Job Opportunities API

[English version, French to follow] About Keywords Studios Keywords Studios is a leading provider of technical and creative services to the global gaming industry, with over 13,000 staff across 70+ studios in 26 countries, serving more than 950 clients worldwide. We partner with many of the industry's leading developers and publishers across the full game development lifecycle—from concept and production through launch and live operations. Within our Create Service Line, world-class studios including Snowed In Studios, High Voltage, Volta, Hardsuit Labs, GameSim, Liquid Development, and Smoking Gun Interactive deliver exceptional art, game development, and audio services across every major genre and platform. To unify and elevate this capability, we are establishing a lean, highly senior Creative Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Montreal. This marks a strategic shift from traditional co-development support toward end-to-end creative ownership of game vision, systems, and execution strategy across the Americas. Within this CoE, we are redefining how games are conceived, pitched, and delivered—bringing together world-class studios across Canada, the United States, and Mexico (potentially further reach globally across Keywords Create teams as things progress)under a shared creative vision designed to win new partnerships, elevate execution quality, and shape the future of Keywords’ creative offering. About the Role As Principal Design Director – Americas CoE, you are the Systems Master and architect of gameplay excellence across Keywords North America. You will help shape game experiences from initial concept through production and beyond, defining the gameplay systems, progression frameworks, economies, and player experiences that form the foundation of a project. Whether supporting early-stage pitches, collaborating during development, or advising teams through launch and live operations, you will help ensure design intent remains aligned, scalable, and player-focused throughout the product lifecycle. Actively translating the creative vision into engaging, scalable, and commercially viable gameplay systems—then partner with studios on execution to bring those systems to life. From deep systemic RPG economies to accessible co-op loops or live-service retention systems, you define the “fun factor blueprint” that wins pitches and sustains long-term player engagement. What You Will Do (The Mandate) Design Strategy & Systems Architecture Partner with the Regional Creative Director to translate product vision into compelling gameplay systems, economies, progression models, and player experiences. Design and define scalable gameplay loops, engagement systems, retention frameworks, live-service features, and content strategies. Establish design frameworks, principles, and best practices that elevate consistency and quality across projects, genres, and studios. Ensure gameplay systems are engaging, balanced, accessible, and aligned with both player expectations and business goals. Evaluate and refine systems through player-focused design, hands-on expertise, and data-informed insight. Pitch Leadership &  Client Engagement Partner with Business Development and creative leadership to concept, document, and pitch innovative gameplay systems to major publishers and partners. Translate abstract product vision into clear, structured, and compelling design frameworks for early-stage pitches and proposals. Define core mechanics, loops, economies, and progression systems that differentiate new game opportunities. Support creation of design documentation, feature breakdowns, and system overviews that clearly communicate gameplay value and feasibility. Regional Studio Collaboration & Discipline Supervision Collaborate with studios across Canada, the United States, and Mexico (potentially further reach globally across Keywords Create teams as things progress) to elevate gameplay design q