DescriptionAre you passionate about video games? Want to create software that makes a difference? At the Virtual Heroes Group of Applied Research Associates, our goal is to improve your safety, security, and way of life. Join us!Our Serious Games Designer is an advocate of innovation and creativity. You will work to create, drive, and deliver the overall creative vision of software products spanning across a wide variety of subject matter topics including commercial, healthcare, and military. In this role you will lead the design team, collaborate with the development team (Design, Art, Programming, QA, and Production), as well as external clients and subject matter experts (SME’s) to conceptualize, document and implement core gameplay concepts, systems, and content across multiple projects. You will also support proposal writing and face-to-face design pitches when necessary.The ideal candidate must be a highly experienced designer with strong design sense and a thorough understanding of games and gameplay mechanics. We are seeking a candidate that will approach design holistically and must have the ability to take complex learning objectives and embed them into functional, interactive designs.This position is hybrid work in the Raleigh, NC area.Why Work For Us?
The opportunity to make a real impact. Virtual Heroes has been making quality serious games for fifteen years
Flexible, reasonable hours and a hybrid 3-day telecommuting/2 days office work schedule. We encourage all employees to have a good work/life balance. We do not believe in burning you out! We invest in our people and want you to be happy with us for the long-haul
Competitive salaries and outstanding benefits. We provide generous retirement contributions; medical, dental, and vision coverage; company-paid life and long-term disability insurance; and annual performance bonuses
Serious Games Designer Responsibilities:
Conceptualize, create, and maintain detailed game design documentation throughout the project cycle that meets design, artistic and technical requirements
Collaborate closely with our diverse team in Raleigh, NC, to design and develop unique training experiences
Create intuitive UI/UX for use on Mobile, PC, VR and AR projects
Stay informed about industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in game design to continually improve our games
Document detailed software mechanics, software progression and interface flow
Work with clients to define their vision while keeping projects in line with company objective and on budget
Communicate product vision to the development team by participating in meetings, reviews, and planning
Forecast the ramifications of decisions made during the preproduction phase while ensuring that the design vision extends throughout the development process
Adjust design and implement changes to the game based on feedback from the development team, SMEs, and end users
Assist in the creation of product proposals and presentations
Inspire, motivate, and mentor team members in best practices, processes and procedures while promoting a collaborative production environment
Serious Games Designer Requirements:
US Citizenship is required
The nature of work (i.e. interactions with the intelligence community and DoD programs) requires eligibility to apply for and hold a US security clearance; selected applicants will undergo a security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements at the time of employment
Bachelor’s degree 2-4 years of experience in game development or a design related field, along with at least one shipped title or product as a credited designer OR 8 years of relevant work experience in lieu of a degree
Expertise in detailed and clear software documentation, pre-visualization, and technical writing
Experience in iterating on game prototypes through the development life cycle to refine gameplay mechanics, balance, and ensuring product is meeting customer requirements and learning objectives
Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate design ideas and concepts to team members
Passion to explore how games and interactive technology can positively affect training and education
Experience working in Unreal Engine 5
Serious Games Designer Preferred Skills:
Showcase experience in creating intuitive user interfaces (UI) and engaging user experiences (UX) within Unreal 5
Experience in Unreal 5 blueprints, scripting, and Slate UI
Demonstrate an understanding of interactive teaching and learning methodologies, including instructional design principles
Experience with multiplayer and mobile game systems
Team mentoring and leadership skills
Experience writing product proposals
Aptitude for multitasking as well as quickly comprehending and assimilating new ideas, software, and technologies
Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
Experience working in Agile teams, and with JIRA and Confluence
Familiarity with Photoshop, Visio, Adobe XD/Figma
Who is ARA?Applied Research Associates, Inc. (aka ARA) is an employee-owned international research and engineering company. We have been providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences since 1979. ARA has over 2,276 employee owners and continues to grow rapidly. Together, our offices throughout the U.S. and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense, civil, and health technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement.ARA also prides itself, on having a challenging culture where innovation & experimentation are the norm. The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. Employee ownership ensures you have a voice with what happens in the company. We are also very proud of our Women’s Initiative Network (WIN), whose purpose is to motivate, support, and encourage professional career development for women to maximize career and professional accomplishments.To find out more about what the Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Division has to offer, visit our website at: https://www.ara.com/benefits/QualificationsEducationPreferred
Bachelors or better in Game Development
ExperienceRequired
2-4 years: Relevant Work Experience
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with DisabilitiesThe contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)