1

World Building Jobs (NOW HIRING)

World Builder

Santa Monica, CA ยท On-site

$110K - $130K/yr

This role sits at the intersection of level design, world-building and environment art requiring both strong artistic sensibilities and a deep understanding of how open worlds are constructed at ...

World Builder

Santa Monica, CA ยท On-site

$110K - $130K/yr

This role sits at the intersection of level design, world-building and environment art requiring both strong artistic sensibilities and a deep understanding of how open worlds are constructed at ...

Building Code Consultant

Sunny Isles, FL ยท Remote

$80 - $120/hr

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Building Code Consultant

Chula Vista, CA ยท Remote

$80 - $120/hr

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Building Code Consultant

Surfside, FL ยท Remote

$80 - $120/hr

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Building Code Consultant

FL ยท Remote

$80 - $120/hr

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Building Code Consultant

Los Angeles, CA ยท Remote

$80 - $120/hr

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Building Code Consultant

Jacksonville, FL ยท Remote

$80 - $120/hr

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Building Code Consultant

Tampa, FL ยท Remote

$80 - $120/hr

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Building Engineer - AI Trainer

FL ยท Remote

$80 - $120/hr

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Building Engineer - AI Trainer

Tampa, FL ยท Remote

$80 - $120/hr

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input related to building codes, permitting, inspections, and construction compliance. Key Responsibilities:

next page

Showing results 1-20

World Building information

See salary details

$28K

$98.1K

$148K

How much do world building jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for world building in the United States is $98,146.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $78,000.00 and $120,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Is worldbuilder a job?

A worldbuilder is a role that involves creating detailed fictional worlds for books, games, movies, or other media. It requires skills in storytelling, creativity, and often knowledge of design tools or writing techniques. While not a formal job title in all industries, worldbuilding is a recognized part of creative professions such as game design, writing, and concept art.

What is world building?

World building is the process of creating an imaginary setting with its own history, geography, cultures, laws, and rules. It is commonly used in fiction writing, game design, and film to make immersive and believable worlds for stories or gameplay. Effective world building helps to establish the context for characters and plot, making the narrative more engaging and authentic for the audience.

What profession makes $400,000 a year?

In the field of world building, senior roles such as lead designers, creative directors, or executive producers in large entertainment or gaming companies can earn $400,000 or more annually. These positions typically require extensive experience, strong project management skills, and a proven track record of successful projects.

What is the difference between World Building vs Game Designer?

AspectWorld BuildingGame Designer
Primary FocusCreating the setting, lore, and universeDesigning gameplay, mechanics, and player experience
Required SkillsCreativity, storytelling, world developmentGame mechanics, user experience, storytelling
Work EnvironmentCreative teams, writers, artistsDesign teams, developers, project managers
Industry UsageVideo games, tabletop RPGs, moviesVideo games, interactive media

World Building focuses on creating immersive universes and lore, while Game Designers develop gameplay mechanics and player interactions. Both roles often collaborate but serve different core functions within game development and related industries.

What job makes $10,000 a month without a degree?

A career in world building, such as a freelance concept artist, writer, or 3D designer, can potentially earn $10,000 a month through high-profile projects, strong portfolios, and self-employment. Success often depends on skills, reputation, and the ability to secure lucrative contracts without formal degrees.

How does a World Builder typically collaborate with writers, artists, and game designers during the development process?

World Builders play a crucial role in shaping the creative vision of a project by closely collaborating with writers, artists, and game designers. They work with writers to ensure consistency in lore and setting, assist artists by providing detailed descriptions and references for environments, and coordinate with game designers to integrate world elements that support gameplay mechanics. Regular meetings and feedback cycles are common, making strong communication and adaptability essential skills for fostering a cohesive and immersive world. This collaborative environment allows World Builders to contribute creatively while also learning from other disciplines, opening pathways for career growth into narrative design, art direction, or lead world-building roles.

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

To thrive as a World Builder, you need a strong background in creative writing, storytelling, and design, often supported by experience in game design, literature, or related fields. Familiarity with digital world-building tools, 3D modeling software, or interactive platforms like Unity or Unreal Engine is typically important. Exceptional imagination, attention to detail, and collaboration skills help create immersive, coherent worlds and work effectively with multidisciplinary teams. These abilities are crucial for developing engaging environments that enhance storytelling and user experience in games, films, or literature.

What jobs pay 500,000 a year in the US?

In the field of world building, high-paying roles such as senior creative directors, executive producers, or lead designers in large entertainment or gaming companies can reach or exceed $500,000 annually. These positions typically require extensive experience, strong leadership skills, and proficiency with industry-standard tools like 3D modeling and storytelling software. Compensation varies based on company size, project scope, and individual expertise.
More about World Building jobs
What states have the most World Building jobs? States with the most job openings for World Building jobs include:
Infographic showing various World Building job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 67% Full Time, 22% Part Time, and 11% Nights. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $98,146 per year, or $47.2 per hour.

World Builder

Absurd Ventures

Santa Monica, CA โ€ข On-site

$110K - $130K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 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