Senior Game Designer, Minecraft
Microsoft
Senior Game Designer, Minecraft
Redmond, Washington, United States
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Overview
At Mojang Studios, the creators of Minecraft, we are on a mission to build a better world through the power of play.
Why play? Well, play is at the heart of everything we do. It’s the blocky backbone of our games, the core of our development philosophy, and even the origin of our name. From the relentless experimentation of our endlessly inspiring community to the classrooms where Minecraft has become an essential teaching tool, play is the bedrock of our existence.
We enable millions to create and play together, connect people across the globe, and foster a community that is among the most active and passionate in the world. Our community is global and incredibly diverse. When we are developing anything within our franchise, we keep this in mind. We want everyone to not only feel included in Minecraft, but also to see themselves in what we make. Our goal is for the Mojang Studios team to be as diverse as our community.
Mojang Studios, creator of Minecraft, is seeking a Senior Game Designer to craft engaging, repeatable game play that inspires creativity, community and a love of learning. This role is based in Redmond, WA. You’ll lead gameplay and systems design while collaborating with creators, UX, and engineering partners to deliver fun, high-quality, and evolving experiences that delight millions of players.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
In the end, it’s the people of Mojang Studios that make this place truly special. When you join, you’ll find yourself in the company of incredibly bright, warm, and creative individuals – all united and working toward a single goal. Come help us reach it!
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
-
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Art, Writing, Behavioral Science, Data Science, Game Design, or related field AND 4+ years experience in game development and design, systems design, content production, or related field OR Associate's Degree in Computer Science, Art, Writing, Behavioral Science, Game Design, or related field AND 6+ years experience in game development and design, systems design, content production, or related field
OR equivalent experience.
- Have shipped at least 1 title released to consumers/shipped game.
- Experience designing and shipping content in collaboration with external partners or creators.
- Experience in gameplay loops, progression systems, player motivations and/or detractors.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in game design, preferably in mobile live-service, sandbox, or creator-driven titles.
- Experience leading or mentoring other designers and guiding cross-disciplinary teams.
- Background in designing for mobile or cross-platform audiences.
- Familiarity with live-ops practices, pacing, and content cadence management.
- Appreciation for Minecraft’s player and creator communities, and passion for learning through play.
- Experience building frameworks or systems that enable scalable, creator-made content.
- Communication and collaboration skills across creative, technical, and leadership teams.
- Proficiency in prototyping using scripting, block-based, or visual design tools (e.g., Minecraft Java).
Game Design IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $158,400 - $258,000 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
Microsoft will accept applications for the role until October 31, 2025.
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Responsibilities
- Lead the design of engaging and repeatable play experiences, defining core loops, progression systems, and live engagement mechanics that sustain long-term fun.
- Collaborate with creators and external studios to concept, prototype, and deliver content that reflects Minecraft’s tone and design standards.
- Develop design frameworks and best practices that empower creators to build cohesive, scalable, and high-quality experiences.
- Partner cross-functionally with UX, engineering, and product to ensure systems and tools support both player and creator needs.