At a Glance
- Tasks: Design immersive levels for an action VR shooter using Unreal Engine 5.
- Company: Join LODE, a passionate studio creating cutting-edge immersive media.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible hybrid work, competitive salary, and a creative environment.
- Other info: Collaborative team culture with opportunities for personal influence and growth.
- Why this job: Shape unique gameplay experiences and tackle exciting design challenges in VR.
- Qualifications: Strong portfolio in level design and experience with Unreal Engine required.
The predicted salary is between 82800 - 101200 $ per year.
Project: Eye-tracked Action VR shooter
Role: Full-time (9-month fixed-term contract with potential for extension)
Experience Level: Mid-Senior
Start Date: November 2026
Office Location: Hybrid - based in Footscray, Melbourne (VIC) or Remote.
Core Gameplay: Action Sniper experience inspired by “Silent Scope”, “Time Crisis”, “Pure Sniper”.
About the studio: Founded in 2017 and located in Footscray, Victoria, LODE is passionate about immersive Media. We’re the studio behind the stealth-action ‘Espire’ IP. Since 2019, we’ve shipped three Espire titles across all major XR platforms. Our mission is to be at the forefront of immersive technology, crafting never-before-seen mechanics that entertain players in unforgettable worlds.
Position Overview: We’re looking for a creative Level Designer to join our small, agile team for our latest project, codenamed ‘EyeSpy’. In this role, you will be responsible for crafting immersive, engaging environments that drive the player experience and taking levels from greyboxes all the way to final polish.
Key Responsibilities:
- Level Assembly & Composition: Drive level creation from high-level concepts through a structured 4-pass system, Greybox -> Final. Design, organize, and maintain levels using Unreal Engine's classic level streaming system. Build environments with modular asset kits. Perform light environment art and scene assembly. Iterate on overall level composition, item placement, scale, and enemy sightlines.
- Encounter & Gameplay Design: Design and iterate on enemy encounters, enemy placements and squad compositions. Work closely with the Game Director, Game Designer, and AI Programmer to build out mission archetypes and gameplay flow. Continuously playtest and iterate on levels.
- Optimization & Performance: Design levels with the performance constraints of Standalone VR Hardware / Mobile devices in mind. Assist the optimization team using internal tools and workflows. Use in-house tooling to convert meshes to Instanced Static Meshes and Hierarchical Instanced Static Meshes clusters.
- Level Scripting & World Mapping: Perform light level scripting using Unreal Engine Blueprints. Design out individual missions on the 3D overworld map and define branching player paths.
- Retention & Systems Passes: Perform retention passes across all levels by placing hidden collectibles and other metagame level mechanics.
Position Requirements:
- Relevant Portfolio: A strong portfolio demonstrating structural level design skills, action / shooter gameplay, and layout mockups specifically for games.
- Design fundamentals: Strong understanding of game design principles, including flow, pacing, and difficulty balance.
- Engine Proficiency: Strong proficiency with the Unreal Engine editor for level creation.
- Technical Constraint: Ability to work within the technical limitations of mobile hardware.
- Shipped Titles: Minimum of 2 shipped titles as a Level Designer.
- Cross-Discipline Collaboration: Ability to work closely across disciplines.
- Based In Australia: Applicants must be based in Australia with the right to work in Australia.
Nice-to-Haves:
- Victorian Talent: Candidates based in Victoria are preferred.
- VR Design Experience: Experience designing levels within the spatial and performance constraints of Virtual Reality.
- Mobile Mesh Optimization: Deep understanding of mesh optimization techniques for mobile platforms.
- Landscape Tools: Hands-on experience using Epic's Unreal Engine Landscape tools.
- Lighting Skills: Experience working with static/baked lighting.
- Genre Passion: Passion for action / arcade shooters.
Why Join Us?
- Own your work: Freedom to control your area of development.
- Collaborative by Design: Highly collaborative team that thrives on shared creativity.
- Solve new design challenges: Focused on the cutting edge of VR.
- Work-life & environment: Hybrid work model with flexibility.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Digital Lode is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Mid - Senior Level Designer – Melbourne employer: Digital Lode
At LODE, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer by fostering a collaborative and creative work culture that empowers our team members to take ownership of their projects. Located in the vibrant Footscray area of Melbourne, we offer a hybrid work model that promotes work-life balance, alongside unique perks such as regular team celebrations and a supportive environment for professional growth. Join us to tackle cutting-edge VR design challenges while contributing to immersive experiences that captivate players.
