ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Puzzle Game Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Itcharm

PA · On-site

$80 - $100/hr

Develop and prototype game mechanics, primarily for word and puzzle games : word splitting, letter selection, word search, and similar mechanics. * Design simple levels around new mechanics. * Take a ...

Limit Break

$162K/yr

Game Designer (Puzzle) About us: Deep expertise. Personal and Industry evolution. Impeccable craft ... Design and balance gameplay mechanics and progression systems that reinforce player flow ...

Relevate Health

$100K - $125K/yr

... puzzle games, strategy games, or massively-multiplayer party games--all brought to life with stunning graphics and thoughtful game design. Beyond creating top-quality games, you'll be advancing the ...

SupportFinity™

Lead Designer

California, MO · On-site

$125 - $150/hr

Collaborate with the technical team to develop world class editors and tools for rapid puzzle level creation and tuning. * Design and tune in-game economies, monetization features, and live-ops ...

MobilityWare

Senior Product Manager

Irvine, CA · On-site

$135K - $179K/yr

... Puzzle game and future games), ensuring alignment with broader company objectives. * Cross-functional leadership: Lead across engineering, design, art, marketing, and analytics to deliver high ...

Namely

Senior Product Manager

Irvine, CA · On-site

$250/hr

... Puzzle game and future games), ensuring alignment with broader company objectives. * Cross-functional leadership: Lead across engineering, design, art, marketing, and analytics to deliver high ...

MobilityWare

Senior Product Manager

Irvine, CA · On-site

$135K - $179K/yr

... Puzzle game and future games), ensuring alignment with broader company objectives. * Cross-functional leadership: Lead across engineering, design, art, marketing, and analytics to deliver high ...

Relevate Health

$120K - $150K/yr

Our games leverage deep game design and real game tech to advance the practice of medicine. Join a ... In this role, you'll work on games across an array of casual and multiplayer genres (puzzle games ...

Jam City

Senior UI/UX Designer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Provide cohesive UI design spanning the full player experience - from narrative gameplay and puzzle interactions to systems, progression, and monetization interfaces * Collaborate closely with Game ...

Jam City Inc

Senior UI/UX Designer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$100 - $125/hr

Provide cohesive UI design spanning the full player experience - from narrative gameplay and puzzle interactions to systems, progression, and monetization interfaces * Collaborate closely with Game ...

Jam City

Senior UI/UX Designer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Provide cohesive UI design spanning the full player experience - from narrative gameplay and puzzle interactions to systems, progression, and monetization interfaces * Collaborate closely with Game ...

Jam City Inc

$100 - $125/hr

Provide cohesive UI design spanning the full player experience - from narrative gameplay and puzzle interactions to systems, progression, and monetization interfaces * Collaborate closely with Game ...

Jam City

Senior UI/UX Designer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Provide cohesive UI design spanning the full player experience - from narrative gameplay and puzzle interactions to systems, progression, and monetization interfaces * Collaborate closely with Game ...

Jam City Inc

UI/UX Designer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$80 - $100/hr

Collaborate with cross-functional teams including product management, concept art, game design and ... puzzle and story-driven mobile games. As the creative force behind fan-favorite, award-winning ...

Brilliant

$110K - $180K/yr

Design new learning games - visual, puzzle-driven experiences that teach foundational principles in algorithms, data structures, and computational thinking. * Decompose complex computer science ideas ...

Mobilityware

Product Manager

Irvine, CA · On-site

Support Product Owners in sprint reviews, planning, and design backlog, and agile workflows ... MobilityWare is one of the leading mobile game publishers of card and puzzle games. With our ...

MobilityWare

Product Manager

Irvine, CA · On-site

Support Product Owners in sprint reviews, planning, and design backlog, and agile workflows ... MobilityWare is one of the leading mobile game publishers of card and puzzle games. With our ...

Jam City

Lead Product Manager

Carlsbad, CA

$140K - $180K/yr

The ideal candidate is passionate about casual and puzzle games games, can pull, analyze, and ... Identify tools and reporting, working with technical teams, to design, implement and improve ...

Jam City

Lead Product Manager

Carlsbad, CA · On-site

$140K - $180K/yr

The ideal candidate is passionate about casual and puzzle games games, can pull, analyze, and ... Identify tools and reporting, working with technical teams, to design, implement and improve ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsArts And Entertainment JobsArts JobsGame Designer JobsPuzzle Game Design Jobs

Puzzle Game Design information

See salary details

$79.5K

$130.8K

$196K

How much do puzzle game design jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for puzzle game design in the United States is $130,762.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $107,000.00 and $150,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is puzzle game design?

Puzzle game design is the process of creating games that challenge players to solve problems or complete tasks using logic, pattern recognition, strategy, or word completion. Designers in this field focus on developing engaging mechanics, interesting challenges, and rewarding progression to keep players entertained and mentally stimulated. Puzzle game designers often balance difficulty, accessibility, and creativity to ensure their games are both fun and approachable for a wide audience.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a puzzle game designer?

To excel as a Puzzle Game Designer, you need a strong grasp of game design principles, logic, creativity, and often a degree in game design, computer science, or a related field. Familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal, as well as proficiency in prototyping tools and scripting languages, is typically required. Outstanding problem-solving, collaboration, and playtesting communication skills help designers create engaging player experiences. These competencies are crucial for developing innovative, challenging puzzles that captivate players and contribute to a game's success.

