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Tabletop Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Position Summary We are seeking a highly creative, resourceful, and organized Game Designer to invent and develop innovative tabletop games across a wide range of categories, including preschool ...

Tabletop Game Designer

Dallas, TX · On-site

$153K/yr

Position Summary We are seeking a highly creative, resourceful, and organized Game Designer to invent and develop innovative tabletop games across a wide range of categories, including preschool ...

Tabletop Game Designer

Dallas, TX · On-site

$153K/yr

Position Summary We are seeking a highly creative, resourceful, and organized Game Designer to invent and develop innovative tabletop games across a wide range of categories, including preschool ...

Tabletop Game Designer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$176K/yr

Position Summary We are seeking a highly creative, resourceful, and organized Game Designer to invent and develop innovative tabletop games across a wide range of categories, including preschool ...

Tabletop Game Designer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$176K/yr

Position Summary We are seeking a highly creative, resourceful, and organized Game Designer to invent and develop innovative tabletop games across a wide range of categories, including preschool ...

Senior Upholstery & Hard Goods Designer

New York, NY · On-site

$111K - $119K/yr

Role Overview We are looking for a Senior Hard Goods Designer to lead the design and development of ... You will bring category expertise in hard goods (tabletop, decorative accessories, lighting ...

Develop new tabletop games to final production-ready consumer products by working with both ... This position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities ...

... tabletop, disposable dinnerware, decorative home accessories, pet products, and seasonal home ... Experience designing multiple non-textile consumer product categories from concept through ...

Are you an experienced tabletop RPG designer with the demonstrated ability to lead major RPG products from inception through publication? We are seeking a Senior Game Designer to work with our design ...

Game Designer - TCG

Seattle, WA

$176K/yr

... tabletop, digital, community, and culture. We're looking for the most skilled and passionate talent in the games industry and beyond to help us create the best trading card games in the world. Who We ...

Contract Game Designer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$30 - $38/hr

The Game Designer plays a key role in the game and product development process from start to finish ... years of tabletop game design/development experience * A love for, and strong knowledge of ...

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Tabletop Designer information

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How much do tabletop designer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 26, 2026, the average hourly pay for tabletop designer in the United States is $30.25, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.03 and $38.46 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a tabletop designer?

A Tabletop Designer is responsible for creating board games, card games, and other tabletop experiences. They develop game mechanics, rules, themes, and components to ensure engaging and balanced gameplay. This role involves playtesting, refining mechanics, and collaborating with artists, writers, and manufacturers. Tabletop designers may work independently, for game publishers, or as part of a development team.

What does a tabletop designer do?

Project timelines for tabletop games can range from a few months for small-scale games to over a year for more complex projects. As a Tabletop Designer, you'll often start with concept development and prototyping, then iterate based on playtesting feedback before finalizing game rules and visual elements. Collaboration is key—designers regularly work alongside illustrators, writers, editors, and playtest coordinators to ensure a cohesive product. Open communication and flexibility help manage revisions and keep projects on track, making teamwork an essential part of the role. This collaborative process not only improves the final product but also provides valuable opportunities for skill development and professional growth.

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

A successful Tabletop Designer needs a strong foundation in game mechanics, storytelling, and visual design, often supported by experience in graphic design or related fields. Familiarity with prototyping tools, layout software like Adobe Creative Suite, and sometimes 3D modeling programs is highly beneficial. Creativity, attention to detail, and excellent teamwork and communication skills set outstanding designers apart. These abilities are crucial for developing engaging, balanced games and collaborating effectively with publishers, playtesters, and artists.

More about Tabletop Designer jobs

What cities are hiring for Tabletop Designer jobs?

Cities with the most Tabletop Designer job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Tabletop Designer jobs?

The most popular types of Tabletop Designer jobs are:

What states have the most Tabletop Designer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Tabletop Designer jobs include:

Infographic showing various Tabletop Designer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 7% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 5% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $62,917 per year, or $30.2 per hour.

Tabletop Game Designer

Goliath

Seattle, WA

$176K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 6 days ago


Job description

Goliath is an international manufacturer and distributor of toys and games, operating in 15 countries and reaching over 100 countries worldwide. At the heart of our business is a belief in great products and the magic of innovation. Our mission is to bring fun to every household, which we achieve through teamwork and clever collaboration.

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly creative, resourceful, and organized Game Designer to invent and develop innovative tabletop games across a wide range of categories, including preschool, kids, family, party, crime and mystery, light strategy, and licensed games.

The Game Designer will turn early-stage ideas into engaging, intuitive, and commercially viable games. This person will own concepts through iterative development-creating prototypes, testing gameplay, refining mechanics, writing rules, and collaborating with internal teams and external creative partners.

The ideal candidate combines imaginative thinking with disciplined execution. They can take a loose idea and transform it into a compelling game experience with minimal supervision, while working quickly, managing multiple projects, and responding to changing priorities and stakeholder feedback.

Key Responsibilities

Invent and develop original games across multiple categories using ideas from internal teams, inventors, licensors, external partners, consumer insights, and emerging trends.

Turn early-stage ideas into engaging, accessible, and commercially viable prototypes.

Manage multiple projects from concept through weekly iteration, documentation, final development, and production handoff.

Plan and facilitate playtesting with internal teams and target consumers, translating feedback and observed behavior into actionable improvements.

Write clear, engaging, audience-appropriate instructions and develop instruction-manual layouts informed by consumer testing.

Present concepts, prototypes, playtest findings, and recommendations; incorporate stakeholder feedback while protecting the integrity of the game experience.

Develop gameplay talking points and confidently demonstrate games for internal teams, licensors, and other partners.

Plan and lead structured team brainstorms, providing creative direction and documentation to move the strongest ideas into development.

Research social, cultural, entertainment, toy, and gaming trends; evaluate current, historical, and competitive games to identify innovations and market opportunities.

Attend trade shows, conventions, inventor events, and industry gatherings to find inspiration, research products, and identify potential inventors and partners.

Maintain a strong working knowledge of current and historical board games, gameplay mechanics, formats, materials, components, and construction innovations.

Requirements

Professional experience in board game development, game design, product development, toy development, or a closely related creative field.

Demonstrated ability to develop a game from an early-stage idea through prototyping, playtesting, iteration, and final documentation.

Strong understanding of gameplay mechanics, player psychology, pacing, balance, accessibility, and age-appropriate design.

Excellent writing and communication skills, with the ability to explain gameplay clearly and concisely.

Experience planning, conducting, and documenting structured playtests.

Ability to turn qualitative consumer observations into specific, actionable improvements.

Excellent organizational and project-management abilities, including the capacity to manage several projects with shifting timelines and priorities.

Ability to work autonomously, exercise sound judgment, and move projects forward with minimal supervision.

Comfortable giving, receiving, evaluating, and incorporating constructive feedback.

A portfolio of published games, prototypes, instructions, or other relevant game-development work.

Benefits

  • 401(k) with company matching
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance to keep you covered
  • Life insurance
  • Flexible spending and health savings accounts to manage your healthcare costs
  • Paid time off to recharge when you need it
  • Join a fun, dynamic and creative industry-working with toys and games brings its own rewards