Associate Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Team Name:
Diablo Immortal
Job Title:
Associate Design Director - Diablo Immortal | Irvine, CA
Requisition ID:
R026570
Job Description:
We Need You
The minions of Hell are growing stronger...
Join us as we write the next chapter in the Diablo universe! Diablo Immortal-our Massively Multiplayer Action-RPG mobile game-brings the world of Sanctuary to players everywhere. As our team continues to grow, we're looking for an Associate Design Director who can help shape the future of a global live game enjoyed by players across both Eastern and Western markets.
In this role, you will lead the creative direction alongside our development partner for core gameplay systems, story content, balance and economy. You will define "what's next" for a mature, three-year-old live product by developing a forward-looking design strategy that drives impactful evolution. You will partner with cross-functional leaders, guide and elevate design teams, and craft experiences that resonate with players worldwide.
This role offers a flexible hybrid work week, with a mix of remote and on-site days. While hybrid is the standard arrangement, you're also welcome to work on-site full-time if you prefer. Our primary studio location is in Irvine, CA.
Responsibilities
Creative & Strategic Direction

• Set, evolve, and communicate the creative vision for core gameplay systems, content, and economy/balance while ensuring alignment with Diablo Immortal's long-term goals.
• Lead the "what's next" strategy for a 3-year-old live mobile game by identifying the most impactful opportunities for meaningful change.
• Create a coherent design strategy that tightly connects systems design, content design needs.
• Balance the expectations and gameplay preferences of both Western and Eastern audiences, ensuring a globally resonant player experience.
• Clearly articulate the value of high-quality design for partners and leadership, building alignment and driving decisions that improve player impact.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead, mentor, and grow design teams with a positive, open, and collaborative mindset.
• Instruct, influence, and coach design partners to raise the bar for design craft across the product.
• Provide clear direction while embracing shared ownership - setting the vision without requiring total control over implementation.
• Collaborate deeply with art, engineering, product, narrative, and other partners to deliver cohesive, high-quality gameplay.

Craft: Gameplay Systems, Balance, Economy and Content

• Oversee dungeon, class, and systems design, leveraging data, player feedback, and intuition to drive engagement, retention, and monetization.
• Champion iterative development, generating insights that elevate design quality and execution.
• Prioritize ruthlessly - identifying the most critical design elements that move the product forward.
• Utilize analytics and player-behavior data to inform gameplay improvements and optimize core combat and systems.

Communication & Vision Alignment

• Communicate complex and abstract design concepts using the right tools - documentation, visualizations, prototypes, presentations - tailored to each audience.
• Influence partners through clarity, rationale, and player-focused storytelling.

Minimum Requirements

• 13+ years of game design experience, including 3+ years in a senior leadership role (Lead Designer, Associate Game Director, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated success operating live-service mobile titles, ideally within action or RPG genres.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor design teams (10+ designers).
• Highly analytical and fluent in data-informed design, with a strong ability to translate insights into impactful decisions.
• Exceptional cross-disciplinary communication and collaboration skills with co-dev partners, be able to convey complex or abstract ideas clearly.
• Deep knowledge of the Diablo franchise and action RPG design principles.

Your Platform
Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry's most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.
Our World
Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!
Our ability to build immersive and innovate worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered!
The video game industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.
We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.
We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.
Rewards
We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.
In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $126,800.00 - $234,580.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role's range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.