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Unreal Engine Level Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

World Builder

Santa Monica, CA ยท On-site

$110K - $130K/yr

We are seeking an experienced Level Designer - World Builder for our large-scale open world AAA game in Unreal Engine 5. You will be part of a team who is responsible for bringing this world to life ...

World Builder

Santa Monica, CA ยท On-site

$110K - $130K/yr

We are seeking an experienced Level Designer - World Builder for our large-scale open world AAA game in Unreal Engine 5. You will be part of a team who is responsible for bringing this world to life ...

Work closely with the Lead Level Designer to manage the creation of levels * Work with all ... Unreal Engine 4/5 experience * Experience with both single-player and multiplayer gameplay design.

Senior Level Designer

Raleigh, NC ยท On-site

$99K - $106K/yr

As a Senior Level Designer, you will play a key role in bringing game worlds to life through both ... Proficiency in Unreal Engine 5, with hands-on experience in both greybox design and art ...

Senior Level Designer

Raleigh, NC ยท On-site

$99K - $106K/yr

As a Senior Level Designer, you will play a key role in bringing game worlds to life through both ... Proficiency in Unreal Engine 5, with hands-on experience in both greybox design and art ...

Senior Level Designer

Raleigh, NC ยท On-site

$99K - $106K/yr

As a Senior Level Designer, you will play a key role in bringing game worlds to life through both ... Proficiency in Unreal Engine 5, with hands-on experience in both greybox design and art ...

Create documentation and deliver training to level up the animation team's technical fluency ... Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to ...

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Unreal Engine Level Designer information

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$79.5K

$90K

$98.5K

How much do unreal engine level designer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for unreal engine level designer in the United States is $90,000.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $85,000.00 and $95,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by Unreal Engine Level Designers when collaborating with artists and programmers?

Unreal Engine Level Designers frequently need to balance creative vision with technical constraints, which can be challenging during cross-disciplinary collaboration. Communicating level design requirements clearly to artists helps ensure assets match gameplay needs, while close coordination with programmers is essential to optimize performance and implement interactive elements. Effective collaboration often involves regular meetings, detailed documentation, and iterative feedback to align everyone's contributions and deliver cohesive, high-quality levels on schedule.

What does an Unreal Engine Level Designer do?

An Unreal Engine Level Designer is responsible for creating and designing game environments using Epic Games' Unreal Engine. They craft immersive worlds by placing objects, setting up lighting, and scripting interactive elements to enhance player experience. Level designers work closely with artists, programmers, and other team members to ensure that the levels are visually appealing, engaging, and function smoothly within the game's mechanics. Their work involves both creative and technical skills, balancing aesthetics with gameplay functionality.

What is the difference between Unreal Engine Level Designer vs Environment Artist?

AspectUnreal Engine Level DesignerEnvironment Artist
Primary FocusDesigning and building playable levels within Unreal EngineCreating detailed, realistic environments and assets for games
Skills & ToolsUnreal Engine, level scripting, gameplay integration3D modeling, texturing, environment composition
Work EnvironmentGame development teams, using Unreal EngineArt departments, using 3D software and Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine Level Designers focus on constructing engaging levels and gameplay flow within Unreal Engine, while Environment Artists specialize in creating the visual assets and environments that populate those levels. Both roles often collaborate but have distinct skill sets and responsibilities.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Unreal Engine Level Designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Unreal Engine Level Designer, you need strong proficiency in level design principles, 3D modeling, and a deep understanding of Unreal Engine, often supported by a degree in game design or a related field. Familiarity with technical tools such as Unreal Engine's Blueprint system, asset management workflows, and version control systems like Perforce is essential. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and crafting engaging player experiences. These skills ensure that levels are not only visually compelling and functional but also optimized for gameplay and performance within complex development environments.
More about Unreal Engine Level Designer jobs
What cities are hiring for Unreal Engine Level Designer jobs? Cities with the most Unreal Engine Level Designer job openings:
What states have the most Unreal Engine Level Designer jobs? States with the most job openings for Unreal Engine Level Designer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Unreal Engine Level Designer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Unreal Engine Level Designer jobs are:
Infographic showing various Unreal Engine Level Designer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 4% Locum Tenens, 85% Full Time, 7% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $90,000 per year, or $43.3 per hour.

World Builder

Absurd Ventures

Santa Monica, CA โ€ข On-site

$110K - $130K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 3 days ago


Job description

We are seeking an experienced Level Designer - World Builder for our large-scale open world AAA game in Unreal Engine 5. You will be part of a team who is responsible for bringing this world to life by understanding how to translate design intent, narrative context, and artistic direction into cohesive, immersive playable spaces.ย 

This role sits at the intersection ofย level design, world-buildingย andย environmentย artย requiring both strong artistic sensibilities and a deep understanding of how open worlds are constructed at scale.ย 

Core Responsibilitiesย 

  • Build and assemble high-quality open world environments using Unreal Engine 5, working fromย greyboxย through final polishย on both landscapes and cityscapes, including doing extensive terrain/landscape sculpting and modification.ย 
  • Create and design layouts that support and focus on gameplay, narrative, and intended art direction needs. Helping to drive the overall design direction of the world,ย settingย andย maintainingย a high bar for environmental storytelling, composition, gameplay needs and metrics, and player navigation.ย 
  • Collaborate closely with Design, Level Design, Art Direction, and Tech Art to ensure environments support gameplay and storytelling goals.ย 
  • Own world-building across large regions, ensuring consistency in composition, tone, and visual storytelling.ย 
  • Contribute to the development and evolution of pipelines, workflows, and world-building standards.ย 
  • Optimizeย environments for performance whileย maintainingย visual fidelity.ย 
  • Provide feedback on asset quality, modular kits, and world-building tools to improve overall efficiency and cohesion.ย 
  • Dress environments using a mix of modular kits, bespoke assets, decals, foliage, and world compositionย tool.ย 

Qualificationsย 

  • 4+ years of experience inย level design,ย world building, or level art for AAA gamesย 
  • Strong experience working inย Unreal Engine (UE4 or UE5),ย including world-building tools and workflowsย 
  • Proven ability at creating layouts and environments, fromย blockoutย all the way to polished, shippable quality, with a focus on creating believable immersive gameplay spacesย 
  • Strong eye for composition, scale,ย materiality, and environmental storytellingย 
  • Experience working withย modular kits and large-scale open world pipelinesย 
  • Understanding of gameplay considerations in environment construction (navigation, readability, player flow)ย 
  • Solid knowledge of performance constraints and optimization practices in real-time environmentsย 
  • Ability to strongly collaborate across multiple disciplines, while taking ownership of large areas of the world from concepts to shippable qualityย 
  • Ability to implement and design changes based on play testing data from both in and out of house dataย 

Plus If...

  • Experience withย World Partition, Data Layers, or similar large-world systems in UE5ย 
  • Familiarity with procedural tools (Houdini, PCG workflows, foliage systems, etc.)ย 
  • Experience working onย open world or systemic gamesย 
  • Background in level design orย strong designย sensibilityย 

Descriptionย ย ย 

  • Full-time job with benefits.ย ย ย 
  • Role is on-site inย Santa Monica,ย CA.ย ย ย 

The base pay range for this position is $110,000 to $130,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer a competitive package of benefits including vacation time, sick time, company holidays, parental leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) match to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.ย