over time, requiring robust and adaptable design solutions.

šŸŽ“ Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Psychology, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for a Director-level UX role. Equivalent professional experience will also be considered.

Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in UX design, with a substantial portion dedicated to the gaming industry, specifically in designing complex systems or live service experiences. Proven experience in a leadership or directorial capacity is essential.

Required Skills:

  • Extensive experience in UX design for games, with a proven track record in systems design, live service operations, or player-facing experiences.

  • Demonstrated ability to conceptualize, define, and execute a comprehensive UX vision from initial concept through live operations.

  • Hands-on expertise in the full spectrum of UX design activities, including the creation of user flows, detailed wireframes, and functional prototypes.

  • Exceptional collaboration and communication skills, with a history of successful cross-functional partnerships with Product, Design, Engineering, and Production teams.

  • Deep understanding of designing for complex game systems, such as progression mechanics, in-game economies, storefronts, social features, and live content delivery.

  • Strong command of player behavior, fundamental usability principles, and effective engagement patterns within interactive entertainment.

  • Proven experience in leading, mentoring, and developing UX design teams, with a clear record of enhancing team output and design quality.

  • Proficiency in industry-standard UX design tools such as Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, or comparable software.

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience with cross-platform game development and its unique UX challenges.

  • Familiarity with agile development methodologies and their application in game design.

  • Knowledge of data analytics tools and their use in informing UX decisions.

  • Experience with user research methodologies and usability testing.

  • Understanding of accessibility standards in game design.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The experience level is clearly defined as senior (10+ years), with a specific emphasis on game UX, live services, and leadership. The requirement for hands-on skills alongside leadership indicates a "player-coach" style of management.

šŸ“Š Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a strong foundation in game UX design, particularly for complex systems and live service games.

  • Demonstrations of strategic UX vision, including high-level concepts, user journey mapping, and system architecture.

  • Detailed case studies of personal contributions to user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes, highlighting problem-solving approaches.

  • Evidence of experience in designing for live operations, including how designs adapt to ongoing content updates and player feedback loops.

Process Documentation:

  • Showcase an understanding of the full UX design lifecycle, from initial ideation and research through to implementation and post-launch iteration.

  • Provide examples of how you have documented UX research findings, design specifications, and interaction guidelines for development teams.

  • Illustrate your approach to iterating on designs based on player data, A/B testing results, and community feedback.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: For a Director-level role, the portfolio is critical. It needs to demonstrate not just design execution but also strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and a deep understanding of the iterative processes involved in live service games.

šŸ’µ Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the Director-level UX role for a AAA game title, fully remote, and based in regions like the UK, North America, and Europe, the estimated salary range would be competitive. For the United Kingdom, this could range from £100,000 to £150,000+ per year, depending on specific location, experience, and negotiation. In North America, this could translate to $140,000 - $200,000+ USD annually.

Benefits:

  • Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) allowance.

  • Studio closure during Summer and Winter holidays, separate from PTO.

  • Comprehensive Private Medical & Dental Healthcare coverage.

  • Dedicated Private Mental Health scheme.

  • A generous annual Health & Wellbeing allowance.

  • Discretionary Studio Bonus opportunities.

  • Provision of top-tier technology for home office setups.

  • Additional region-specific benefits tailored to employee locations.

Working Hours: While the standard expectation for a full-time role is around 40 hours per week, Escape Velocity emphasizes autonomy and outcome over strict hours. Flexible working hours are likely, provided that project deadlines and team collaboration needs are met.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: Salary estimates are based on industry benchmarks for senior UX leadership roles in the AAA gaming sector across the specified regions, adjusted for a fully remote work arrangement. The benefits package is robust and highlights a company commitment to employee well-being and work-life balance.

šŸŽÆ Team & Company Context

šŸ¢ Company Culture

Industry: Gaming / Entertainment / Technology. Escape Velocity Entertainment Inc is focused on developing a AAA, cross-platform competitive title, placing them in a high-stakes, innovative segment of the gaming industry.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the nature of developing a AAA title suggests a mid-to-large sized studio, likely with significant funding and a dedicated team of specialists.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the company is working on a "once-in-a-career project," implying a relatively established yet forward-thinking entity.

Team Structure:

  • The UX team is likely to be part of a larger Design department, with this Director role reporting to a Head of Design or equivalent senior leadership.

  • The Director will lead a sub-team of UX Designers, potentially specializing in different areas of the game (e.g., core gameplay UX, meta-systems UX, UI/UX).

Methodology:

  • Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using player data, analytics, and usability feedback to inform and iterate on UX decisions.

  • Agile & Iterative Development: Expectation of working within agile frameworks, with continuous testing, feedback, and refinement of designs.

  • Autonomy & Ownership: A culture that values individual initiative, allowing team members to determine the best ways to achieve objectives.

  • Player-Centricity: A core focus on ensuring that all design decisions prioritize and enhance the player experience.

Company Website: https://eve.games/

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The company culture described emphasizes autonomy, honesty, and a focus on making time spent on games rewarding. This suggests an environment where UX professionals can have significant impact and are trusted to deliver high-quality work.

