Title

Systems / Game Designer (Mid–Senior) (m/f/o)

About the Role

As a Systems Designer, you will be responsible for designing, analyzing, and balancing gameplay systems in line with the design goals of our current project, which is a stylized, combat-driven top-down action-adventure.

You will work closely with the Game Director and game programmers to translate design requirements into clear, workable systems, establish the documentation and parameters needed to implement and tune them, and iterate on the results through testing and feedback.

This role requires both analytical thinking and a practical understanding of game development. You should be comfortable working with complex gameplay interactions, documenting your designs, and collaborating across disciplines to make sure systems work as intended and contribute to the overall player experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop gameplay systems in line with the project's design requirements and overall vision
• Analyze existing implementations and competing games to identify opportunities, strengths, and potential improvements
• Break down complex gameplay concepts into clear, structured, and implementable designs
• Document system logic, design decisions, parameters, as well as dependencies clearly and work closely with the Game Director, game programmers and other disciplines during implementation
• Set up and maintain tuning and balancing systems to support efficient iteration
• Test, evaluate, and refine gameplay systems in collaboration with QA and the wider development team
• Identify issues and inconsistencies, propose solutions, and follow through on improvements

Requirements

• Professional experience in Systems Design and/or Game Design
• At least one shipped game in the video game industry
• Ability to analyze, structure, and plan complex gameplay systems
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with an eye for detail and system consistency
• Experience with gameplay tuning, balancing, or iterative design workflows
• Good organizational skills, including planning, time management, and documentation
• Ability to communicate design ideas and technical requirements clearly
• Experience collaborating with programmers, QA, and other development disciplines
• Knowledge of version control systems
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a small team
• Fluent in English

Nice to have

• Experience working on action-adventure or combat-driven games
• Experience with top-down gameplay
• Experience working with proprietary engines, internal tools, or custom development workflows
• Experience with console game development
• Experience balancing interconnected gameplay systems
• Familiarity with scripting or other technical tools that support systems design

What we offer

• An exciting position with challenges and opportunities to fully express your creativity
• An energetic and cheerful team
• Extensive room for personal and professional development
• The opportunity to positively influence workflows and contribute to the studio’s overall success
• A collaborative, cross-disciplinary environment
• Hybrid work setup in Frankfurt, Germany (at least 3 days onsite)
• Full health / dental insurance (as legally required by German state)
• Flexible working time

On KAIKO GmbH:

With over 30 years of game development experience, the founders still work hands on in the development of our titles.
We have a friendly work environment, work sane hours and allow everybody to leave their mark in our products.
As a company we always strive for competence and reliability and keep ourselves from corporate bullshit or buzzwording.

How to apply :