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Gaming Designer Jobs in Portland, OR (NOW HIRING)

The impact you'll make As a Virtual Reality Technical Game Designer, you will design, program and implement learning scenarios in a mixed reality environment that will focus primarily on user ...

Guides students through designing game mechanics documents, building levels in game engines, programming player interactions, creating or integrating art assets, and conducting playtesting sessions.

LSAT Tutor

Portland, OR · Remote

$26 - $40/hr

Strategic Logic & Game Analysis: Skilled at teaching logic game setup and notation systems ... Our platform is designed to match students with the right tutors, fostering better outcomes and a ...

Company Description If you have played the top 100 mobile games in the market, you probably used ... Designing and implementing REST APIs * Working in a *nix environment * Experience with Flask ...

Company Description If you have played the top 100 mobile games in the market, you probably used ... Designing and implementing REST APIs * Working in a *nix environment * Experience with Flask ...

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Showing results 1-20

Gaming Designer information

See Portland, OR salary details

$49.8K

$165.4K

How much do gaming designer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for gaming designer in Portland, OR is $158,140.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $164,400.00 and $164,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a gaming designer do?

A Gaming Designer is responsible for creating the concepts, rules, and structure of video games. They work with a team to develop the game's storylines, characters, gameplay mechanics, and levels. Gaming Designers often collaborate with artists, programmers, and writers to ensure the game offers a compelling and enjoyable experience. Their work involves both creative and technical skills, including problem-solving, prototyping, and playtesting to refine ideas. Ultimately, they help shape the player's experience from the initial idea to the final product.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a gaming designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Gaming Designer, you need a strong grasp of game mechanics, storytelling, and user experience, typically supported by a degree in game design, computer science, or a related field. Proficiency in industry-standard tools like Unity, Unreal Engine, and graphic design software, as well as knowledge of scripting languages, is highly valued. Creativity, teamwork, and effective communication are essential soft skills for collaborating on multidisciplinary teams and bringing innovative ideas to life. These skills are crucial for creating engaging, playable games that meet both player expectations and project objectives.

What are some common challenges gaming designers face when working on collaborative projects?

Gaming designers often collaborate with developers, artists, and writers, which can present challenges in aligning creative visions and managing feedback from multiple stakeholders. Balancing gameplay mechanics with visual and narrative elements requires clear communication and flexibility. Additionally, meeting tight deadlines while accommodating changes in scope or design can be demanding. Successful gaming designers are proactive in soliciting input, open to iteration, and skilled at resolving conflicts to keep the project on track.

What is the difference between Gaming Designer vs Game Developer?

AspectGaming DesignerGame Developer
CredentialsTypically a degree in game design, computer science, or related fieldsUsually a degree in computer science, software engineering, or programming
Work EnvironmentDesign studios, creative teams, collaborative settingsProgramming environments, coding teams, technical development
Industry UsageFocuses on game concept, mechanics, and user experienceFocuses on coding, software architecture, and technical implementation

While both roles are essential in game development, Gaming Designers primarily focus on creating game concepts, mechanics, and user experience, whereas Game Developers handle the technical coding and software development. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and collaboration in the gaming industry.

How do you become a gaming designer?

To become a gaming designer, individuals typically pursue a bachelor's degree in game design, computer science, or a related field, and develop skills in programming, storytelling, and graphic design. Gaining experience through internships, creating a portfolio of game projects, and familiarizing oneself with game development tools like Unity or Unreal Engine are also important steps.

What jobs can a gaming designer get?

A gaming designer can pursue roles such as game developer, level designer, game artist, or user experience designer within the video game industry. These positions often require skills in programming, graphic design, storytelling, and familiarity with game development tools like Unity or Unreal Engine.

What job categories do people searching Gaming Designer jobs in Portland, OR look for?

The top searched job categories for Gaming Designer jobs in Portland, OR are:

What cities near Portland, OR are hiring for Gaming Designer jobs?

Cities near Portland, OR with the most Gaming Designer job openings:

Infographic showing various Gaming Designer job openings in Portland, OR as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 1% Temporary. Highlights an 49% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 50% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $158,140 per year, or $76 per hour.