What are some common challenges faced by puzzle game designers during the development process?

Puzzle game designers often face the challenge of balancing difficulty to keep players engaged without causing frustration. Creating original and intuitive mechanics that provide satisfying 'aha!' moments is another common hurdle. Additionally, designers must ensure that puzzles integrate seamlessly with the game's narrative and visual style, and frequently collaborate with artists, programmers, and playtesters to refine each level. Effective communication and iteration are key to addressing feedback and enhancing the overall player experience.

What is the difference between Puzzle Game Design vs Level Designer?

AspectPuzzle Game DesignLevel Designer
Required SkillsGame mechanics, puzzle logic, creativityLevel layout, environment design, user experience
Work EnvironmentGame studios, remote, collaborative teamsGame studios, freelance, collaborative teams
Industry UsageMobile, casual, puzzle genresVarious genres including action, adventure, puzzle
Common Search IntentDesigning puzzles, game mechanics, creative rolesCreating levels, environment design, game flow

While both roles involve game development, Puzzle Game Design focuses on creating engaging puzzles and mechanics, whereas Level Designer emphasizes designing the overall environment and levels. Puzzle Game Designers develop the core gameplay elements, while Level Designers craft the spaces players explore. Both roles often collaborate but serve distinct functions within game development teams.

How to become a puzzle game designer?

To become a puzzle game designer, develop strong skills in game design, programming, and logic, often through a degree in game design, computer science, or related fields. Building a portfolio of puzzle prototypes and gaining experience with game development tools like Unity or Unreal Engine can improve job prospects. Understanding player psychology and testing puzzle mechanics are also important for success in this role.

Which puzzle game design jobs pay the most?

Senior puzzle game designers and lead roles in game development typically have the highest salaries in puzzle game design, often exceeding $100,000 annually. These positions require extensive experience, strong skills in game mechanics and user experience, and often involve leadership responsibilities within development teams.
More about Puzzle Game Design jobs

What cities are hiring for Puzzle Game Design jobs?

Cities with the most Puzzle Game Design job openings:

What states have the most Puzzle Game Design jobs?

States with the most job openings for Puzzle Game Design jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Puzzle Game Design jobs?

For Puzzle Game Design jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Puzzle Game Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Puzzle Game Design job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, and 50% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $130,762 per year, or $62.9 per hour.

Feature Product Manager / AI Game Designer

Itcharm

PA • On-site

$80 - $100/hr

Other

Posted 5 days ago

Job description

Job details

ID

Copy ID

Location

World, EU

$1 – $1

Cooperation

B2B, Remote

Just refi bonus

$200

$600

Seniority levels

Senior

Languages

Skills

GameDev

AI Tools

Level Design

Product Prototypin

Unity / C++ basics

We are a small product-focused GameDev team building mobile word and puzzle games for an international audience.

The team is currently expanding a new direction focused on rapid prototyping and testing of game mechanics with AI tools. This approach has already proven effective in accelerating product experiments, and we are now looking for a Product Manager / AI Game Designer to help turn new ideas into playable prototypes.

This is a hands-on role at the intersection of Game Design, Product, and AI-assisted development. You will not be responsible for high-level product strategy, retention, or monetization. Your focus will be on taking an idea and turning it into a working game mechanic.

Responsibilities
  • Develop and prototype game mechanics, primarily for word and puzzle games: word splitting, letter selection, word search, and similar mechanics.
  • Design simple levels around new mechanics.
  • Take a product idea and an existing game template, build the core mechanic, integrate it, and bring the mini-project to a playable state.
  • Test and iterate on mechanics based on product feedback.
  • Set up basic game balance and reward logic, such as coins and rewards.
  • Use AI tools extensively to generate and iterate on code.
  • Work closely with the Game Designer and founder to rapidly test new product ideas.
  • Ensure that new mechanics fit into the existing product and technical infrastructure.
Requirements
  • 2–3 years of relevant experience in GameDev.
  • Background as a Game Designer, Product Manager, Game Developer moving toward Product/Game Design, or R&D specialist working with game concepts and prototypes.
  • Good understanding of word/puzzle mechanics and how levels are designed around them.
  • Ability to take a game idea from concept to a working prototype rather than focusing only on documentation or design.
  • Basic technical understanding of how game mechanics, code, and product infrastructure work together.
  • Experience with AI tools for prototyping/development, or strong motivation to learn and use them extensively.
  • Basic understanding of game balance, rewards, and simple game economy.
  • Strong ownership, problem-solving skills, curiosity, and ability to work independently.

Deep expertise in Unity or C++ is not required. AI tools will be used to generate a significant part of the code, but you should understand how the resulting components work within the product.

Nice to Have
  • Hands-on experience with word or puzzle games.
  • Experience rapidly prototyping and testing game concepts.
  • Unity or other game development experience.
  • Experience using AI-assisted coding or prototyping tools. What We Offer
    • A hands-on role where you can turn ideas into real playable mechanics.
    • An opportunity to work at the intersection of Game Design, Product, and AI.
    • A fast experimentation environment with short idea-to-prototype cycles.
    • Direct collaboration with an experienced Game Designer and the founder.
    • An opportunity to develop strong AI-assisted product development skills.
    • Fully remote work in a small, product-focused team.
#J-18808-Ljbffr

Apply