---
title: 'Lead Designer at 31st Union'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-designer-31st-union-san-mateo-california-rmkdjkgpak35'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-11'
---

# Lead Designer at 31st Union

- **Company:** 31st Union
- **Location:** San Mateo California, United States
- **Posted:** 2026-08-20
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/31stunion/jobs/7865966003

## Job description

## WE ARE GAME MAKERS

Who We Are:

We are a diverse team of developers driven by a passion for our art, united by our core values and inspired by a culture of inclusivity to build amazing games that thrill players everywhere. We pursue growth and innovation in an environment of safety and trust. Our culture is built on the belief that the more varied voices in our collective will strengthen our team and our games.  We are looking for our next teammate who will raise our bar and make us better.

Who You Are:

We’re looking for a Lead Designer to join our team and help us shape the future of online multiplayer gaming. This role will be a key leader on one of our major gameplay pillars to lead the team on day-to-day work, where you will help the vision come to life, align the team around gameplay objectives and ensure how we design meets a high bar of rigor. You have proven expertise in leading mechanics and systems-based teams and features, developing people and building buy-in through strong working relationships across disciplines to bring things into reality. If you have a passion and drive to bring out the best in others, build teams and shepherd a great experience for players, we’d like to hear from you.

What You’ll Do:

- Lead a feature team by setting scope, approach and design objectives that meet our overall game goals

- Manage other designers by giving them support, growth and actionable feedback on both what they work on and how they work

- Define and set sprint and milestone objectives for your team - including appropriate tradeoffs, costs, and the right areas of work to focus on

- Evaluate and diagnose work to find improvements and opportunities for improvement - along with plans of how to get there

- Work cross-functionally within and outside of your team to communicate and align on the work, tradeoffs and dependencies. Radiate changes across the organization

- Maintain and enforce good executional standards and practices for scripting and design execution - including in-engine and documentation

What Will Make You a Great Fit:

- 8+ years of professional game design experience, including at least 1 year managing, mentoring, and maintaining accountability for multiple designers within a feature team or area on a AAA development team.

- Background in shaping and building a live-service game or major live-service systems from development through launch.

- Proven experience designing and leading multiplayer features that touch multiple systems and need strong integration - such as game mode, characters, economy, progression, etc.

- Theory-crafting skillset & past experience designing for depth and multiplayer gameplay.

- Deep understanding of the various components (UI, Art, Engineering, Audio, VFX, etc.) to ensure gameplay is cohesive and integrated

- Proactive approach that creates movement in the right direction

- Capable of rapidly filtering large volumes of feedback into concrete and useful improvements

- Adept at managing, articulating and advocating for effective tradeoffs

- Well-played in the multiplayer PvP / Competitive Space and able to deconstruct what works and why.

- Capability to abstract designs outside of single solutions into patterns and models of player behavior; providing options and flexible design solutions

- Strong experience with Unreal Engine and Blueprint visual scripting; programming experience (C++, C#, etc.) is a plus.

The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $127,500 and $190,000 per year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations.

Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program.

Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses. Ontario only: The use of Artificial Intelligence is not being used to screen candidates. The position is for an existing vacancy.

#LI-Remote #LI-Onsite #LI-Hybrid

## About 31st Union

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: 31st Union is a video game development studio creating highly engaging multiplayer entertainment as a wholly owned studio of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive.
- **Entity Type**: Private (wholly owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., NASDAQ: TTWO)
- **Headquarters**: San Mateo, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2019
- **Founders**: Not publicly disclosed (studio formed by 2K/Take-Two Interactive)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Video Game Development (AAA console/PC gaming)
- **Target customers**: B2C (consumers/players), specifically fans of online multiplayer gaming experiences
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "Crafting highly engaging entertainment and a commitment to putting players first" — the studio's rallying cry is "Bring fun, inspiration and awe to our lives and to our community."

## Products & Services
- **Unannounced Title (in development)**: A highly engaging online multiplayer game. The studio is actively hiring across engineering, UI, UX, animation, and design disciplines to build this "inspired new game experience." The specific title or franchise has not been publicly revealed.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, which has a market cap of roughly $30B+ as of mid-2026)
- **Key Metric**: Studio size of approximately 146 employees (per Built In), with active hiring across both San Mateo and Valencia, Spain locations
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Parent company is Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), operating under the 2K publishing label. This provides the studio with "the collaborative support and incredible perks of one of the world’s leading interactive entertainment companies."
- **Growth Signals**: The studio is actively expanding its team, with open roles in engineering, animation, and UI/UX design. The studio operates as "one empowered global team across North America and Spain," indicating a growing international footprint.

## Competitive Advantages
- **AAA Backing with Studio Autonomy**: 31st Union "cherishes studio independence and autonomy" while benefiting from the financial stability, resources, and perks of Take-Two Interactive, a top global publisher.
- **Multi-Location Talent Pool**: Dual studios in San Francisco Bay Area and Valencia, Spain allow access to diverse global talent across all disciplines.
- **Player-First Culture**: The studio is built on values of trust, inclusivity, and psychological safety, which they believe enables the best creative work.

## Strategic Focus
- **Building a New IP**: The studio is focused on developing a new, original online multiplayer game from the ground up, investing heavily in UI systems, animation, and technical design.
- **Global Team Empowerment**: They are building a "one team" culture where all disciplines are represented in both North America and Spain, with shared ownership of the game's success.
- **Innovation in Gameplay**: Driven by the motto "Chase the Horizon," the team is focused on pushing creative boundaries to deliver a "brilliant" experience that "raises the bar."

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Emphasizes a "psychologically safe space," inclusivity, trust, and a commitment to personal growth ("Live Your Dreams"). The studio values diverse perspectives and operates with a "player-first" mindset.
- **Work Policy**: Roles listed are "In-Office" at the San Mateo, CA headquarters. The studio has a physical office with bike stations, EV charging, and well-stocked kitchens.
- **Notable Perks & Benefits**:
    - Private healthcare (medical, dental, vision) for employees & dependents
    - Generous PTO & sick time off
    - Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
    - Fitness reimbursement program
    - Life & disability insurance
    - Parental leave & compassionate leave
    - Retirement savings plans with company contributions
    - Learning & development tools
    - Employee referral bonuses
    - Charitable giving, corporate match & volunteer program
    - Mental health & wellbeing offerings
    - Company social events & gatherings
    - Commuter & meal perks

## Sources
1. [thirtyfirstunion.com](https://thirtyfirstunion.com/)
2. [thirtyfirstunion.com/careers](https://thirtyfirstunion.com/careers/)
3. [thirtyfirstunion.com/studio](https://thirtyfirstunion.com/studio/)
4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/31stunion](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/31stunion)
5. [builtin.com/company/31st-union](https://builtin.com/company/31st-union)

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