šŸ“ˆ Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at the Director level within the UX Design discipline. It signifies a senior leadership position responsible for setting strategic direction, managing a team, and influencing the overall player experience of a major AAA title. The scope extends beyond individual contribution to encompass team performance and the successful implementation of UX across critical game systems.

Reporting Structure: The UX Design Director will likely report to a higher-level Design executive, such as a Head of Design, VP of Design, or Chief Creative Officer. They will, in turn, manage a team of UX Designers, potentially including Leads or Senior Designers.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant. The Director's strategic vision and leadership directly influence the player's journey, engagement, retention, and overall satisfaction with the game. This, in turn, drives key business outcomes such as player acquisition, monetization, and community growth for a live service title.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Strategic Leadership Expansion: Potential to take on broader design leadership responsibilities within the studio or for future projects.

  • Specialization Development: Deepen expertise in specific areas of live service design, meta-systems, or player community engagement.

  • Mentorship & Team Building: Continue to build and shape high-performing design teams, fostering talent and driving best practices across the studio.

  • Industry Influence: Contribute to the broader game design community through speaking engagements, publications, or thought leadership.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: This is a career-defining role for a UX professional in the gaming industry. The growth opportunities are geared towards continued leadership, strategic influence, and potentially expanding the scope of impact within a studio focused on live service games.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. Escape Velocity Entertainment Inc operates as a remote-first company, supporting team members globally. This means there is no central physical office for this role.

Office Location(s): The role is open to candidates located in North America, Canada, and Europe, with a specific mention of the United Kingdom. This broad geographical reach allows for a diverse talent pool and accommodates employees in various time zones.

Workspace Context:

  • Home Office Setup: The company provides top-tier technology for home setups, ensuring employees have the necessary tools and equipment to perform their roles effectively.

  • Collaborative Platforms: Expect extensive use of digital collaboration tools for communication, project management, and design sharing (e.g., Slack, Discord, Jira, Confluence, Figma).

  • Asynchronous & Synchronous Communication: While remote, there will be a balance of scheduled meetings for critical discussions and asynchronous communication for day-to-day updates and feedback.

Work Schedule: The company emphasizes autonomy and outcome, suggesting flexibility in working hours. While a standard 40-hour work week is the benchmark, the focus is on delivering results. This allows for personal schedule management, provided that collaboration with team members across different time zones is effectively managed.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature of this role is a significant aspect, requiring strong self-discipline, communication skills, and the ability to thrive in a distributed team environment. The company's commitment to providing top-tier tech is a key enabler for this setup.

šŸ“„ Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

  • Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into your experience, leadership style, and strategic approach to UX design, particularly for live service games.

  • Team/Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with potential peers, cross-disciplinary leads (e.g., Product Manager, Lead Designer, Lead Engineer), to evaluate collaboration skills, technical understanding, and cultural fit. This may include a portfolio presentation.

  • Design Challenge/Case Study: A practical exercise or presentation focused on a specific UX problem relevant to the game's live service or meta systems. This assesses your problem-solving skills, design process, and ability to articulate your rationale.

  • Final Interview: A concluding discussion, potentially with senior leadership, to finalize decisions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your experience with complex systems, live service design, and leadership. Highlight your role and contributions clearly.

  • Tell a Story: For each project, outline the problem, your process, the solutions you designed, and the measurable impact or outcomes. Focus on the "why" behind your design decisions.

  • Showcase Leadership: Include examples of how you've influenced design direction, mentored junior designers, or collaborated effectively with other disciplines.

  • Live Service Focus: Emphasize how your designs address player retention, engagement, and monetization in a live environment. Demonstrate an understanding of iteration and data-driven adjustments.

  • Clarity and Conciseness: Ensure your portfolio is easy to navigate and your explanations are clear and to the point.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Understand the Game Context: Research Escape Velocity Entertainment Inc and the type of AAA competitive title they are developing.

  • Live Service & Meta Systems: Prepare to discuss your approach to designing for ongoing content, player progression, in-game economies, and community features.

  • Problem-Solving Framework: Have a structured approach to tackling UX problems, including research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.

  • Articulate Trade-offs: Be ready to discuss design decisions, potential trade-offs, and how you would balance player needs with business objectives.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess not only design skills but also leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to thrive in a collaborative, remote, and live-service-focused game development environment. The portfolio and any design challenge will be critical in demonstrating practical application of these skills.

šŸ›  Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • UX Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, given industry trend and mention), Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD), Sketch. Proficiency in at least one industry-standard design and prototyping tool is essential.

  • Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Workspace.

  • Project Management & Documentation: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello.

Analytics & Reporting:

  • Experience with game analytics platforms (e.g., GameAnalytics, Amplitude, custom internal tools) to understand player behavior and game performance.

CRM & Automation:

  • While not directly a CRM role, understanding how player data is managed and potentially used for communication or personalization in live services is beneficial.

  • Familiarity with tools that facilitate workflow automation within design or development pipelines.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost a given for modern UX roles, especially at a senior level. The expectation is for candidates to be comfortable with a suite of digital tools that enable remote collaboration and efficient design workflows.

