Lead Product Designer

We are looking for a LEAD PRODUCT DESIGNER to join the Game of Thrones Slots Casino team.

The Lead Product Designer works with Franchise Leads in developing the vision of the product and executing upon that vision. This specific role leads the effort in creating innovative user-centered design solutions that promote ease of use, employ best-in-class game/interaction design, and optimize the user experience universally in response to user testing.

You will manage other Product Design staff and lead all phases of the design process including conceptual design/development, graphic and interface design, interaction models, prototypes, user/task flows and art production.

Work closely with Franchise Stakeholders to establish and maintain the visual integrity, interaction methods, brand standards, and consistency for the game and collaborate with Product Management and Engineering for execution of design.

RESPONSIBILITIES: DESIGN

• Lead the Product Design team to develop best-in-class slots features.
• Collaborate with the Product Management and design teams to ideate, define, and develop features that yield world-class experiences for our players.
• Synthesize the needs of players and all game disciplines to find solutions that work for all. Create user flows, interface wireframes, prototypes, and design documentation.
• Employ the classic design process of defining problems, researching, analyzing, designing, and validating results.

ART

• Create UI design/layouts.
• Create high-fidelity mock-ups for pre-visualization during pre-production. Develop mood boards and help guide the visual design of features. Collaborate with the art team to define/adhere to a thematic art style.

RESEARCH & TESTING

• Participate in the planning and moderating of user testing.
• Conduct competitive research and deconstructs.
• Participate in user research, developing personas, and analyzing data. Conduct heuristic evaluations of internal & external products.

LEADERSHIP

• Be responsible for the management and career development of other Product Design staff. Set examples, guidelines, and best practices in Product Design for others in your game team.
• Lead and participate in company-wide Product Design community events, critiques, product reviews, and feature retrospectives.
• Be responsible for the Product Design of all features on a specific game team.
• Collaborate with Product Design staff from other game teams to share learnings and develop best practices across the organization.

Mentor other staff

Present your team’s work in team meetings, and share with other game teams.

REQUIREMENTS & COMPETENCIES EXPERIENCE

• Education: Bachelor's degree in HCI, Design, Graphic Design, Product Design, or related area required. A combination of education and experience may substitute for a Bachelor's degree.
• 6+ years of experience in the game development industry specializing in Product Design or UX Experience on 3+ different game titles.
• At least 1 year of experience in a leadership role

GENERAL

• Ability to adapt and work in a fast-paced setting.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, work efficiently, manage time effectively, and deliver work with minimal oversight.
• Demonstrate proactive self-development with interest in leveling up personal, interpersonal, and craft skills.
• Be organized and adhere to established conventions and organizational best practices. Find opportunities to mentor, share your knowledge, insight, and experiences with others.

COMMUNICATIONS

• Able to present complex ideas to diverse audiences and articulate a convincing point of view
• Highly competent written and verbal communication skills, including technical writing.
• Ability to co-work and communicate with multiple studio locations, teams, and partners
• Able to collaborate with proactive communication and a willingness to build consensus with competing perspectives.

PRODUCT DESIGN

• Expert in the application of fundamental Design Principles
• Seasoned authority on the Design process: Defining usability challenges, researching the problem space, analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, designing appropriate solutions, and validating ideas through testing.
• Experienced in designing for games vs. task completion, specifically supporting fun and engagement.
• High degree of competence in assessing and addressing product usability and applying user psychology
• An accomplished expert with prototyping design software (Figma, Sketch, or similar tools) and the prototype development process
• A mastery in classic graphic design principles
• An accomplished expert in user interface layout design, hierarchy, color theory, and information architecture

UI ART

• A veteran in adapting and adhering to an established visual style and building upon it Can consistently produce world-class, high-quality visual assets for user interfaces Highly skilled with standard creative software such as the Adobe Creative Suite
• An accomplished expert with UI layout & design tools (Figma, Sketch, or similar tools) Familiarity with collaborative virtual environments (Miro, FigJam)

TECHNICAL UI DEVELOPMENT

• Experienced veteran in traditional game development methods and processes
• Deep working knowledge of industry standard game engines (Unity, Unreal, or equivalent)
• Highly engaged and experienced in collaborating and partnering with technical team members such as Tech Art and Engineering
• An experienced veteran that fully understands the limitations and best practices of developing games for mobile devices

WHAT WE OFFER YOU:

• Competitive salary, bonus plan, Zynga RSU’s (Restricted Stock Units), ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan)
• 401K Company Match Contribution
• Medical, dental, vision, EAP, life insurance, and disability benefits
• Virtual mental health and neurodiversity support programs
• Family planning support program
• Generous paid maternity/parental leave
• Subsidized Back-up child care
• Discretionary Time Off policy for many employees
• Flexible working hours on many teams
• Culture of diversity and inclusion including employee resource groups
• Work with cool people and impact millions of daily players

HIRING UPDATE: The safety of our candidates and team members is our top priority. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our workforce transitioned to working from home, with all interviewing and onboarding being conducted virtually until further notice.

We are an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to building a diverse and talented workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, colour, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, disability, or any other class or characteristic protected by applicable law. We welcome job-seekers, players, employees, and partners from all backgrounds to join us!

We will consider all qualified job-seekers with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with physical or mental disabilities in order to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at AccommodationRequest@zynga.com to request an accommodation associated with your application for an open position.