As our founding Game Designer, you will be playing a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of strategy and puzzle games by guiding a team of innovative makers and creators through the invention of unique game concepts and game mechanics. You’re a talented game designer, indie game maker or rapid prototyper with a hands-on approach, capable of independently designing, prototyping, and refining games from concept to implementation.

This role is all about dreaming big, designing innovative mechanics, and building gameplay systems that are both fun and endlessly engaging. You’ll play a critical part in shaping the future of our games, driving the conceptualization of bold new ideas, and bringing them to life with innovative mechanics and systems.

By leveraging creative puzzle and strategy game design, you’ll imagine and prototype unique concepts that leverage cutting-edge technology while staying grounded in what makes games truly enjoyable. If you love rolling up your sleeves and using game engines and prototyping tools to bring your ideas quickly to life, as well as creating fully functional prototypes to demonstrate your vision, then this is the role for you.

The ideal candidate is a visionary thinker who loves inventing new games, thrives in a creative and collaborative environment, and is passionate about delivering polished, memorable player experiences.

What You'll Do

• Game Ideation: Develop and pitch innovative game concepts, mechanics, and systems that blend simplicity with strategy to create engaging, long-term player experiences.
• Rapid Prototyping: Quickly turn ideas into playable prototypes to explore and test new gameplay concepts and mechanics. You have the technical proficiency and level of comfort to turn your ideas into a proper playable prototype using the Unity game engine.
• Gameplay Innovation: Design creative ways to combine AI-driven systems with human ingenuity to build self-generating, endlessly replayable games.
• Player Experience: Craft gameplay that is easy to learn but hard to master, with a focus on accessibility, depth, and delivering meaningful, fun challenges.
• Collaboration: Partner closely with engineers, AI specialists, artists, and other designers to bring your ideas to life, refine them through iterative feedback, and ensure all elements work seamlessly together.
• Playtesting & Feedback: Conduct playtests, gather and analyze player feedback, and use insights to optimize and polish game mechanics and systems.
• Data-Driven Design: Leverage analytics to inform design decisions, balance gameplay, and maximize player engagement.
• Market Awareness: Stay informed on industry trends, player preferences, and competitive games to ensure we’re delivering fresh, forward-thinking experiences.
• Experimentation: Continuously push the boundaries of what’s possible in game design, using rapid iteration and creative problem-solving to explore new ideas and paradigms.

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience designing and inventing games, particularly in the puzzle or strategy genre.
• A portfolio of creative projects showcasing your ability to design unique, engaging gameplay systems. Projects you’ve built independently or that you’ve worked on solo and have led to fully functional prototypes are especially valued.
• Experience working on 2D games, web games, or similar formats.
• Participation in game jams or other creative events that highlight your ability to develop ideas quickly and collaboratively.
• Exceptional creativity and a knack for thinking outside the box when it comes to gameplay design.
• A strong understanding of what makes games fun and engaging, with an emphasis on strategy and replayability.
• A deep love for games of all kinds, with a personal passion for strategy games, puzzle games, roguelites, turn-based games, daily games, chess, or chess-like games.
• Self-motivated and adaptable, with a hacker/maker mindset and a willingness to experiment and iterate.
• A proven ability to work autonomously to prototype and refine game ideas, demonstrating technical and design skills in equal measure.
• A collaborative approach to working with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate game concepts and mechanics.

Awesome if You Also Have

• Experience designing and building games in the puzzle, strategy, roguelite, or turn-based genres.
• Experience participating in game jams or building indie games that showcase your passion for experimentation and prototyping.
• Familiarity with procedural generation in games, and a passion for exploring how technology and AI can unlock new forms of gameplay.
• Experience working on daily or socially-driven features in games with an active community of players.
• Strong prototyping skills, with experience in tools like Unity or other game engines.
• A track record of working in startups or small, creative teams.
• A strong academic background from a top-tier school is a plus.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and generous equity package.
• Great remote-friendly office space with the best of what tech and gaming have to offer.
• Joining the early team of a breakout startup with massive potential to directly shape the company’s direction with your work.
• Being part of a rocketship funded by the world’s best investors in the field. Nuff said.
• Professional development and opportunities to grow within the company.
• Creative and entrepreneurial working environment where you’re encouraged to think out of the box and bring new ideas to life.
• Yearly personal development stipend to use however you see fit (so you can farm proper stats other than your ELO).
• Yearly personal gaming equipment stipend + yearly Discord Nitro upgrades (to finally git gud at all those games you keep buying).
• Unlimited Paid Time Off.
• 100% coverage for top-tier health insurance.

Location

We’re ideally looking for teammates in Los Angeles or San Francisco with a preference for hybrid work, but all California-based or US remote folks are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

If you’re excited about building the next big thing in gaming and have a deep passion for creating memorable experiences, we’d love to hear from you. Shoot us a note with your resume and LinkedIn profile to join us on this exciting journey!

Echo Chess is proud to celebrate diversity and we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.