Technical Game Designer 1

Lam Research Corporation

Tualatin, OR • On-site

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Design, program, and implement learning scenarios in a mixed reality environment focused on user interactions in a virtual semiconductor training lab.

  • Work with instructional designers and subject-matter experts to develop accurate and scalable mixed reality training scenarios and update existing VR modules for accuracy.

  • Support and troubleshoot VR hardware/software issues and provide guidance and training to other VR developers.


Lam Research rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 46 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

133rd of 496 rated machine equipment manufacturers


Job description

The group you'll be a part of
Interested in working with the latest technologies in a training environment? Be an integral part of the Technical Training Virtual Reality team! You will use your existing programming experience and 3D modeling skills, help us develop and implement innovative, leading-edge training experiences for our Lam Research work force.
The impact you'll make
As a Virtual Reality Technical Game Designer, you will design, program and implement learning scenarios in a mixed reality environment that will focus primarily on user interactions, both self-paced and collaborative, in a virtual semiconductor training lab environment.
What you'll do
  • Work with our instructional designers and semiconductor equipment subject-matter experts to develop accurate and scalable mixed reality training scenarios.
  • Work with industry-standard software toolsets to develop scalable, VR-ready 3D CAD models based on our internal CAD equipment models.
  • Develop a successful and obtainable workflow from the CAD environment to the final VR-based project.
  • Assist with annual updates to existing VR modules to ensure accuracy.
  • Establish and maintain a library of VR-ready models and re-usable VR-specific code and scenes.
  • Establish recommended mixed reality toolsets and best-known methods for future-proofing our development efforts.
  • Support & troubleshoot VR hardware/software end-user issues in the classroom at both local and global training centers.
  • Provide guidance and training to other internal VR developers.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Minimum bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering or Game Design.
  • At least three years' experience in the semiconductor industry preferred.
  • Unity or Unreal certification a plus.

Other preferred qualifications include:
  • Experience creating and manipulating large, 3D CAD models in Siemens NX, Creo, and AutoDesk software environments.
  • Design experience in UI/UX in game related applications.
  • Experience with tools and environments such as: Pixyz, Blender, Maya, Visual Studio, C++, C#, Javascript, and Python. Knowledge of Lua scripting a plus.
  • Experience developing instructional-based games in Unity or Unreal software platforms a plus.
  • Expert knowledge of VR hardware and software configurations and standards. Knowledge of Windows OS, Steam, and Oculus/Meta HMDs a plus.
  • Knowledge of video and audio production software, such as Adobe Premiere, Adobe Audition, MS PowerPoint & TechSmith Camtasia.
  • Strong visual and interaction skills.
  • Being mechanically inclined (good understanding of how hand tools/machines/mechanics work) a plus.

Our commitment
We believe it is important for every person to feel valued, included, and empowered to achieve their full potential. By bringing unique individuals and viewpoints together, we achieve extraordinary results.
Lam Research ("Lam" or the "Company") is an equal opportunity employer. Lam is committed to and reaffirms support of equal opportunity in employment and non-discrimination in employment policies, practices and procedures on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. It is the Company's intention to comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Company policy prohibits unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees.
Lam offers a variety of work location models based on the needs of each role. Our hybrid roles combine the benefits of on-site collaboration with colleagues and the flexibility to work remotely and fall into two categories - On-site Flex and Virtual Flex. 'On-site Flex' you'll work 3+ days per week on-site at a Lam or customer/supplier location, with the opportunity to work remotely for the balance of the week. 'Virtual Flex' you'll work 1-2 days per week on-site at a Lam or customer/supplier location, and remotely the rest of the time.
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Our Perks and Benefits
At Lam, our people make amazing things possible. That's why we invest in you throughout the phases of your life with a comprehensive set of outstanding benefits.

What Lam Research employees say

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Benefits

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About Lam Research

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Lam Research designs and builds products for semiconductor manufacturing, including equipment for thin film deposition, plasma etch, photoresist strip, and wafer cleaning processes.

Industry

Manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Fremont, CA, US

Year founded

1980

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