šŸ‘„ Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

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

  • Autonomy & Ownership: Empowering individuals to take initiative, make decisions, and own their work, fostering a sense of responsibility and accountability.

  • Honesty & Transparency: Open communication, even when delivering difficult news, building trust and a foundation for effective problem-solving.

  • Constant Improvement: A drive for continuous learning and refinement, both in the game itself and in the studio's processes and methodologies.

  • Culture of Play: Valuing fun, creativity, and the joy of game development, recognizing that a positive environment leads to better outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-functional Integration: Close working relationships with Product, Design, Engineering, Art, and Production teams, fostering a shared understanding of goals and challenges.

  • Feedback-Driven: An open culture for giving and receiving constructive feedback, essential for iterating on complex designs and ensuring high quality.

  • Shared Vision: A collaborative effort to build and maintain a unified vision for the game's player experience, ensuring all disciplines are working towards common objectives.

  • Remote Collaboration Best Practices: Active participation in digital collaboration tools and processes designed for distributed teams, ensuring effective communication and knowledge sharing.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The company's stated values of autonomy, honesty, and a "culture of play" are key indicators of the work environment. UX professionals who thrive in environments that prioritize trust, empower individuals, and focus on delivering rewarding player experiences will find this role appealing.

⚔ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Designing for Live Service Complexity: Navigating the intricacies of designing for long-term player engagement, evolving content, and potential monetization strategies within a competitive AAA landscape.

  • Balancing Vision with Execution: Ensuring the high-level UX vision is translated into practical, implementable designs that meet technical constraints and production timelines.

  • Remote Team Leadership: Effectively leading, motivating, and collaborating with a distributed UX design team across different time zones and cultures.

  • Evolving Player Expectations: Staying ahead of player trends and adapting designs to meet the constantly changing demands of the gaming audience.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Strategic Design Impact: Opportunity to shape the core player experience of a major AAA title, with significant influence on its success.

  • Leadership Growth: Develop advanced skills in managing design teams, strategic planning, and cross-functional leadership within a dynamic industry.

  • Live Service Expertise: Deepen knowledge and practical application of UX design principles specifically tailored for live service games.

  • Industry Exposure: Opportunity to work with a talented team on a high-profile project, potentially leading to broader industry recognition and networking.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: This role presents both significant challenges and immense opportunities for growth. The experience gained in leading UX for a AAA live service game remotely will be highly valuable for future career progression in the gaming industry.

šŸ’” Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "Describe your process for defining a UX vision for a new AAA game, particularly for its live service components. How do you ensure this vision is understood and adopted by the wider team?" (Focus on strategic thinking, communication, and alignment)

  • "Walk us through a complex system you've designed for a live service game (e.g., progression, economy, player progression). What were the key challenges, your design choices, and the outcomes?" (Focus on problem-solving, system design, and impact)

Company & Culture Questions:

  • "What are your thoughts on Escape Velocity's stated values of autonomy, honesty, and a 'culture of play'? How would these values influence your approach to leading the UX team?" (Focus on cultural fit and alignment)

  • "How do you balance player needs with business objectives and technical constraints in a live service environment?" (Focus on strategic trade-offs and practical application)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Theme Your Presentation: Organize your portfolio around key themes relevant to the role, such as "Live Service UX," "Complex Systems Design," or "Leadership in UX."

  • Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics and data to demonstrate the success of your designs. For example, "increased player retention by X%," or "improved conversion rates on Y feature by Z%."

  • Highlight Collaboration: Clearly articulate your role within team projects and showcase how you've effectively collaborated with cross-functional partners.

  • Focus on Process: For each case study, detail your thought process, the problem-solving steps you took, and the rationale behind your design decisions.

  • Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, challenges faced, and how you would approach specific scenarios related to the game.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, hands-on UX expertise in live service games, and strong leadership capabilities, all within the context of a remote work environment and the specific culture of Escape Velocity Entertainment Inc.

šŸ“Œ Application Steps

To apply for this UX Design Director position:

  • Click the "Apply" button on the job posting and complete the application form.

  • Curate Your Resume/CV: Tailor your resume to highlight your extensive experience in game UX design, specifically focusing on complex systems, live service operations, and leadership roles. Use keywords from the job description such as "AAA," "Live Service," "Meta Systems," "UX Vision," and "Team Leadership."

  • Prepare Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your most impactful projects that best demonstrate your qualifications. Ensure each project clearly outlines the problem, your process, your specific contributions, and the results achieved, with a strong emphasis on live service and system design. Be ready to present this portfolio.

  • Research Escape Velocity: Familiarize yourself with Escape Velocity Entertainment Inc, their mission, and the type of AAA competitive title they are developing. Understand their company culture and values to articulate your fit.

  • Practice Your Narrative: Prepare concise and compelling stories about your experience, particularly concerning leadership, problem-solving in game design, and your approach to remote collaboration.

āš ļø 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.

Application Requirements

Requires significant experience in game UX design, specifically with complex systems like progression and live content. Candidates must demonstrate strong leadership skills and proficiency in industry-standard design tools like Figma or Adobe.